I thought this would be a witty nostalgic book about what it was like to be in high school band. It wasn't. It wasn't like the other poetry books out today that have one poem on the page, the poems are all over the place and it felt unorganized. Unfortunately it felt like this was written as a high school project and not by a grown adult. The forward says they didn't like stereotypes and so they don't play into them, but this work clearly lacked because of the lack of stereotypes. Just a boring read that I couldn't connect too. DNF- page 31

So as a card carrying band nerd, I can attest that most of the stories here are true. This book was hilarious and brought back many memories of my life as a high school band nerd. What band nerd doesn’t appreciate the most ultimate line in the movie American Pie, “And one time at band camp...” I will always laugh out loud when I hear that. From learning how to mark off steps in marching (while playing an instrument), to standing at attention, to playing scales (with a chair member that is always out of tune), to brass instruments releasing their spit valves on the band room carpeted floor...this book addresses it all. I was not expecting it to be broken up into smaller poems throughout the book, but I think that made me enjoy it all the more. The illustrations are hilarious! Thank you for the memories and this is the perfect book for any alumni or current Band Nerds out there. I would recommend for Teens and Young Adult, but Middle Grade is a bit iffy. I have provided this honest review in exchange for the opportunity to read an Advanced Reader Copy of this book from NetGalley and Sourcebooks Kids.

Can not give direct feedback on this Title because of my Florida Teens Read committee responsibility, but I have added it to our long list for consideration.

This is a book about kids who play in the school band. Just as there are theatre and journalism nerds that stick together, and form a sub genre in high school, so there is a group that play int he school band. This is a book for those kids, or former kids, that bonded through band.

Humor is subjective. And the humor here is full of fart jokes, and other bodily fluids, as one poem said. I didn’t find any of the poems laugh out loud funny, but I was never a band nerd, so perhaps the humor just does get to me, the way it would for someone who had risen through the ranks, and knows what it is like.

So, if you were or are one of these band nerds, then you might find this amusing and would be delighted to find that you are seen.

Thanks to Netgalley for making this book available for an honest review.

Thanks to the publisher for providing a DRC on Band Nerds in exchange for an honest review!

This was a lot of cute, light hearted fun. The poems are all very Dr. Seuss-esque and mostly rely on a rather immature sense of humour but if that's your jam, give it a go! The art style's really amusing and matches the poem really well.

None of these were laugh out loud funny to me, but that could be because I'm not a band kid. If you were one, I'm sure you'll a least chuckle.

These were amusing poems and drawings for anyone who is in/has been in marching band. The drawings really add to the humor.

I live in a house full of band nerds. This book was so much fun! I think we might have to buy some copies as graduation gifts for my husband’s band students!