Finding Sound

by Kyle Yandle

In a small North Carolina mountain town, three fifth graders from fractured families are thrown together for a class project. Marcus, a shy piano prodigy struggling under the weight of his mother's expectations and his father's musical legacy, finds an unlikely ally in Shell, the resilient daughter of a drug-addicted mother who is just beginning a shaky road to recovery. Alongside them is Squeeze, the sheriff's neglected son whose bullying hides a desperate need for attention.

But when Shell's mother returns from rehab with a youth pastor who seems to promise stability, the fragile balance shatters. The man's abuse devastates Shell, leaving Marcus and Squeeze to grapple with their own helplessness—and their responsibility to act. When the authorities fail to protect her, Squeeze takes matters into his own hands, pushing their friendship into dangerous, irreversible territory.

268 pages, Paperback

Published May 18, 2026

About the author

Kyle Yandle is the author of the chapbook We Were Only Boys (Bottlecap Press, 2026). His debut novel, Finding Sound, was published by Moonshine Cove Publishing in 2026, and his second novel, How to Make Pizza in Space, is forthcoming from Nat 1 Publishing (November 2027). His short fiction has appeared in After/Thought Literary, Children Churches, and Daddies (CC&D), Down in the Dirt, and The Piker Press.

He lives in western North Carolina with his wife, children, a cat, and a persistent sense that things are about to get a little strange.

Reviews

[Amy Yandle · Rating 5 out of 5]

An amazing read! Made me laugh, cry, and pissed off all at the same time. Made me feel like these were kids in my own neighborhood and everyday life. Made me feel so deeply that I felt as if I were experiencing their struggles with them.