Breakout

breakout

Emerson, Kevin.  Breakout.  New York: Crown,  2015.  978-0-385-39112-2.  297 p.  Grades 7 and up.

Anthony Castillo is in the 8th grade at his Seattle junior high school and is caught somewhere between being a boy and a teenager.  Like many young people, he is frustrated by rules at home and school.  The only part of the school day he really enjoys is the school’s rock music program, where he plays music with his band, the Rusty Soles.

One day his frustrations with life bubble over in English class.  After he gets kicked out of class and grounded by his parents, he writes an angsty f-bomb laced song that captures his feelings of being trapped in the “trenches between being a kid and being a teen.”  Anthony realizes that he has created something raw and heartfelt.  He shares the song with his best friend and bandmate, Keenan, not thinking that anything will come of it.  Except that something does come of it; Keenan posts the song on a social media site for bands, and it is wildly popular.  Suddenly, everyone knows about the song and they want him to play it at the school’s Arts Night.  Anthony now has a big decision to make:  should he stay true to his artistic self and play the song as he wrote it (and get into a huge amount of trouble) or should he change the words (thus avoiding trouble for himself and his bandmates)?  In the process of making his decision, Anthony learns a little bit about being a man, the power of language, and choosing one’s battles.

Realistic Fiction       Susan Fox, Washington JSHS

Anthony is an authentic 8th grader.  He is not always likeable, and he often thinks the world revolves around his wants/needs, but he has a good heart.  Anthony tells much of his story through the filter of his favorite World War II video game, Liberation Force 4.5, which adds to the authenticity of his voice.  He deals with pre-diabetes and weight issues; his stories from “fat class” (a program he attends to help him lose weight) are humorous.  This is a kid your students will relate to.  Anthony’s decision about the wording of his song may be a letdown to many readers, but, then again, he is a fourteen-year old boy, and his actions are typical of someone crossing the bridge from childhood to the teen years.  It will be interesting to see if the author writes more about Anthony Castillo; I would like to be there as he grows up.

 

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