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Girl vs. Boy Band #1
The Right Track
Talented but painfully shy Lark secretly writes feisty, heartfelt songs about school, crushes on boys, not getting along with her mum and missing her dad who lives in Nashville. But her songwriting becomes harder to keep secret when Lark's mother, a music record executive at her own label, announces that British boy band Abbey Road will be coming to live with them while they make their first album!Sharing her L.A. house with three noisy, mischievous rising stars isn't as glamorous as she expected, especially when things aren't going smoothly with the band members. When one of them plagiarises one of Lark's songs and passes it off as his own, will she gain the courage to step into the spotlight herself?Any pop music fan will LOVE this!
243 pages, Kindle Edition
First published June 14, 2016
15 people are currently reading
551 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 39 reviews
May 10, 2017
I didn't realise this was going to be a series but I'm glad. This book is probably for younger teens but I loved it as its all about music. I wish I could write songs like her! I'm very interested to see what the next book is like will Lark find love? Will teddy be the next Keyboardist in the band? I can't wait to see what happens
June 28, 2023
This was actually so sweet!!
July 22, 2016
I received this book from Bloomsbury Australia and, because I love to read all kinds of genres, I was looking forward to checking it out. Not to mention that the eye-catching cover is totally adorable!
Anyway, let's talk about the story.
Lark Campbell is a very shy thirteen-year-old girl with a bit of a secret. She loves to write songs, play her guitar and has a lovely singing voice. But the only person she shares these talents with is her best friend, Mimi. Who happens to be great with a camera. The two make music videos in Lark's lavish backyard, but keep it a secret. She's afraid to let her mother know she can actually sing because Lark has terrible stage fright. So bad that she passes out every time she sings in front of people.
Her musical gifts aren't a surprise though, because her father's a musician and her mother is building a record label in Los Angeles. Her parents recently split up, and while her dad still lives in Tennessee when he's not touring, she's stuck in LA. No matter how many months go by, she still feels homesick. But luckily, her mother's busy building her label and soon embarks on a crazy idea that involves bringing a boy band from England to America.
The thought of living with loud boys who like to fight, eat all the food and hog the bathroom doesn't sound ideal to Lark. But as she gets to know the boys, she soon realises that they're not that bad. Well, until one of them betrays her.
When Lark agrees to help her crush, Teddy, by performing with him at the upcoming school talent show, she finds her attitude changing. Which leads to her committing to her greatest fear: performing a song she wrote in front of the whole school...
I seriously didn't know what to expect from this book, but I loved it! It's a great middle grade story about a girl whose crippling fear of performing overshadows her talent almost as much as she misses the life she shared with her parents when they were together. Lark is an easy character to like. She's a nice girl with an awesome bestie--Mimi is seriously cool and clever--and is always willing to help anyone who needs her.
The British boys were also great characters. I love their band name and the significance: Abbey Road. And especially liked how different each guy was. Proving that they are all much more than just cute boys with good voices. They're all teenagers with the same problems.
Girl vs. Boy Band: The Right Track is a fun and clever story about a talented girl who has to accept her new life before being able to overcome her own shyness and fear. There are plenty of cool surprises along the way. Plus, this book is super cute! It might feature a young musician with an uncanny talent for music, but her growing pains are familiar and apply to everyone.
I'm really looking forward to finding out what happens after the exciting talent show!
Anyway, let's talk about the story.
Lark Campbell is a very shy thirteen-year-old girl with a bit of a secret. She loves to write songs, play her guitar and has a lovely singing voice. But the only person she shares these talents with is her best friend, Mimi. Who happens to be great with a camera. The two make music videos in Lark's lavish backyard, but keep it a secret. She's afraid to let her mother know she can actually sing because Lark has terrible stage fright. So bad that she passes out every time she sings in front of people.
Her musical gifts aren't a surprise though, because her father's a musician and her mother is building a record label in Los Angeles. Her parents recently split up, and while her dad still lives in Tennessee when he's not touring, she's stuck in LA. No matter how many months go by, she still feels homesick. But luckily, her mother's busy building her label and soon embarks on a crazy idea that involves bringing a boy band from England to America.
The thought of living with loud boys who like to fight, eat all the food and hog the bathroom doesn't sound ideal to Lark. But as she gets to know the boys, she soon realises that they're not that bad. Well, until one of them betrays her.
When Lark agrees to help her crush, Teddy, by performing with him at the upcoming school talent show, she finds her attitude changing. Which leads to her committing to her greatest fear: performing a song she wrote in front of the whole school...
I seriously didn't know what to expect from this book, but I loved it! It's a great middle grade story about a girl whose crippling fear of performing overshadows her talent almost as much as she misses the life she shared with her parents when they were together. Lark is an easy character to like. She's a nice girl with an awesome bestie--Mimi is seriously cool and clever--and is always willing to help anyone who needs her.
The British boys were also great characters. I love their band name and the significance: Abbey Road. And especially liked how different each guy was. Proving that they are all much more than just cute boys with good voices. They're all teenagers with the same problems.
Girl vs. Boy Band: The Right Track is a fun and clever story about a talented girl who has to accept her new life before being able to overcome her own shyness and fear. There are plenty of cool surprises along the way. Plus, this book is super cute! It might feature a young musician with an uncanny talent for music, but her growing pains are familiar and apply to everyone.
I'm really looking forward to finding out what happens after the exciting talent show!
July 23, 2019
This book tells the story of 13 year old Lark, which by the way is the most amazing name ever. Lark lives in LA with her record executive Mom and longs for life in Nashville with her gig musician Dad. She finds herself living with 3 teenage boys who are members of the band her mom has signed and is attempting to turn into some sort of 5 Seconds of Summer boy band.
For a Juvenile book this was amazing. I really thought that Lark was relateable as a character. I
especially like how it dealt with real life struggles such as divorce and fitting in at school under a vale of fun things like boy bands and the music industry.
For a Juvenile book this was amazing. I really thought that Lark was relateable as a character. I
especially like how it dealt with real life struggles such as divorce and fitting in at school under a vale of fun things like boy bands and the music industry.
March 3, 2019
I picked this book up at the Scholastic Book Fair while volunteering for my daughter's class. OMG, this book is perfect! This is the kind of book that should be marketed aggressively, because preteen girls would love this. It's got a great bright pink cover, super fun premise and awesome characters. I loved everything about this book, including the fact that it used some of my favorite names, Lark and Ollie.
Lark is a green eyed, auburn haired beauty from Nashville who moves to L.A. with her mom after a divorce. Her mom is starting a new record company and she imports a British boy band to help jump start the label. The boys move in to her house to save on money and Lark suddenly has a bunch of cute but annoying teenage boys to deal with.
I love that all the kids are creative and interesting and that they all play real instruments and write songs. I love the almost 80s feel to this novel... It's bright and hopeful even when things go wrong. Lark's dad is a cool guy who she's close to. There's no misandry or misplaced politics in this book. It's exactly what a middle grade novel should be-relatable and fun. I will be recommending this to everyone I know and buying the second book ASAP. Absolutely loved this one.
Lark is a green eyed, auburn haired beauty from Nashville who moves to L.A. with her mom after a divorce. Her mom is starting a new record company and she imports a British boy band to help jump start the label. The boys move in to her house to save on money and Lark suddenly has a bunch of cute but annoying teenage boys to deal with.
I love that all the kids are creative and interesting and that they all play real instruments and write songs. I love the almost 80s feel to this novel... It's bright and hopeful even when things go wrong. Lark's dad is a cool guy who she's close to. There's no misandry or misplaced politics in this book. It's exactly what a middle grade novel should be-relatable and fun. I will be recommending this to everyone I know and buying the second book ASAP. Absolutely loved this one.
November 20, 2017
This book wasn't really bad, but then again it wasn't really good either. I didn't really care much for the characters and the relationships in this book. The only redeeming factor to this book was the fact that it was a short quick read.
The book centers on Lark Campbell who has moved to LA after her parents got divorced. Her mother owns a record label and signs this new hot (though unkown) british boy band who ends up residing in their house. Lark is incredibly talented in singing, playing guitar and writing songs, but is also super shy.
For some reason I just didn't really like ths book. I just didn't think it was really good. I didn't like Lark as a main character, I thought the relationship between her and her mother was really bad. The band members were just generic idiotic teens for most of the book. The relationship between Lark and Mimi (her best friend) was over simplified. I also thought that the third person's POV did nothing to the story, it probably would have been better off being told from Lark's POV.
2 stars.
The book centers on Lark Campbell who has moved to LA after her parents got divorced. Her mother owns a record label and signs this new hot (though unkown) british boy band who ends up residing in their house. Lark is incredibly talented in singing, playing guitar and writing songs, but is also super shy.
For some reason I just didn't really like ths book. I just didn't think it was really good. I didn't like Lark as a main character, I thought the relationship between her and her mother was really bad. The band members were just generic idiotic teens for most of the book. The relationship between Lark and Mimi (her best friend) was over simplified. I also thought that the third person's POV did nothing to the story, it probably would have been better off being told from Lark's POV.
2 stars.
November 16, 2017
This book was a great book to read. It talks about this girl is shy in the beginning but then she isn’t shy. Like in the beginning she didn’t want anyone to hear her sing not even her mom. Then this boy Teddy asked her to sing with him in a talent show and first she said no but then she said yes and she even sang one of her own songs in the talent show. It was also very interesting because she helps Teddy in the talent show and even gets him into the boy band.It shows that trying something new isn’t that bad.
January 30, 2018
I really enjoyed this novel. I will say though I thought it would be about a girl who gains the courage to stick up for herself when a member of the band plagiarizes her song but that was only a few chapters of the novel. It didn't even seem like a huge part of the overall story itself so it was misleading. The story is more about a girl who gains the confidence to sing in front of a crowd.
June 16, 2021
3.5/5 stars
- I have read this multiple times as a kid and rereading it again I noticed that I don't really like the characters as much especially Mimi she gets mad at Lark one minute and then the next she is fine and will do whatever Lark asks her to do
- The story is overall a cute and funny
- I have read this multiple times as a kid and rereading it again I noticed that I don't really like the characters as much especially Mimi she gets mad at Lark one minute and then the next she is fine and will do whatever Lark asks her to do
- The story is overall a cute and funny
August 9, 2022
Great story about a very musically talented young girl, whose intense stage fright unfortunately prevents her from performing publicly. Her mom is an executive music director, who decides to invite a new British boy band to the States for publicity. When Lark, raised as an only child, gets three “brothers” staying in her home, she’s in for some huge surprises!
July 25, 2017
I was charmed by this little wish fulfillment book. It never loses its charm and is a fun little read that doesn't come across as too predictable or rote for the intended audience. Still a fun series on a whole.
November 23, 2019
Hi there was no worries about our client base in the other hand to answer questions about the other day I have a good day and the other hand to answer questions about the other day I have a good day and the other hand to answer questions about the other day I have a good
November 7, 2022
i read this book like 5 years ago idek in my tween days and absolutely loved. Decided to reread it just to catch up on my goal, its good but just ain't my type of book, its sooo like G rated which makes sense 😂 i'm 20 reading a book that i read when i was like 14
September 9, 2017
I thought this book was very well written and scripted but I was hoping lark would fall in love with Oliver not teddy and I wanted more details as to what happened in the end.
January 11, 2018
Cute and funny little book. Good suggestion for grade seven readers.
February 15, 2018
Miss Lori read this mostly because her kids are into music and theatre. It was a cute, fun story that 5th-7th or even 8th graders will enjoy. Looks like it is the beginning of a series.
April 5, 2018
A parent donated this book to my second grade classroom.. Probably a better book for a fifth grade classroom but cute enough.
August 22, 2019
A great book and would read more books like it.
November 6, 2020
A nice, light and fun read. I loved and enjoyed it.
October 30, 2021
not good.
Read
December 10, 2021It's a really good book
Read
March 16, 2017I was assigned to review the sequel of this for School Library Journal and thought I'd look into the first installment before my review. I got as far as I need to, I think, to do a good job reviewing. Won't be finishing.
March 15, 2017
This was OK, but there are so, so many better books out there . . . even for kids just looking for something fun and light. Not really objectionable but utterly predictable and forgettable.
August 11, 2016
For many teenage girls, sharing their house with the newest up and coming boy band would be a dream come true. For Lark Campbell - it's a nightmare. Abbey Road have invaded her space, eaten her food and generally taken over her life. Lark misses how life was before her parents got divorced. Back in Nashville with her father helping her write songs and her mother taking her hiking, Lark was happy. Now in LA, Lark's dad is on the road and her mother has morphed into a professional coconut-water drinking record executive who rarely has time for her daughter. Sharing a house with a boy band isn't easy. Lark has three teenage boys using all the hot water, roughhousing in the yard and taking up all her mother's attention. Luckily for Lark she has a feisty best friend (who is only a little boy-crazy) and a school talent quest to take her mind off the boy band in her living room.
Girl vs. Boy Band: The Right Track is an adorable read. Full of family drama, music and cute moments, I had a lot of fun reading about Lark's crazy life. There's a great Hannah Montana/Taylor Swift meets One Direction vibe to the book. Perfect for tween readers who are looking for something clean and full of fun.
The characters are great. Lark is a sweet girl who feels a little out of place. When three somewhat mischievous teenage British boys come to stay, she reacts in a way which feels believable and right for her. Her meet-cute with the band at the airport feels right out of a romantic comedy. It was perfect for this book which combines the fantasy of rubbing elbows with a famous band with the contemporary relatability of a girl trying to find her place in the world.
I loved Lark's interactions with Abbey Road. Ollie, Aiden and Max combine good looks with brooding and an element of cheekiness. There are elements of their stardom but yet get to know the boys as regular people too. Mimi, Lark's best friend, was a great addition to the novel too. Her videography skills came in handy and she added an extra element of fangirlness to the story.
There is character growth over the course of the novel as well as a few surprises in terms of plot. There was a few things I honestly wasn't expecting but I liked how everything played out as Lark found her place. Her relationships with her friends and her family grew nicely and I'm excited to see what happens next for Lark's songwriting and the future of Abbey Road.
Girl vs. Boy Band: The Right Track is such a fun read. I'm excited to see where the author takes this book in the future and I'm looking forward to next year when the second book in the series is released.
Girl vs. Boy Band: The Right Track is an adorable read. Full of family drama, music and cute moments, I had a lot of fun reading about Lark's crazy life. There's a great Hannah Montana/Taylor Swift meets One Direction vibe to the book. Perfect for tween readers who are looking for something clean and full of fun.
The characters are great. Lark is a sweet girl who feels a little out of place. When three somewhat mischievous teenage British boys come to stay, she reacts in a way which feels believable and right for her. Her meet-cute with the band at the airport feels right out of a romantic comedy. It was perfect for this book which combines the fantasy of rubbing elbows with a famous band with the contemporary relatability of a girl trying to find her place in the world.
I loved Lark's interactions with Abbey Road. Ollie, Aiden and Max combine good looks with brooding and an element of cheekiness. There are elements of their stardom but yet get to know the boys as regular people too. Mimi, Lark's best friend, was a great addition to the novel too. Her videography skills came in handy and she added an extra element of fangirlness to the story.
There is character growth over the course of the novel as well as a few surprises in terms of plot. There was a few things I honestly wasn't expecting but I liked how everything played out as Lark found her place. Her relationships with her friends and her family grew nicely and I'm excited to see what happens next for Lark's songwriting and the future of Abbey Road.
Girl vs. Boy Band: The Right Track is such a fun read. I'm excited to see where the author takes this book in the future and I'm looking forward to next year when the second book in the series is released.
July 29, 2016
*This review was initially published on
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Actual rating- 3.5
Girl vs. Boy Band: The Right Track came in my Bloomsbury Bundle that I won on Instagram. Because it seemed like a short and sweet read, I decided to start with it immediately, and I'm so glad that it actually turned out to be a very short and sweet read that I enjoyed. I do like my share of Middle Grade once in a while, and like any MG book, this one too, was a perfect mix of drama, family, friendship and fun.
This is the story of Lark, whose father is a talented musician, but because he's always on the road and because her mom wants a career for herself, Lark is moved out of Nashville to L.A., where the country girl at heart seems to be getting more homesick each day. A natural at the guitar, songwriting and singing, Lark is terrified of sharing her songs with anyone, let alone performing them. This book follows her journey as a person and a musician and it was really adorable to read, especially her slowly but surely building love life, which was very cute.
Obviously, Lark is the girl in the title, but the boy band mentioned in it didn't disappoint at all. Lark's mother takes a British band called Abbey Road under her wings and she is planning on launching them. That means that Lark is forced to share her house with three annoying, noisy but totally cool and awesome teenage boys. The band members Aidan, Max and Ollie were wonderfully portrayed and both their journey as a band and as individuals was fun to read.
Overall, Girl vs. Boy Band: The Right Track is an adorable read that is very enjoyable as well. Author Harmony Jones has written a very cute book with wonderful characters and an interesting and gripping plot. I'm glad this is a series because I sure am excited to see what happens next. I'd definitely recommend this one to fans of MG and even others, because this book is bound to make a weekend good and memorable.
Actual rating- 3.5
Girl vs. Boy Band: The Right Track came in my Bloomsbury Bundle that I won on Instagram. Because it seemed like a short and sweet read, I decided to start with it immediately, and I'm so glad that it actually turned out to be a very short and sweet read that I enjoyed. I do like my share of Middle Grade once in a while, and like any MG book, this one too, was a perfect mix of drama, family, friendship and fun.
This is the story of Lark, whose father is a talented musician, but because he's always on the road and because her mom wants a career for herself, Lark is moved out of Nashville to L.A., where the country girl at heart seems to be getting more homesick each day. A natural at the guitar, songwriting and singing, Lark is terrified of sharing her songs with anyone, let alone performing them. This book follows her journey as a person and a musician and it was really adorable to read, especially her slowly but surely building love life, which was very cute.
Obviously, Lark is the girl in the title, but the boy band mentioned in it didn't disappoint at all. Lark's mother takes a British band called Abbey Road under her wings and she is planning on launching them. That means that Lark is forced to share her house with three annoying, noisy but totally cool and awesome teenage boys. The band members Aidan, Max and Ollie were wonderfully portrayed and both their journey as a band and as individuals was fun to read.
Overall, Girl vs. Boy Band: The Right Track is an adorable read that is very enjoyable as well. Author Harmony Jones has written a very cute book with wonderful characters and an interesting and gripping plot. I'm glad this is a series because I sure am excited to see what happens next. I'd definitely recommend this one to fans of MG and even others, because this book is bound to make a weekend good and memorable.
July 18, 2016
I received a copy of this title from Bloomsbury Australia for review.
Ten Second Synopsis:
Lark has a secret: she's a natural at playing the guitar, singing and writing her own songs but can't bear to perform in front of people. When her mother moves her from her beloved Nashville to California, Lark suddenly finds herself sharing her home with the hottest boy-band on the planet - and her secret may be out.
Girl vs. Boy Band is an innocent adventure with a self-effacing and down-to-earth main character who is going through some majorly disruptive life events. Lark is a girl with a lot of talent but not much confidence, whose recent family breakup has meant that she has had to move to a new town. Her best friend Mimi provides the comic relief and the encouragement and the strong friendship developed throughout the book will appeal to young female readers. As indeed will the attractive young males that suddenly appear in Lark's house, due to her mother's job as a musical talent agent and recording studio boss. Generally, this is a story featuring a positive pair of female leads, pitched at a female audience on the cusp of the teenage experience.
I will admit that this is not my kind of book, and while there is obviously a gap in the market that needs to be filled with age-appropriate content for young women who are venturing into the romance/contemporary genre and need something slightly less adult-themed than your typical YA title, I cannot picture the actual young person who will pick up this book and get excited about it. Clearly, I am not the target audience for this one.
If you can stomach tween-angst (or you are a tween), then this is a fun, light read with some beguiling main characters on a crazy, growing-up adventure. There's a bit of diversity thrown in, in that Mimi, Lark's best friend is Latina. This is a good opening piece for what will be an ongoing series with a slight cliffhanger ending that will entice readers to seek out the second book. Overall, I enjoyed the friendship between Mimi and Lark and the focus on Lark gaining confidence to shine her light, as it were.
Ten Second Synopsis:
Lark has a secret: she's a natural at playing the guitar, singing and writing her own songs but can't bear to perform in front of people. When her mother moves her from her beloved Nashville to California, Lark suddenly finds herself sharing her home with the hottest boy-band on the planet - and her secret may be out.
Girl vs. Boy Band is an innocent adventure with a self-effacing and down-to-earth main character who is going through some majorly disruptive life events. Lark is a girl with a lot of talent but not much confidence, whose recent family breakup has meant that she has had to move to a new town. Her best friend Mimi provides the comic relief and the encouragement and the strong friendship developed throughout the book will appeal to young female readers. As indeed will the attractive young males that suddenly appear in Lark's house, due to her mother's job as a musical talent agent and recording studio boss. Generally, this is a story featuring a positive pair of female leads, pitched at a female audience on the cusp of the teenage experience.
I will admit that this is not my kind of book, and while there is obviously a gap in the market that needs to be filled with age-appropriate content for young women who are venturing into the romance/contemporary genre and need something slightly less adult-themed than your typical YA title, I cannot picture the actual young person who will pick up this book and get excited about it. Clearly, I am not the target audience for this one.
If you can stomach tween-angst (or you are a tween), then this is a fun, light read with some beguiling main characters on a crazy, growing-up adventure. There's a bit of diversity thrown in, in that Mimi, Lark's best friend is Latina. This is a good opening piece for what will be an ongoing series with a slight cliffhanger ending that will entice readers to seek out the second book. Overall, I enjoyed the friendship between Mimi and Lark and the focus on Lark gaining confidence to shine her light, as it were.
November 8, 2016
This could have been a pop preteen story, but there is a lot of thought put into it. Lark and her mom have moved to LA so her mom can start a record company. Twelve-year-old Lark misses the less hectic life of Nashville and her dad, but does have a good friend Mimi. Lark is truly talented as a musician and singer song writer, but she is very shy. Enter the British group Abbey Road whom her Mom has signed on her label. They invade the household and act their age (14, 141/2 and 15). Not only that, one steals one of Lark's songs. Her mother seems to ignore her. On top of this she has a crush on Teddy but decided to help him in the upcoming talent show. The interaction among the characters is quite believable. Jones shows real understanding to the teen-preteen angst. This appears to be the first in a series which is good, because readers will want to know what happens. Wisely Jones does not solve every problem in the first book.
July 13, 2016
Lark is a shy, Southern seventh grader trying to do her best in the big city of L.A. The only thing that keeps her sane is her secret songwriting journal that she only shares with her best friend, Mimi. Lark's world is turned upsidedown when her parents get divorced, and she moves away from Nashville to California with her mother. It doesn't help when a boy band that has signed with her mother's record label begins living with her. This novel is a perfect coming of age story for middle-readers. It deals with pre-teen drama from boys to homesickness to stage fright. With a strong female lead, Harmony Jones did a great job really connecting to the reader through Lark Campbell. I confidently recommend this book to any reader looking for a fast, interesting, relatable story. Especially to those young musicians out there too afraid to share your talent. :)
August 12, 2017
I am boy band TRASH so I was really hoping I would enjoy this novel.
Unfortunately I wasn't a fan of this book. I think the main reason is that it is clearly written for younger readers. I would say late primary school or maybe early high school (ages 10-14).
The writing style and plot really didn't have anything that would be engaging for older readers. Unfortunately I can't recommend this story.
Unfortunately I wasn't a fan of this book. I think the main reason is that it is clearly written for younger readers. I would say late primary school or maybe early high school (ages 10-14).
The writing style and plot really didn't have anything that would be engaging for older readers. Unfortunately I can't recommend this story.
April 29, 2016
I liked that MC Lark didn't fall insta-love with the British boy band boys (so gorgeous! so hyper!). She's only 12, so it felt right.
But she does have a crush, and when everything falls into place happily, it felt all just too prefect.
But there's a place for this kind of fantasy-read.
But she does have a crush, and when everything falls into place happily, it felt all just too prefect.
But there's a place for this kind of fantasy-read.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 39 reviews