Drum Roll, Please - by Lisa Jenn Bigelow

About the Book

Weaving LGBTQ themes with coming of age and a good dose of rock 'n' roll fun, this big-hearted debut middle-grade novel tells the story of a girl finding the confidence to rock out to her own beat.

Book Synopsis

Find the confidence to rock out to your own beat in this big-hearted middle grade novel. One of Time Out's "LGBTQ+ books for kids to read during Pride Month", this is perfect for fans of Raina Telgemeier's Drama and Tim Federle's Better Nate Than Ever!

Melly only joined the school band because her best friend, Olivia, begged her to. But to her surprise, quiet Melly loves playing the drums. It's the only time she doesn't feel like a mouse. Now she and Olivia are about to spend the next two weeks at Camp Rockaway, jamming under the stars in the Michigan woods.

But this summer brings a lot of big changes for Melly: her parents split up, her best friend ditches her, and Melly finds herself unexpectedly falling for another girl at camp. To top it all off, Melly's not sure she has what it takes to be a real rock n' roll drummer. Will she be able to make music from all the noise in her heart?

Ami Polonsky, acclaimed author of Gracefully Grayson, raved, "Drum Roll, Please is a perfect middle-grade love story. Bigelow delivers a mighty message to turn up the volume on your inner drumbeat."

Review Quotes

★ "In a story about growing pains, turning points, and self-discovery, Bigelow shows an equally clear understanding of the dynamics of camp life and young adolescent emotions. Melly's responses to situations are authentic, especially the excitement and confusion she feels when she is attracted to another female camper. Bigelow has a graceful and genuine touch as her protagonist processes new experiences and navigates changes in friendships and family." - Publishers Weekly (starred review)
★ "In a story about growing pains, turning points, and self-discovery, Bigelow shows a clear understanding of young adolescent emotions. Melly's responses to situations are authentic, especially the excitement and confusion she feels when she is attracted to another female camper. Bigelow has a graceful and genuine touch." - Publishers Weekly (starred review)
"Drum Roll, Please is a perfect middle-grade love story. Bigelow artfully captures the complexity of middle-school relationships and, with a gentle hand, delivers a mighty message to turn up the volume on your inner drumbeat." - Ami Polonsky, author of Gracefully Grayson and Threads
"Melly is a memorable, relatable character, and Bigelow tells her funny, heartfelt story with a lively blend of emotional moments and more musical puns than you can shake a (drum)stick at. Readers looking for an entertaining camp story, as well as fans of Victoria Jamieson's Roller Girl or the long-running Lumberjanes series, will get a kick out of this empowering book." - ALA Booklist
"Melly is a memorable, relatable character, and Bigelow tells her funny, heartfelt story with a lively blend of emotional moments. Readers looking for an entertaining camp story, as well as fans of Victoria Jamieson's Roller Girl or the Lumberjanes series, will get a kick out of this empowering book." - ALA Booklist
"Melly is a complex blend of anger, curiosity, and creativity, appealingly laying her emotions bare for readers. Fresh and exhilarating, a welcome addition to the growing middle-grade genre of girls who like girls." - Kirkus Reviews
★ "Both fun and substantial, readable and empowering, this novel is a master class in balancing real issues with a light-hearted tone. Bigelow's compassionate take on the classic middle school topics of family, friendship, and first romance hits all the right notes. Highly recommended; a perfect summer read for fans of Raina Telgemeier and Jennifer Holm." - School Library Journal (starred review)
★ "Fun and substantial, readable and empowering, this is a master class in balancing real issues with a light-hearted tone. Bigelow's compassionate take on the topics of family, friendship, and first romance hits all the right notes. A perfect summer read for fans of Raina Telgemeier and Jennifer Holm." - School Library Journal (starred review)