Great read for the middle school crowd.

Enjoyable story and wonderful illustrations. Would recommend.

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.

Such a great graphic novel! This started off with Scout trying to find a way to meet her favorite author and then over the course of the story turned into a book about friendship. I loved this book and the artwork was amazing!

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 expected a lot more than what I received. I will give the book credit, the art style is amazing and the characters feeling like they're actually people. It is meant for children and that is exactly the feel I got from the graphic novel. The book allowed my to relive me band nerd moments from middle school.

Scout is in Middle Grade and she absolutely wants to meet her favorite author. Easy, right? Well not for Scout. In order to meet her idol, she has to join the band. Otherwise she will never be able to go to the location of the event. However this isn’t at all as easy as it sounded in her head.

Having played an instrument in the past, I know how hard it is to learn how to read music notes. It looks easy but it definitely isn’t. It was fun to read exactly that passage in the graphic novel. Scout trying to learn how to play the Trombone and I just had to laugh at some parts.

I found it so important to read about how Scout had to take some serious decisions about friendships, school and the true meaning about life. I’m certain that this graphic novel isn’t only for the children out here but also for older readers like myself.

I loved the writing style of the author and it will certainly not be my last read by them. Scout is not a band kid is one of my favorite reads and I hope it will be yours as well.

Thank you TBR and Beyond Tours and Netgalley for sending me a copy of this arc!

My Rating: 4 Stars


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 fo 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!

Scout is Not a Band Kid is Jade Armstrong’s debut graphic novel. I didn’t realize that Jade was Canadian until I read about the author. I love supporting and promoting Canadian authors and I need to do more of that.

As I was reading the book I had to google where Almonte was in Ontario as it’s a place I never heard about before.

Scout is trying to figure out how she is going to meet her favorite author who is doing an exclusive book signing at the end of the year. Her father has told her no but she needs to come up with a plan. One day after school she opens up her backpack to show her friend Lou a picture she drew and a bunch of handouts fall out of her bag. She spots one of interest and this could be the answer to her prayers. It’s a handout about joining the band and they will be going to the same city as her favorite author at the end of the year. The only thing is Scout doesn’t know how to plan an instrument and when asked by the teacher she just picks whatever comes to mind. How will Scout pull this off?

I have to say I wish Scout’s two friends would have supported and encouraged her more instead of making fun of her whenever she spoke about band. Thankfully she had Lou, who is her internet friend, who was there to encourage her not to quit because if she does then she won’t make it to the author signing. Lou is also trying to tell her that lying to get what she wants isn’t helping her in any way.

I loved how even though Merrin and Scout were sort of at ends and were told to tutor Scout, she did. Merrin taught her everything she needs to know about music and the trombone. Will they be able to put their differences aside? Or will Merrin tell the teacher the truth?

I think Merrin was the perfect person for Scout to have in her life. Yes, she came off a bit stand-offish at first but she was that way for a reason. She knew what she wanted and how to achieve it and to have someone do something she loves to just use it for either a credit or an end game was tough for her to handle. Plus her explaining why she never hung around made sense.

This was such a fun and quick read that I devoured it in one sitting. I don’t know what the finished product will look like but my eGalley had a mix of black and white illustrations along with various colored ones. I also loved how there was bonus content at the end of the book.

I definitely need to check this out to see what the finished product looks like.

For a very long time I have read graphic novels and I love love middle grade graphic novels as they seem to be able to tell a really good story but also give you the feels too. My go to has always been for the fantasy but more recently a whole shooting lot of contemporary middle graphic novels have come my way which I really have enjoyed. So when I saw the tour for Scout is Not a Band Kid I knew I really really wanted to read it.

I was not disappointed especially about the premise of the book where we see Scout wanting to meet her favourite Author no matter what it takes.

I liked Scout as a character and thought she had a brilliant attitude but needed to be confident about her choices even if her 'so called girlfriends' didn't seem to agree or interested. I loved the interaction Scout had with Merrin the trombone section leader and how they both grew as people which is not that easy to show in something like a Graphic Novel but Jade did a wonderful job.

Now I have to mention the artwork which in my view is stunning as well as the story so I shall be giving Scout is Not A Band Kid 4 stars and can't wait to see what Jade brings out next.

Thoughts and Themes: I love reading graphic novels as I find they are a great way to immerse yourself in whatever you are reading. I really liked how this book mixed academics, band, and fandom together to create the story. I liked how we get to see the expectations that Scout’s old friends have of her and how they expect her to like new things now that they have “grown” up. While Scout hasn’t let go of her favorite things, she does keep her interests away from her friend group and only lets her true self out while amongst her online friend, Lou.

Characters: This story introduces you to several characters as they interact with our main character, Scout. I really love the way each of them is introduced to the reader as it feels like you are playing a video game. I also like how we get not only their stats but name and pronouns for each character as well. I found that there was a lot of diversity among the characters that are included in this story.

I loved the friendship that develops between Scout and Merrin throughout this whole book. I liked how their friendship first was forced because they both played the same instrument within the band but then it became a choice. I loved how Scout is the first real friend that Merrin has and isn’t deterred by her personality, and how Scout is able to be herself around Merrin, unlike her other friends.

Writing/Art Style: I really enjoy the art style of this book and would love to see the whole thing printed in color. I love how you can tell which character is whom and there is no point in time in which I was confused about the character’s identities. I also really loved the variety in the clothes that all of the characters wear depending on their setting.

Were 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!!

I really enjoyed ALL the representation in this graphic novel! The author freely admits that it takes place in a kind of unrealistic Canadian LGBTQ “utopia” but it’s important to remember that there is queer life everywhere and kids today are discovering themselves amidst a kaleidoscope of expression. What a gift!

But we ALSO get some great BAND rep, too! I can always tell when an author includes musicians from a place of observation as opposed to a personal understanding, and that is definitely not the case here. I grew up a band kid and still work with band kids today. We’re a very special family and it’s awesome to show kids that we can be cool, too!

You can tell the author is incredibly passionate about art, music and allowing kids and people to be themselves.

Thank you to TBR&Beyond book tours and Netgalley for my free copy. These opinions are my own.

Many many thanks to @tbrbeyondtours, Netgalley and @jelajade for including me! Check https://tbrandbeyondtours.com/ to follow the tour schedule.

🎺Title : Scout Is Not A Band Kid.
🎺 Author : Jade Armstrong.
🎺 Personal Rating : ⭐⭐⭐⭐ / 5 .

Reading 'Scout Is Not A Band Kid' has been a fun-filled, charming experience. It focuses on Scout who earnestly wants to attend a meet-and-greet where her favourite author, Pristine Wong will be present. The only obstacle in the way is reaching the fest which her father decided is too far to take her. Fearing that the 100 years old, retiring writer will die before she meets her, Scout joins the school's music band without any experiences as it will take the students on a end-of-year trip to Almontefest. The Trombone Section Leader Merrin is delighted to have a partner until she realises Scout doesn't know a thing about playing and is putting up a facade to reach her personal goal. She berates Scout for being selfish and not caring about others. Perplexed by the situation, Scout starts to miss practices that results in embarrassing outcome in front of live audience. Desperate, She decides to try and put serious efforts in bettering her skills. Gradually everything starts to work in her favour. But when the meet-and-greet and the band performance are scheduled at the same time, will Scout ditch her friends or sacrifice the dream she worked so hard for?

The story is cute and wholesome while highlighting some common dilemmas we face in high school. It emphasizes on the importance of hard work, loyal friendships and embracing our true selves without caring about what others might think. One of the main themes of the book is to encourage young readers to try out new activities. It portrays the excitement that comes with broadening horizon, friendships made along the way and the necessity to fight for what matters. I really loved the friendship between Scout and Lou. Their conversations are so genuine and the way they uplift each other is beautiful. The story has a diverse cast of characters which deserve praises. The artworks are adorable and capture emotions so well. Highly recommended!

#scoutisnotabandkid #tbrbeyondtours #JadeArmstrong

What would you do to meet your favorite author? That's the question that Scout asks herself when her dad refuses to take her to Almontefest to meet Pristine Wong. Scout is worried that since Pristine is older that she will either retire or die before she has a chance to meet her. That's when the answer to Scout's frustrations presents itself in the form of a trombone case. Scout decides to join the band because they will be performing at the same festival as Pristine! Scout's plan falls apart when she realizes that Merrin, her section leader, is super intense and takes band very seriously. Can Scout fake it until she makes it? Does she even want to make it? Be sure to grab this graphic novel to find out!

As a band kid, I loved reliving these experiences with Scout. the diverse cast of characters was exceptional. I loved that when a new character was introduced, the reader was told their name, pronouns, and some of their character traits. This stunning debut graphic novel exceeded my expectations. I can't wait to see what Jade writes next!

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.

This was a perfect, wholesome, entertaining read that reminded me of being a teenager and navigating the awkwardness of adolescence. I loved the friendship between Scout and Merrin and enjoyed seeing Scout become a band kid, much to her chagrin. For a relatively short book, I was impressed how much Scout seemed to grow by the end. She gained confidence and learned it was okay to pursue her interests, popular or not. By joining band, she also gained new friends who supported those interests and taught her discipline and teamwork. I appreciated the wide variety of characters, as well. In the back pages, the author described the town as a "utopia" where there's multiple queer and gender-nonconforming characters, and I am so grateful that readers will be able to see themselves represented in such positive ways. This is the author's debut graphic novel and I already can't wait for their next.

This was a cute Graphic Novel that follows Scout as she learns to play the trombone in Grade 8 band, while figuring out friendship and honesty. We learn fairly early on that Scout is fairly laid back and has ulterior motives to joining. I found the friendships Scout has were diverse: some being friendships since childhood (Grade 3), friends from the band, and friends from her favourite fandom! I enjoyed some of Scout’s friends more than others. I wasn’t fond of the long time friends since it felt like there were more interested in being “cool” than being true to themselves.

I did, however, love the interactions and eventual friendship between Scout and Merrin. These two were opposite, but I loved hoe they pushed each other outside their comfort zone. While Scout was the more Sunshine personality, quirky, Merrin was the Grump, although we learn that she is misunderstood.

The amount of Diversity in this book made me happy. There are a bunch of queer characters and the use of pronouns seem to be open and accepting (love to see it!). However, at no point were anything other than pronouns identified on page – so I’m unsure of the specific queer rep. There’s also Disability rep – amblyopia (lazy eye) – which wasn’t expected.

There’s actually a lot of music terminology and history sprinkled throughout the graphic novel – in fact, the first image sample shows some of the historical information about trombones. I loved this edition! When Scout is learning how to read music, it really made me nostalgic for band and music – I really do miss playing flute and piano.

The art style was cute and exactly the style I look for in a middle grade contemporary. With this being an arc, some dialog boxes and a lot of colouring was not completed, but the coloured pages were bright and used a lot of different colours. The art and colour pallette reminded me of Drama and The Babysitter’s Club graphic novels.

I would highly recommend this to anyone, especially a middle grader who’s interested in music and possibly wanting a tiny intro into music reading and history. It was cute and quick to read, which is appreciated between big fantasies! In the end I gave it 3.5 ⭐. I enjoyed it for what it was and glad I read it – it would be something I’d recommend to my step-neice. I’ll definitely be keeping an eye on Jade and see what else they release!

This type of book is so in right now. I’m seeing more and more graphic novels popping up on shelves for readers of all ages. The pictures and comic book style storytelling creates a less stressful environment for the reader to ingest and interpret the lessons within the entertainment.

The characters in this book represent a healthy mix of gender and ethnicities within both the straight and LGBTQIA+ communities. There is no heavy emphasis on any one type, it just is. While it doesn’t start out that way for the MC, she ultimately learns to be who she wants to be. If she wants to be a cosplay-wearing, comic book loving, trumpet playing band geek, then that’s exactly who she should be with no apologies. You might even find like-minded friends along the way.

Everyone remembers what 8th grade was like. It was hard, exciting, confusing, and overwhelming all at once! This graphic novel realistically expresses what was important to us at that age, and how we travel along a path to find what is important to us as individuals.

This book is just a good time all around. It's lighthearted, but still teaches the reader a lesson. It is great for all ages. I enjoyed reading it and I would love to share it with my 10 year old. You can read this just for the fun of it and I love that about it.

Review/Reactions to come in April 5th when the blog tour comes to my blog.

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.

This was such an adorable graphic novel perfect for middle-grade readers and former band kids alike! This follows Scout, who desperately wants to attend a meet-and-greet with her favorite author but has no way to get there--until she learns the school band will be playing at the festival! Despite no music experience, Scout decides to join band...and learns she may be a band kid after all.

This book was utterly wholesome. The friendships were really lovely and I love that Scout finds friends whom she can share her "weird" or "nerdy" interests with--and they actually think it's cool! It gets to the heart of what band is about; music, for sure, but also the friendships and space to be your authentic, nerdy, perhaps gay, self.

The art was gorgeous. The ARC did not have full shading but did have some pages with color throughout and wow, this color palette is gorgeous and vibrant. The illustrations themselves are fun and adorable. It completely matches the tone of the novel and I can't wait to see the finished copy.

Can't recommend this one enough. It's wholesome and funny and heartwarming--quintessential middle grade.