Jukebox

by Nidhi Chanani

A mysterious Jukebox, old vinyl records, and cryptic notes on music history, are Shaheen's only clues to her father's abrupt disappearance. She looks to her cousin, Tannaz, who seems just as perplexed, before they both look at the Jukebox which starts…glowing?

Suddenly, the girls are pulled from their era and transported to another time! Keyed to the music on the record, the Jukebox sends them to decade after decade of music history, from political marches, to landmark concerts. But can they find Shaheen’s dad before the music stops? This time-bending magical mystery tour invites readers to take the ride of their lives for a coming-of-age adventure.

Genres: Graphic Novels, Middle Grade, Music, Fantasy, Time Travel, Comics, Historical Fiction

224 pages, Paperback

First published June 22, 2021

About the author

Nidhi Chanani is a freelance illustrator, cartoonist and writer. After completing her undergrad literature degree at the University of California at Santa Cruz, Nidhi pursued a career in nonprofits. The desire to draw kept pulling her away and in 2008 she enrolled in art school (only to drop out a year later). In 2009 she began completing one illustration every day of the week. She called this Every Day Love and developed her narrative style and voice with three years of daily practice. Thus began her art career and business.

Born in Calcutta and raised in suburban southern California, Nidhi creates because it makes her happy – with the hope that it can make others happy, too. In April of 2012 she was honored by the Obama Administration as a Champion of Change.

Her debut graphic novel, Pashmina (First Second/Macmillan), released in fall 2017. It received starred reviews in the School Library Journal, Publisher’s Weekly, and was reviewed in the New York Times. Pashmina was a Junior Library Guild selection, Chicago Public Library Best Book of 2017, Texas Maverick Graphic Novel 2017, Northern California Indie Bookseller Association Long-List Title and a YALSA Top Ten Great Graphic Novels for Teens. In March of 2019, the film adaptation of Pashmina with Netflix was announced. Gurinder Chadha (Bend it like Beckham, Blinded by the Light) is set to direct.

In 2018, Jasmine’s New Pet, which she wrote and drew, was released through Dark Horse Comics. Her bilingual board book, Shubh Raatri Dost/Good Night Friend released in 2019. Her debut picture book, written by Bea Birdsong, I will be fierce, released in April 2019. Her next picture book, Binny’s Diwali, written by Thrity Umrigar, released in September 2020. Her second original graphic novel, Jukebox, will release in June 2021.

Her next picture book, Kong and Me, written by Kiki Thorpe, will be released in March 2021. Her author/illustrator debut What will my story be? releases in September 2021. She is currently working on unannounced books. She is an instructor in the Master of Fine Arts, Comics program at the California College of Arts.

Her media appearances include PBS, CNN’s Anderson Cooper 360 and BBC Radio. Her work has been featured on the Huffington Post, the Women’s March, My Modern Met, Bored Panda and India Times. Nidhi is frequently a featured artist with Disney Parks. She has worked with ABC, Airbnb, Sony, Microsoft, State Farm Insurance and a variety of other clients. Her non-fiction comics have appeared in the Nib. Everyday Love Art prints and cards are sold in retail shops throughout California.

Nidhi draws and dreams every day with her husband, kid and their kittens in the San Francisco Bay Area.

Reviews

[Geoff · Rating 3 out of 5]

Really great high concept for a coming of age graphic novel - time traveling through a supernatural jukebox and understanding the importance of music to history and family. The plot was a little sketchy at times - things weren't' fully explored or thought out and this graphic novel could have been a lot longer. In addition, the length didn't serve the characters who didn't much room to breathe and grow and their issues were often dealt with in a perfunctory manner. That said, this comic had a good message, a heart of gold, charming art, and some great music.

**Thanks to the artist, publisher, and NetGalley for a free copy in exchange for an honest review.

[Bookishrealm · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ahhhh the premise of this one was so good and it had so much potential; however, I think that the execution landed a little flat. I did, however, enjoy all of the Black music references. 3.5 stars

I was extremely excited to pick up Jukebox because I've read Chanani's other book Pashmina. This story focuses on two girls, Shaheen and Naz, as they attempt to find Shaeen's missing father. A few clues lead them to jukebox that takes them back to certain historical events based on the album being played. Some of the artist highlighted included James Brown, Marvin Gaye, and Nina Simone. I loved the incorporation of Black music into this graphic novel and even made a playlist on my phone; however, the execution of the plot fell flat. The author never truly explains why these specific records/time periods were chosen. There is a slight connection between them and the record store owner; however, we barely know his background as readers so that connection is barely established. I would have liked to see more explanation of each event and why it was important to the record store owner. I think that this graphic novel is a great way to introduce readers to new music and the passion that some people have for music, but it doesn't have a solid plot line. The artwork is beautifully drawn with vibrant colors and I believe that readers will enjoy Shaheen and Naz as characters, but it definitely needed more historical context.

[Christine · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was the cutest graphic novel that I have read!! First, the pictures and colors allowed you to be right in the middle of the story. A girls dad mysteriously disappears. Can her and her cousin try to find him? Once they figure out how to go back in time using the jukebox and all.of her fathers favorite records, can they find him.or get lost in enjoying the music? To being able to be in front of James Brown at a concert. To be at a women's March at the time a record was being layer. This book doesnt come out until June 2021 but I would recommend it to anyone. Also a good read with your middle.schooler.

[Angie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Nidhi's bright and colorful illustrations paired with her beautiful writing made this book a work of art I could not put down. I love the storyline and the companionship between the cousins. While the book ended wonderfully, it left me begging for a sequel and to see more of these characters in the future. This will be a hit in my library for 4th & 5th graders, and well beyond. My own 9th grader loved it as well.

[Aanya Sachdeva · Rating 5 out of 5]

WOW, the illustrations are breath-taking!
The journey of Shaheen and Naz in time is beautifully described by Nidhi Chanani!
The way those two wish to be like Nancy Drew and solve the mystery on their own and the bond between them is impeccable!
I love the part where Naz finally plucks up the courage to tell her family that she is bi.
This book is a must for all ages, and every single music geek on this earth!

My rating 5 out of 5 stars (Wish I could give it more)

FULL REVIEW ON MY BLOG

[Anna Kim · Rating 2 out of 5]

I'm reviewing the ARC from Netgalley.

I really liked Nidhi Chanani's other book, "Pashmina", so I'm a little disappointed that I don't like this one. I feel like the story is really disjointed with no real focus. Why are the girls time traveling to those exact events? What are they supposed to learn from it? This could have been a super fun book, but due to the lack of coherence, I just felt annoyed.

[Reading_ Tamishly · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fellas, this one’s good! Why are we not reading this graphic novel?!!!

[Meredith Ann · Rating 4 out of 5]

ARC courtesy of NetGalley. I'm a big fan of Nidhi Chanani's art (currently looking at 2 of her Disney prints hanging in my living room) so I was excited to read this.

Jukebox is a charming graphic novel about a girl's relationship with her father told through the story of a magical jukebox. After her dad disappears, Shaheen takes her cousin along with her on a journey through time and music to find him. A love and appreciation for music, especially that tied to social justice movements, shines through in the story. You'll want to listen to the curated playlist at the end of the book after reading -- I know I did! The art is so much fun too. It's a joy to see two young Bangladeshi American girls in such a wonderful graphic novel.

https://noflyingnotights.com/blog/202...

[Beth · Rating 5 out of 5]

ARC courtesy of Netgalley and First Second.
This graphic novel was a blast. Great artwork, wonderful music along with context and history, and a fun time travel plot make this a must read. In addition, it feature a bisexual character, and a diverse cast. Simply wonderful.

[Maia · Rating 3 out of 5]

Twelve-year-old Shaheen's father loves vinyl records and she's tired of hearing about it. When he mysteriously disappears, she and her fifteen year old cousin Naz naturally look for him at his favorite record store. They find his broken glasses and a mysterious jukebox, which has the power to transport people to the back in time. Shaheen and Naz visit several important moments in Black American music history, searching for Shaheen's father. The art in this book is very lovely, but the story didn't quite land for me. It's a good concept, but I think the time travel took up so much page time I never felt like I really got to know any of the characters well.

[aarya · Rating 3 out of 5]

Read via library.

[Sunaina Rao · Rating 4 out of 5]

A really sweet adventure about a magical jukebox and a girl's search for her father. I was originally drawn in by the prospect of a South Asian protagonist and was really happy with the representation.
I would definitely buy this for any young person. The book sets up some great opportunities to explore historic events and the way music has influenced history.

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC.

[房 · Rating 5 out of 5]

After reading this book, now, I'm ready for some good oldie music.

[Rania T · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting premise, with the magical jukebox and all but a difficult execution story wise, which made the narrative a little difficult to follow at times.

[Chelka Posladek · Rating 3 out of 5]

Am I the only one who had issues with the ending? It seems like Shaheen's dad started using the jukebox without asking permission. And yet, the guy who owns the jukebox (Earl) gets blamed for causing this family trauma. I get that he unplugged the jukebox and trapped Shaheen's dad (and himself) in the past. But everyone was using his store and his stuff without his permission. And it seems like he was using this awesome time travel to help himself economically. Let's be honest: owning a retail store in this day and age isn't guaranteed to bring you economic stability. He discovered he could bring in old records and get a ton of money for them. But instead of everyone praising his scrappy inventiveness, he's punished for "stealing" from the past. He has to give back his records, stop using his jukebox, and help everyone else. So what does he get out of it? I felt like Earl drew the short straw and it made me uncomfortable. I liked the first part of the story well enough. The art is great and the concept was fun. But the end was a downer for me.

[Christine · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was the cutest graphic novel that I have read!! First, the pictures and colors allowed you to be right in the middle of the story. A girls dad mysteriously disappears. Can her and her cousin try to find him? Once they figure out how to go back in time using the jukebox and all.of her fathers favorite records, can they find him.or get lost in enjoying the music? To being able to be in front of James Brown at a concert. To be at a women's March at the time a record was being layer. This book doesnt come out until June 2021 but I would recommend it to anyone. Also a good read with your middle.schooler.

[Eric Rosswood · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love music, time travel, activism, history, and graphic novels. This book had it all! A fun, fast paced read.

[Sunil · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nidhi Chanani, one of my favorite local artists, follows up her wonderful debut, Pashmina , which was about an Indian girl who travels to India with a magical shawl, with Jukebox, which is about an Indian girl who travels through time with a magical jukebox. Is this gonna be her thing? It's a good thing. This book doesn't have quite as much complexity and depth as Pashmina, but, my goodness, the art is so goddamn jubilant and colorful in this one, and Chanani has a very clear grasp of graphic novel storytelling, with effective uses of splash pages and especially dividing pages for each album. Because, you see, Shaheen is looking for her music-obsessed father with the help of her cousin, and they stumble upon a jukebox that plays entire ALBUMS...and transports you back to the time it was released. Chanani quite deliberately chooses only music from Black artists, who've historically been the innovators of music despite not getting the credit, which goes to the more popular white artists, but apart from the explicit mention of that happening to Sister Rosetta Tharpe, she doesn't put too fine a point on it. The time travel mayhem is inherently fun, and the girls attempt to figure out the rules as they search for Shaheen's (white) dad. The narrative ends up being fairly simple, satisfying enough for young readers, though I would have preferred a few more complications. The real point, in any case, is the relationship between Shaheen and her father, and how music both tears them apart and brings them together. I appreciated the small character notes of queerness and disability in this comic for young readers, which are not the focus of the story but make it richer and more relatable. Overall, it's a fun read, especially if you ask Alexa to play you the appropriate music as you time travel with these girls.

[Toya (thereadingchemist) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Oh my gosh, this was such a refreshing take on time travel that also incorporated the importance of family and a love of music.

This story follows Shaheen who teams up with her cousin Tannaz to find Shaheen’s father after he mysteriously disappears. It’s typical of Shaheen’s father to lose track of time when he is listening to music or tracking down hard to find vinyl, but this is different. He never just ignores Shaheen’s text messages and phone calls. Shaheen and Tannaz end up finding a time traveling jukebox and embark on a magical adventure that follows different musicians in different eras in order to find Shaheen’s father. They must work quickly though before they run out of time.

This was such an unexpected surprise of a story. Even though there are some lighthearted moments with Shaheen and Tannaz are enjoying the music of the different eras, there are definitely quite a few social topics that the author addresses really well (the feminist movement, sexuality, immigration, racial identity, etc). I loved the mystery aspect of this story, and the fact that there were very real consequences for altering history when time traveling.

I really enjoyed Shaheen as a character since she’s determined and passionate, but I think watching her learn about how much she underestimated both her cousin’s and father’s love for her was probably one of the best parts about the book.

Overall, this is a great story that I think young readers will enjoy getting lost in.

Thank you to First Second Books for providing a review copy through NetGalley. This did not influence my review. All opinions are my own.

[Maria · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm not really a comic book/picture book/graphic novel reader. But I do read them once in a blue moon and due to my reserved taste in them, the ones I do read end up being really beautiful and gorgeously drawn and features some uniquely crafted stories.

This book is one such comic book.

Jukeboxes that can play an entire album on vinyl records are a rare breed. Jukeboxes that takes you to the time the songs were released? Unique and one of a kind. In JUKEBOX, Nidhi Chanani gives us a heartwarming tale of music, and the bonds between sisters and father-daughter. When Shahi's father goes missing after an argument with her, 12yo Shahi, guilt-ridden, ventures on a search to find her dad with her older cousin, 15yo Naz. Together, they visit some of the history-making times of USA and become witnesses to history being made.

I finished it in one sitting and only because it's a short book but doesn't mean it doesn't contain a richly sketched, vastly researched, and heartwarmingly narrated the story of a 12yo who is determined to find her dad.

Recommended 100%

Thank you NetGalley and First Second Books for providing me with an eARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

[Lorraine · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a fun middle grade graphic novel about a time traveling jukebox. Shaheen's father has disappeared. No one knows where he went. Shaheen and her cousin, Naz, take a trip to his favorite record store. It is here that they discover the mysterious jukebox that allows them to travel back in time to the time period of the album they are playing. Here they meet famous singers and also experience real historical events. Each time they go back in time, they search for Shaheen's father.

The artwork in this book was colorful and did a good job of portraying each time period they traveled to. The story was OK, but it was enhanced by the artwork. The relationship between the cousins and also father and daughter was sweet. I think kids will enjoy this - especially if they are music lovers. This may even inspire them to listen to some of these historical artists!

[Jaclyn Hillis · Rating 4 out of 5]

I thought this was super cute! I loved the familial bonds, the music history, and the time travel aspects. Music really connects us all! We even get some queer (bi) rep, too. I would’ve liked to learn a little bit more about each of the characters — like Tannaz’s ear problem — but there was still enough development to be able to relate to the characters. The flashbacks were a nice touch.

Thank you First Second Books and NetGalley for an advanced reading copy.

In stores June 23!

[Dax · Rating 5 out of 5]

Now this is an adventure that I would love to take! You know minus the sad circumstances that made these kids begin the adventure.

Imagine being drawn into a jukebox that transports you through time and space to when the song/album you're listening to was originally released. Imagine the history that would unfold before your eyes and therefore see your love exponentially multiplying due to the understanding of the significance of the music!!

[Olivia Shelton · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was so cute & reminded me of the relationship with my own dad. He has taught me so much about music and history that I would love to experience what these characters did in this magical story. A cute mix of historical events & the music behind them.

[Gabs · Rating 5 out of 5]

Finished it in one sitting. I loved the time travel and the attention to black history and how important black people are to the history and continuation to music. I loved having ladies of color as the heroines of this graphic novel.

[Elizabeth Majka · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another delightful graphic novel from Chanani!

[Dana · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was okay. I liked the story enough; it was interesting with the history, but it isn't well explained. I had no idea what was happening through most of it so it made the ending less impactful for me.

This would be great for record and vintage music fans.

[Hayden · Rating 4 out of 5]

Loved the concept.

[Hannah]

Such precious! Wrinkle in Time x 11/22/63, but better because music and comics and not boring.

[Lee]

If this was longer, i think this really could have been something special