In this coming-of-age graphic novel, Lucy is dealing with a lot because she’s moved to a new school and wants to be first chair in band, her parents still argue a lot due due to dad’s drinking, and Lucy wonders if she will make new friends. As Lucy finds her grades going down she thinks maybe she doesn’t belong at this school. When Lucy finds out Tolli also wants to be first chair, Lucy does something that gets her in trouble. What does Lucy do? Who ends up getting first chair?
Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for the eARC of this book. All opinions are my own.

This was fun but also hard read. I personally don’t know anyone going through this but it was so hard to read it I can’t imagine having to live in it. I’m kind of glad that everything was resolved in the end but getting there was a little infuriating since I just wanted them to see how much stress they were adding onto their daughter and how much this situation hurts the kids. Kids are so observant so trying to keep things from them or even trying to hide things from them they still notice those things and you can only do so much. Plus letting them start to believe they aren’t good enough or that their failures are bigger than their achievements is so damaging not just to them but to their confidence and mental health.. They’ll start to believe that nothing they do is good enough for anyone. It was just so hard seeing her crumble from getting second chair and then eventually becoming so obsessed with getting first and losing friends over it.

I loved that the book showed that other students were struggling to. We just never know who is going thru hard times and going through it in silence. The writing and illustrations really did a great job showing the beauty and pain of what someone is going through. It felt so real and jarring.

This look into a middle schooler's family life dealing with an alcoholic father is impactful! I felt SO much for Lucy. It's a great story that illustrates how teachers (and guidance counselors) can be a safe space for middle schoolers who are going through rough times.

This is the perfect read for middle schoolers about grief/trauma! Lucy is a very loveable character whose father is an alcoholic. She loves music and her struggling parents, while dealing with their own troubles, try to support her. Definitely recommend.

Band Nerd is a middle grade novel perfect for younger audience exploring themes of grief, friendship and trauma. When middle schooler Lucy gets accepted into an exclusive arts school, she needs to manage getting good grades, friendships, family life, and most importantly, getting first chair flute in band. But when things get tricky with both her dad's alcoholism and her friend group, Lucy needs to figure out how she will get through 7th grade.

I think this graphic novel for middle schooler covers difficult topics such as alcoholism, divorce, and rivalry in a way that is both appropriate for and able to be understood by middle schoolers. Lucy's parents are struggling with their own issues, and Lucy needs to find a way to support her dreams while navigating a tricky home and school life. It shows that adults don't always do the right thing, but also that there are always those willing to help in the form of friends, teachers, and counselors. It also shows how healing the arts can be, as that is the one stable thing in Lucy's life. This book would be great for those going through a hard time, as is often the case in middle school.

The artwork was very bright and cute and would definitely appeal to the target audience. I felt like the story flew by and was completely engaged the entire time. I highly recommend this story for the middle grade audience!

Thank you so much to NetGalley and HarperCollins Children's Books for providing an arc in exchange for an honest review.