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Scout Is Not a Band Kid
A young girl in middle school will do whatever it takes to meet her favorite author—even if it means joining her school band! A contemporary graphic novel about making your dream come true—and the friends you make along the way.
When Scout learns that her favorite author is doing an exclusive autograph session at the end of the year, she's determined to be there! She officially needs a plan...and when she finds out that her school's band is heading to the same location for their annual trip, an idea takes shape. Being a band kid can't be that hard, right?
As it turns out, learning how to play an instrument when you can’t even read music is much, much, MUCH tougher than expected. And it’s even harder for Scout when her friends aren’t on board with her new hobby. Will she be able to master the trombone, make new band friends, and get to her favorite author’s book signing? Tackling everything seems like a challenge for a supergenius superfriend supermusician—and she’s just Scout.
When Scout learns that her favorite author is doing an exclusive autograph session at the end of the year, she's determined to be there! She officially needs a plan...and when she finds out that her school's band is heading to the same location for their annual trip, an idea takes shape. Being a band kid can't be that hard, right?
As it turns out, learning how to play an instrument when you can’t even read music is much, much, MUCH tougher than expected. And it’s even harder for Scout when her friends aren’t on board with her new hobby. Will she be able to master the trombone, make new band friends, and get to her favorite author’s book signing? Tackling everything seems like a challenge for a supergenius superfriend supermusician—and she’s just Scout.
272 pages, Kindle Edition
First published April 5, 2022
210 people are currently reading
1353 people want to read
About the author
Jade Armstrong
5 books39 followersMy name is Jade Armstrong, and I’m a non-binary cartoonist. I was raised in a little town called Almonte, Ontario, before heading off to Toronto to work in comics and animation. I worked as background painter in television for 4 years before committing myself to comics full-time. I now live in Montréal.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 374 reviews
March 13, 2022
Started out as a zany middle school hijinks comic and quickly evolved into a nice lesson on friendship, passion, empathy, and the value of hard work. I really enjoyed the little world that Armstong created and the way she gave even the minor characters personalities, motivations, and little unique details. The two main characters both have nice arcs, the acceptance of non-standard gender presentation and identification is well done, and the ending is quite satisfying. And I loved the art!
**Thanks to the artist, publisher, and NetGalley for a free copy in exchange for an honest review.
**Thanks to the artist, publisher, and NetGalley for a free copy in exchange for an honest review.
December 30, 2022
This was cute surprise! I especially loved the fandom elements. 3.5 Stars.
If you didn't know, I've been on a journey of reading a lot of middle grade graphic novels so when I saw Scout is Not a Band Kid I knew that I had to pick it up. Readers follow main character Scout as she joins her middle school band to meet her favorite author. When she joins, Scout lies and says that she’s played the trombone before without realizing that she would ultimately come face to face with the best trombone player the school has ever seen. What starts as a "fake it to you make it" situation quickly turns into a heartfelt story about friendship and being confident in who you are.
What Worked: I liked the concept and idea behind this graphic novel. I don't necessarily think that it's anything new, but the character development helped make the story enjoyable. The idea that Scout and Merrin start off as enemies, but eventually work their way towards a heartwarming and charming friendship was everything that I needed. Armstrong does some fun things with the evolution of characters that I wasn't necessarily expecting especially with Merrin who appears cold and calculated at first. As readers make their way through the story, they learn that she is layered and each new piece of the story reveals a new layer. Armstrong also tackles the ever changing dynamics of friendships. Scout slowly learns what it means to not only have supportive and caring friends, but how to be a supportive and caring friend.
What Didn't Work: I was not a huge fan of the artwork in this one. It was something about the way character faces were drawn that seemed to constantly bother me. The coloring did work for the context of the story, but I wasn't blown away by the actual drawings. I also wanted Armstrong to explore more of the relationship that Scout had with her friends from her early childhood. They weren't always the best towards Scout and she begins to notice that towards the end; however, there was a panel that seemed to suggest a minor conflict between them, but we never learn more about it. I'm not sure if readers are supposed to make certain assumptions, but I think that piece of the story could have been further developed.
Overall, this was a cute and quick read and I enjoyed it. I would highly recommend this to readers who like fandoms, bands, band competitions, and stories that center friendships.
If you didn't know, I've been on a journey of reading a lot of middle grade graphic novels so when I saw Scout is Not a Band Kid I knew that I had to pick it up. Readers follow main character Scout as she joins her middle school band to meet her favorite author. When she joins, Scout lies and says that she’s played the trombone before without realizing that she would ultimately come face to face with the best trombone player the school has ever seen. What starts as a "fake it to you make it" situation quickly turns into a heartfelt story about friendship and being confident in who you are.
What Worked: I liked the concept and idea behind this graphic novel. I don't necessarily think that it's anything new, but the character development helped make the story enjoyable. The idea that Scout and Merrin start off as enemies, but eventually work their way towards a heartwarming and charming friendship was everything that I needed. Armstrong does some fun things with the evolution of characters that I wasn't necessarily expecting especially with Merrin who appears cold and calculated at first. As readers make their way through the story, they learn that she is layered and each new piece of the story reveals a new layer. Armstrong also tackles the ever changing dynamics of friendships. Scout slowly learns what it means to not only have supportive and caring friends, but how to be a supportive and caring friend.
What Didn't Work: I was not a huge fan of the artwork in this one. It was something about the way character faces were drawn that seemed to constantly bother me. The coloring did work for the context of the story, but I wasn't blown away by the actual drawings. I also wanted Armstrong to explore more of the relationship that Scout had with her friends from her early childhood. They weren't always the best towards Scout and she begins to notice that towards the end; however, there was a panel that seemed to suggest a minor conflict between them, but we never learn more about it. I'm not sure if readers are supposed to make certain assumptions, but I think that piece of the story could have been further developed.
Overall, this was a cute and quick read and I enjoyed it. I would highly recommend this to readers who like fandoms, bands, band competitions, and stories that center friendships.
read-comix
April 7, 2022Were you in band or can you play an instrument? I definitely can’t read music or carry a tune. I tried out for band but didn’t make the cut. Reading this graphic novel really made me feel like I missed out on an amazing experience.
Scout was a very relatable character for me- who hasn’t done the ‘fake it til I make it’ thing? She is quick to learn that faking it will only get her so far, and I loved her character growth.
Each character is introduced with their pronouns and character traits. I absolutely loved Lou and their online friendship with Scout. Merrin was great too when you got to know her. Each of these characters really embraced their creativity.
I absolutely adored this story and art, and it was overall a great experience. I highly recommend!!
Scout was a very relatable character for me- who hasn’t done the ‘fake it til I make it’ thing? She is quick to learn that faking it will only get her so far, and I loved her character growth.
Each character is introduced with their pronouns and character traits. I absolutely loved Lou and their online friendship with Scout. Merrin was great too when you got to know her. Each of these characters really embraced their creativity.
I absolutely adored this story and art, and it was overall a great experience. I highly recommend!!
May 21, 2022
This was a super cute read that'll appeal to fans of art and school stories, as well as kids who are in that stage of "no romance ever in anything." It's a sweet ode to fandom and the importance of practice/working hard in art.
July 18, 2022
I enjoyed this! A cute, nicely-drawn enemies-to-friends story about school bands and fandom circles.
December 21, 2022
This book was SUCH a disappointment. I really expected to enjoy a story about a girl falling in love with music and band and making friends along the way. Band was such an important part of my life, especially in middle school.
But I felt like the entire book was filled with cruel comments about the only character who actually CARED about music. Merrin was dedicated to her passion, something people are often ridiculed for in middle school. It's not "cool" to like things when you're 13. But instead of pushing back against that or having characters who similarly shared Merrin's passion, it seemed like everyone else in the band was in on the "joke." (That is, band is for losers and loving music is for losers.)
Scout was especially callous and cruel throughout the story. I truly disliked Scout as the main character. She was so self-centered, which of course is typical for a girl her age, but I felt like the author didn't provide enough push-back or consequences for her bad behavior. For example, she skipped practices for at least a month leading up to her first band concert. Her director didn't seem to notice or care at all. There were no peer consequences either, because other than Merrin, the band students didn't care about band.
One of the things I hated the most was the jokes about how the band members just pretended to play. While this is a reality for many school music groups, it's not something I would like to see "glorified" in a middle-grade graphic novel.
I think any middle schooler who is passionate about playing an instrument will at best be turned off by this book and at worst feel embarrassed that they love music. I would have a hard time recommending this book to band kids.
But I felt like the entire book was filled with cruel comments about the only character who actually CARED about music. Merrin was dedicated to her passion, something people are often ridiculed for in middle school. It's not "cool" to like things when you're 13. But instead of pushing back against that or having characters who similarly shared Merrin's passion, it seemed like everyone else in the band was in on the "joke." (That is, band is for losers and loving music is for losers.)
Scout was especially callous and cruel throughout the story. I truly disliked Scout as the main character. She was so self-centered, which of course is typical for a girl her age, but I felt like the author didn't provide enough push-back or consequences for her bad behavior. For example, she skipped practices for at least a month leading up to her first band concert. Her director didn't seem to notice or care at all. There were no peer consequences either, because other than Merrin, the band students didn't care about band.
One of the things I hated the most was the jokes about how the band members just pretended to play. While this is a reality for many school music groups, it's not something I would like to see "glorified" in a middle-grade graphic novel.
I think any middle schooler who is passionate about playing an instrument will at best be turned off by this book and at worst feel embarrassed that they love music. I would have a hard time recommending this book to band kids.
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September 24, 2024Spoiler Alert: Scout is in fact a band kid.
A really cute story about how fun and fulfilling band can be and the friendships made through it, as well as the meaning of friendship and the importance of practicing skills you wish to excel in. I liked the story of the cosplay/art interest and getting to the festival, I only wish there was more of a resolution with her other group of friends about them constantly degrading her interests.
Thank you to NetGalley for an eARC of this title.
A really cute story about how fun and fulfilling band can be and the friendships made through it, as well as the meaning of friendship and the importance of practicing skills you wish to excel in. I liked the story of the cosplay/art interest and getting to the festival, I only wish there was more of a resolution with her other group of friends about them constantly degrading her interests.
Thank you to NetGalley for an eARC of this title.
February 23, 2022
Super charming. Female trombonist representation for the win!
June 26, 2022
AUDREY'S ONE-SENTENCE BOOK REVIEWS
THIS BOOK WAS WRITTEN FOR ME (BRASS PLAYER WHO IS A LITTLE TOO INTO MAGICAL GIRL ANIME)
THIS BOOK WAS WRITTEN FOR ME (BRASS PLAYER WHO IS A LITTLE TOO INTO MAGICAL GIRL ANIME)
November 13, 2022
My daughter asked me to read this book. She has read it more times than I can count. Now I can see why. A perfect book for a tween or even a young teenager.
June 25, 2022
Super cute graphic novel about a girl joining band just to go on the end of year trip to a convention where her favorite author will be making an appearance. I loved that Scout gave it her all in the end and chose band and her friends over her favorite author. And the little at the end made it all worth it!
Overall, a great pick for a story about friendship, responsibilities, and the power of anime music~
Overall, a great pick for a story about friendship, responsibilities, and the power of anime music~
August 19, 2022
Warmed my past middle school band kid heart! I only joined band because my best friend said she'd join too, but I wish I had the gumption to join band if it meant I'd meet my favorite author.
April 10, 2023
I absolutely loved this, and, as a former band kid, I can speak to the accurate portrayal of school band life. The humor felt so natural and real, while also including real issues that I can see middle schoolers dealing with, like not being able to be yourself around your friends and trying to balance your wishes with your friend's. I thought the ending was so sweet and just the whole thing was lovely. And the art!! I was a fan of Jade already (and the whole Hello Boyfriend collective) but I have to say how much I loved it!!! I kept taking a few seconds on pages to really appreciate the art and colors! Overall, this was such a great love letter to middle school and band life that I just enjoyed so much!
December 14, 2022
I was so excited to see a graphic novel featuring band kids. There aren't a lot of books that feature band, but for some kids that's the reason they go to school, so it's nice to have a few books in the library to hook them with! I loved the premise of this book, as my son once joined his high school jazz band (and learned a new instrument over Thanksgiving break) so that he could go on a ski trip. Now, starting from zero would have been an exaggeration, but this is middle school and that's what makes this so wacky.
I really enjoyed the friendship aspect of this story, as well as the fact that the band members were an eclectic blend of kids. They were generally quite accepting of each other, which might be a stretch for the reality of middle school, but it really does reflect the goals of a really well-run band program.
At the end of the book, the author shows how she drew the different characters, and that was really interesting to see her process. It was nice to see a glimpse into the artistic side of her creation.
I really enjoyed the friendship aspect of this story, as well as the fact that the band members were an eclectic blend of kids. They were generally quite accepting of each other, which might be a stretch for the reality of middle school, but it really does reflect the goals of a really well-run band program.
At the end of the book, the author shows how she drew the different characters, and that was really interesting to see her process. It was nice to see a glimpse into the artistic side of her creation.
May 15, 2023
The author's drawing style is amazing!! I thought their drawings were super cute. This book is really good. It shows how hard band is to understand for new people. I was really confused when I started band. I wish I could have finished it, but I had to turn it in or I would have forgotten it and had it overdue. 10/10 would reccomend.
July 10, 2022
⭐️ 3.5 Stars ⭐️
This book was fun and a great quick read. I loved the idea of the trying to do anything to meet the favorite author, but I loved even more the theme of friendship and how the characters developed throughout the story.
This book was fun and a great quick read. I loved the idea of the trying to do anything to meet the favorite author, but I loved even more the theme of friendship and how the characters developed throughout the story.
February 7, 2023
Scout, an 8th grader, joins band so that she can go on the band trip. She can’t play an instrument. This causes some challenges. This is Jade Armstrong’s debut graphic novel.
February 2, 2023
Super cute especially for an ex-band kid like myself.
April 15, 2022
I received this book from the publisher/TBR and Beyond Tours in exchange of an honest review.
This was a fun book about a girl named Scout who got it in her head to go to band so she would be able to attend a festival. At first she is horrible at music and you just want to shake Scout a bit to just do the practice but then things go better and better and friendship is found and I just loved seeing Scout grow. Get better. Scout was so relatable. Haha. I just loved that girl. And I also liked Scout’s friends Merrin and Lou! I loved for each friend (and also Scout) we got a small introduction with pronouns and what they were good at. That was fun! There were a few things I was less a fan of but that had to do mostly with how done the graphic novel was. Sometimes text bubbles were empty (thus no clue what they were talking about), some pages had full colour, others had nothing or just a dot here and there, some were just sketches. It was a tad confusing. So I will definitely be buying the book to add to my collection and see the finished product. I would give this book drum roll: Star rating, 5 stars
Read my blog for 15 reactions I had for this book: https://twirlingbookprincess.com/2022...
This was a fun book about a girl named Scout who got it in her head to go to band so she would be able to attend a festival. At first she is horrible at music and you just want to shake Scout a bit to just do the practice but then things go better and better and friendship is found and I just loved seeing Scout grow. Get better. Scout was so relatable. Haha. I just loved that girl. And I also liked Scout’s friends Merrin and Lou! I loved for each friend (and also Scout) we got a small introduction with pronouns and what they were good at. That was fun! There were a few things I was less a fan of but that had to do mostly with how done the graphic novel was. Sometimes text bubbles were empty (thus no clue what they were talking about), some pages had full colour, others had nothing or just a dot here and there, some were just sketches. It was a tad confusing. So I will definitely be buying the book to add to my collection and see the finished product. I would give this book drum roll: Star rating, 5 stars
Read my blog for 15 reactions I had for this book: https://twirlingbookprincess.com/2022...
April 4, 2022
My Rating: 4 Stars
This is bringing back memories of playing the drums in 4th-grade band...
I don't generally read middle-grade graphic novels but I really enjoyed this one! It's such a cute and relatable story- Cute because of the art style and relatable because of her fangirling!
Characters:
I really liked both of the main characters, and the side characters were nice too, especially Mr.Varma! Seriously, though, he was such a nice band teacher and teacher in general, and I really appreciated his enthusiasm and encouragement.
Merrin
She seems mean on the outside but is really nice when once you get to know her, so as the book progressed I liked her more and more. She's very enthusiastic and passionate about the trombone and is actually encouraging at times though she can also be a tough tutor.
Scott:
Merrin said "I believe it's admirable to strive for things that are important to you." and Scout did that which I really liked about her. She thought band would be terrible and had no trombone skills whatsoever but went for it anyway to get the chance to meet her favorite author.
I probably gave a whole star just for Scout and how inspiring she was, to be honest. Yes, she missed out on a lot of band practices at the start and yes she lied about her trombone skills but, also, she changed by the end and started to really become a band kid.
And also Merrin! I have to say it again, she was such a great character and watching their friendship grow as the book went on was definitely one of my favorite parts of this book.
I would have liked a more clear resolution with her friends who didn't accept her so that it would finish all the plot points it started, and I would have liked the whole novel to be in color instead of just parts of it, but overall, this was a really fun graphic novel that I'd recommend!
You can find me post for the blog tour here
This is bringing back memories of playing the drums in 4th-grade band...
I don't generally read middle-grade graphic novels but I really enjoyed this one! It's such a cute and relatable story- Cute because of the art style and relatable because of her fangirling!
Characters:
I really liked both of the main characters, and the side characters were nice too, especially Mr.Varma! Seriously, though, he was such a nice band teacher and teacher in general, and I really appreciated his enthusiasm and encouragement.
Merrin
She seems mean on the outside but is really nice when once you get to know her, so as the book progressed I liked her more and more. She's very enthusiastic and passionate about the trombone and is actually encouraging at times though she can also be a tough tutor.
Scott:
Merrin said "I believe it's admirable to strive for things that are important to you." and Scout did that which I really liked about her. She thought band would be terrible and had no trombone skills whatsoever but went for it anyway to get the chance to meet her favorite author.
I probably gave a whole star just for Scout and how inspiring she was, to be honest. Yes, she missed out on a lot of band practices at the start and yes she lied about her trombone skills but, also, she changed by the end and started to really become a band kid.
And also Merrin! I have to say it again, she was such a great character and watching their friendship grow as the book went on was definitely one of my favorite parts of this book.
I would have liked a more clear resolution with her friends who didn't accept her so that it would finish all the plot points it started, and I would have liked the whole novel to be in color instead of just parts of it, but overall, this was a really fun graphic novel that I'd recommend!
You can find me post for the blog tour here
April 6, 2022
Characters
The characters in this novel were absolutely fantastic, and I loved them. These characters and their love for the band, and music took me back to my high school days of being in choirs. Fandom also played another role in the characters’ lives specifically, a book and video game fandom, and I loved their passion so much. As a lover of books and video games, I loved seeing two things I love as plot points in the book. Band kids and students involved in the arts tend to stick together and find their group of friends when they join a creative extracurricular. They showed this in the novel when Scout joined the band and found new friends there. Also, the way Scout and Merrin had a rocky start and then became friends, was so sweet. Character profiles with stats were a fun and creative addition to the story and their personalities.
Plot
The plot in this novel is one that was very fun to follow. Scout joins the band to meet her favorite author at a fest the band performs at, and I loved following the journey in the story. Through her time in the band, Scout goes on a journey of self-discovery and growth, which was fun to go along for the ride on. Although Scout started off joining the band for the wrong reasons, she made friends with common interests, and this was exactly what she needed. Another part of the story was about Scout and her online friend Lou, and their friendship was so sweet. As someone who has several online friends as well, I loved reading their scenes.
Writing
The writing of this novel was fantastic. Jade Armstrong uses tone in a fun and unique way, keeping the reader interested in how the scene will go. Most of Scout is Not A Band Kid is filled with a light and fun tone, which I loved because most of the time, that was Scout’s personality. There are so heavier scenes in the novel, and these had a heavier tone. These scenes also had more honest conversations, which I enjoyed.
Art
The art in this novel was fantastic, and I loved the art style so much. Scout is Not A Band Kid is a modern story, and the art style feels modern. Sometimes when you read Graphic Novels, the art can take away from the story, and this is not the case here. The art works in tandem with the writing to help tell the story.
Enjoyment/ recommend for
I recommend this novel to those that want a cute Middle-Grade Contemporary Graphic Novel. Scout Is Not A Band Kid is a love letter to the creative kids, and I loved that so much. I’m going to keep recommending this to both kids and adults for years to come.
The characters in this novel were absolutely fantastic, and I loved them. These characters and their love for the band, and music took me back to my high school days of being in choirs. Fandom also played another role in the characters’ lives specifically, a book and video game fandom, and I loved their passion so much. As a lover of books and video games, I loved seeing two things I love as plot points in the book. Band kids and students involved in the arts tend to stick together and find their group of friends when they join a creative extracurricular. They showed this in the novel when Scout joined the band and found new friends there. Also, the way Scout and Merrin had a rocky start and then became friends, was so sweet. Character profiles with stats were a fun and creative addition to the story and their personalities.
Plot
The plot in this novel is one that was very fun to follow. Scout joins the band to meet her favorite author at a fest the band performs at, and I loved following the journey in the story. Through her time in the band, Scout goes on a journey of self-discovery and growth, which was fun to go along for the ride on. Although Scout started off joining the band for the wrong reasons, she made friends with common interests, and this was exactly what she needed. Another part of the story was about Scout and her online friend Lou, and their friendship was so sweet. As someone who has several online friends as well, I loved reading their scenes.
Writing
The writing of this novel was fantastic. Jade Armstrong uses tone in a fun and unique way, keeping the reader interested in how the scene will go. Most of Scout is Not A Band Kid is filled with a light and fun tone, which I loved because most of the time, that was Scout’s personality. There are so heavier scenes in the novel, and these had a heavier tone. These scenes also had more honest conversations, which I enjoyed.
Art
The art in this novel was fantastic, and I loved the art style so much. Scout is Not A Band Kid is a modern story, and the art style feels modern. Sometimes when you read Graphic Novels, the art can take away from the story, and this is not the case here. The art works in tandem with the writing to help tell the story.
Enjoyment/ recommend for
I recommend this novel to those that want a cute Middle-Grade Contemporary Graphic Novel. Scout Is Not A Band Kid is a love letter to the creative kids, and I loved that so much. I’m going to keep recommending this to both kids and adults for years to come.
November 15, 2021
Scout is Not a Band Kid while being entertaining, doesn't feel like it has much of anything happening with it. Scout really likes this one comic creator/designer who is old and probably going to die soon, so she decides to fake playing trombone because she knows the band will be going to the conference that this creator will be at. Only problem is that Scout does not know how to play trombone. Through lots of miscommunication, lies, and false friendship, Scout is able to make her dream come true, except it's not her original dream. Since this was an ARC, there were missing dialogue and unfinished artwork, which isn't a problem, I'm just wondering what I missed. I just didn't like any of the characters; Scout lies to all of her friends about everything, Merrin is so stressed because she wants to get into a prestigious school and so treats those around her as less than, Lennox and Kim are just terrible people who put those around them down constantly and can only like the newest thing, Chris Vic and PB are nice enough but they encourage Scout's skipping band and not caring about the class, and Lou is alright as they encourage Scout but we don't get enough of them due to them living in another province. It was entertaining, but the friendship in the end wasn't worth the story. I'm sure that middle schoolers will enjoy it, especially if they're band geeks.
Copy provided by NetGalley and publisher.
Copy provided by NetGalley and publisher.
November 16, 2021
This was such a relatable middle grade graphic novel. Working in a Middle School, I found Scout's struggle to fit in with her friends while hiding who she really is to be such an honest view of this age. The relationship building between Scout and Merrin was a joy to read. The art style Scout is Not A Band Kid will absolutely resonate with the teens who pick this up. So many kids will see themselves in these pages! I can't wait to recommend this one for our school library!
[Read an ARC through NetGalley for an arc in exchange for an honest review.]
[Read an ARC through NetGalley for an arc in exchange for an honest review.]
June 2, 2022
Scout is determined to do whatever it takes to meet her favorite graphic novelist, even if it means joining the school band to play the trombone -- an instrument she can't actually play.
July 4, 2022
A MG graphic novel about following your dreams and making friends along the way.
🎼
Scout is dead set on meeting her favorite author, who is getting up there in years, so when she hears that she’s doing a signing at the end of the school year, Scout makes it her mission to attend. The only problem is: how to get there? Turns out the school’s band is headed to the same location for a concert. Scout lies her way into the band saying she can play the trombone, but the first chair can see right through her. The band director makes the two practice together and a friendship forms between the opposite girls. When the concert scheduling creates a hiccup, which will Scout choose: her best friend or her favorite author?
🎼
What an adorable middle grade GN. I loved the artwork, color palette and the story of a kid trying to find out what they like in middle school, something every student goes through when discovering who it is they want to be and what they want to like. Great representation of non-gender identification as well. Grab this book now!
🎼
Scout is dead set on meeting her favorite author, who is getting up there in years, so when she hears that she’s doing a signing at the end of the school year, Scout makes it her mission to attend. The only problem is: how to get there? Turns out the school’s band is headed to the same location for a concert. Scout lies her way into the band saying she can play the trombone, but the first chair can see right through her. The band director makes the two practice together and a friendship forms between the opposite girls. When the concert scheduling creates a hiccup, which will Scout choose: her best friend or her favorite author?
🎼
What an adorable middle grade GN. I loved the artwork, color palette and the story of a kid trying to find out what they like in middle school, something every student goes through when discovering who it is they want to be and what they want to like. Great representation of non-gender identification as well. Grab this book now!
January 14, 2026
I'm actually losing my goddamn mind (sorry for cussing in a middle grade/YA review, but whatever).
I played trombone in middle school, I also loved weird shit and read fanfiction, I didn't have pink hair in middle school but istg I would have if I wasn't too busy trying to be a Good Christian Girl™️ (and I did dye it pink as an adult, soooooo count it ✅️)
And if all of that wasn't enough
I ALSO HAVE AMBLYOPIA.
If Scout was a tall girl, I would be convinced that I must know this author irl
Or maybe she made Scout short/average height just to throw me off the scent......
......anyway, I absolutely loved this cute af story about this beautiful group of nerds. I have an even greater appreciation for the trombone now, and it was already pretty excessive to begin with. I absolutely melted at this all beginning with a TV show where the star is a beautiful lady with a magic trombone ✨️ and it's not even a euphemism ✌🏻
20/10, would recommend.
I played trombone in middle school, I also loved weird shit and read fanfiction, I didn't have pink hair in middle school but istg I would have if I wasn't too busy trying to be a Good Christian Girl™️ (and I did dye it pink as an adult, soooooo count it ✅️)
And if all of that wasn't enough
I ALSO HAVE AMBLYOPIA.
If Scout was a tall girl, I would be convinced that I must know this author irl
Or maybe she made Scout short/average height just to throw me off the scent......
......anyway, I absolutely loved this cute af story about this beautiful group of nerds. I have an even greater appreciation for the trombone now, and it was already pretty excessive to begin with. I absolutely melted at this all beginning with a TV show where the star is a beautiful lady with a magic trombone ✨️ and it's not even a euphemism ✌🏻
20/10, would recommend.
April 13, 2022
OMGoodness! I adored Scout is Not a Band Kid! This Middle Grade Graphic Novel is packed full of lessons on working hard, succeeding when you put your mind to it, and building friendships in the unlikeliest places.
I can’t get over how incredibly joyously queer this book is without being so on the nose with it. We have Enby kids (which makes so much sense, seeing as how the author is also Non-Binary) and they weren’t treated differently for it. I had a HUGE smile while reading 90% of this book and loved every second of it!
Scout definitely is helping to reinforce the nerdiness of the average band member and no one is sad about it. She’s a cosplayer who loves a video game that’s based on a best-selling novel series about a magical girl! Oh!!! Scout and her friend Lou are also writing a comic together. I love all of it!
I can’t get over how incredibly joyously queer this book is without being so on the nose with it. We have Enby kids (which makes so much sense, seeing as how the author is also Non-Binary) and they weren’t treated differently for it. I had a HUGE smile while reading 90% of this book and loved every second of it!
Scout definitely is helping to reinforce the nerdiness of the average band member and no one is sad about it. She’s a cosplayer who loves a video game that’s based on a best-selling novel series about a magical girl! Oh!!! Scout and her friend Lou are also writing a comic together. I love all of it!
April 13, 2022
There’s so much this graphic novel discusses – djfsodfof. First of, it was superamazing and superinteresting, especially they dynamic that existed between Scout and her friends. Of course, I understand the friend dynamism existing because of the book being Middle Grade, but it made me feel so many things.
Scout and Merrin were such relatable characters and their interests in things was infectious. Scout didn’t pay much attention to how amazing her artistic skills were and Merrin didn’t realize she wasn’t being too much. I loved how they complimented each other and worked on their fears and other stuff.
The way Jade had included character card with pronouns, strengths and weaknesses for all the characters was truly awesome to see. Also, how eventually Scout figured out the deal with her friends. Hope to see more work from the author! ❤
I was provided with an arc of the book in exchange for an honest review
Scout and Merrin were such relatable characters and their interests in things was infectious. Scout didn’t pay much attention to how amazing her artistic skills were and Merrin didn’t realize she wasn’t being too much. I loved how they complimented each other and worked on their fears and other stuff.
The way Jade had included character card with pronouns, strengths and weaknesses for all the characters was truly awesome to see. Also, how eventually Scout figured out the deal with her friends. Hope to see more work from the author! ❤
I was provided with an arc of the book in exchange for an honest review
July 1, 2022
Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Childrens for the review copy of Scout is Not a Band Kid by Jade Armstrong. As a former band kid, I was very intrigued by this title, and I am always on the lookout for more graphic novels to recommend to my students.
Scout's hero is going to be in town, but her parents will never let her go to the festival. Unwilling to give up, Scout soon realizes that if she was in band, her parents would have to let her go to the festival because she would need to preform there. With a bit of a white lie, Scout makes her way into the band class. At first, she doesn't take it seriously, and she isn't fooling the lead trombonist. However, she soon realizes that there may be benefits to being a band kid. The illustrations are great and the storyline is engaging. I really enjoyed my time with this story!
Scout's hero is going to be in town, but her parents will never let her go to the festival. Unwilling to give up, Scout soon realizes that if she was in band, her parents would have to let her go to the festival because she would need to preform there. With a bit of a white lie, Scout makes her way into the band class. At first, she doesn't take it seriously, and she isn't fooling the lead trombonist. However, she soon realizes that there may be benefits to being a band kid. The illustrations are great and the storyline is engaging. I really enjoyed my time with this story!
May 20, 2022
In this clever graphic novel, Scout is obsessed with meeting her favorite author. She dreams of attending Almontefest to meet the author but can’t afford the trip. When Scout learns that the school band will be performing at the festival, she convinces the band director to let her join band. Things go poorly when Scout realizes that it’s hard to fake playing the trombone. Scout begins to take band more seriously after being paired with Merrin and as their friendship grows they learn that they both love the same author and make plans to attend an author meet-and-greet at the festival. But when their performance schedule changes, will they ditch the band or forego meeting the author?
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