Reviewed by Becca Boland for TeensReadToo.com
Music has a great effect on listeners. It can lift you up when you feel depressed or help to heal a broken heart. For Calle it is more than that. Music is her home and her memories. Music is the tie to the father that she's never known and the memories of all of the places she has lived.
Calle moved to Andreas Bay after her mom remarried (again) and threw a penny onto a map of California. Unlike all of their other moves, Calle finds a place in Andreas Bay. She makes friends, joins theatre, and meets a boy that she really likes. Of course, like a great song, her life is complicated. Calle is getting closer and closer to finding her father, and does not understand why her mother will not give her any information about him or why she is keeping her from him.
SONGS FOR A TEENAGE NOMAD is a wonderful book. It is a high school classic reminiscent of THE PERKS OF BEING A WALLFLOWER, only it is more appropriate for a slightly younger audience. Calle is a wonderful character and, as the reader, you want her to succeed in all areas of her life. You cry when she cries and laugh when she laughs. You ask the same questions and try to find the answers. Who is Calle's father? Why doesn't she see him? Why doesn't he want to see her? Is there something we don't know?
The most unusual part of this book is that it has a great soundtrack. You are able to listen along with Calle, giving more dimension to her character and the book. The end of the story comes quickly, but it does not take away from the enjoyment of the reading. While some of the story lines are neatly tied up, others are not, which makes the story feel very real. This is a novel that you will want to experience over and over again, just like a great song.
Music has a great effect on listeners. It can lift you up when you feel depressed or help to heal a broken heart. For Calle it is more than that. Music is her home and her memories. Music is the tie to the father that she's never known and the memories of all of the places she has lived.
Calle moved to Andreas Bay after her mom remarried (again) and threw a penny onto a map of California. Unlike all of their other moves, Calle finds a place in Andreas Bay. She makes friends, joins theatre, and meets a boy that she really likes. Of course, like a great song, her life is complicated. Calle is getting closer and closer to finding her father, and does not understand why her mother will not give her any information about him or why she is keeping her from him.
SONGS FOR A TEENAGE NOMAD is a wonderful book. It is a high school classic reminiscent of THE PERKS OF BEING A WALLFLOWER, only it is more appropriate for a slightly younger audience. Calle is a wonderful character and, as the reader, you want her to succeed in all areas of her life. You cry when she cries and laugh when she laughs. You ask the same questions and try to find the answers. Who is Calle's father? Why doesn't she see him? Why doesn't he want to see her? Is there something we don't know?
The most unusual part of this book is that it has a great soundtrack. You are able to listen along with Calle, giving more dimension to her character and the book. The end of the story comes quickly, but it does not take away from the enjoyment of the reading. While some of the story lines are neatly tied up, others are not, which makes the story feel very real. This is a novel that you will want to experience over and over again, just like a great song.
