Gone Viral - by Gary Soto (Hardcover)

About the Book

Book Synopsis

For fans of the Legendary Alston Boys, an uproarious contemporary adventure story with a dash of fantasy about two friends who start a non-singing duo, go viral, and become unlikely international rock stars, bringing mindfulness to the middle school masses.

At Visalia Middle School, nothing exciting ever happens. For Jason and Sean, eating candy at recess and dreaming of a future filled with fame and fortune is usually the highlight of their day. But when Sean stumbles across a video of a composer's deliberately silent performance piece, the boys come up with an idea for a musical act that performs non-songs. And when a video of their first concert goes viral, the duo suddenly finds their dreams of stardom coming true--despite their lack of any musical talent.

Soon they're off on a globe-trotting adventure where, with the help of a cockatiel translator and an eleven-year-old talent agent, they unintentionally popularize the concept of quiet mindfulness and discover that fame can be fickle, but friendship is forever.

Review Quotes

(Puppy Love) "Jordan is a protagonist worth rooting for; through his compassionate and earnest POV, Soto spins each seemingly disparate narrative into a cohesive and lightly socially conscious read." -- Publishers Weekly

(Facts of Life) "[Soto's] greatest gift to readers may be the attention he focuses on meaningful lives, experiences, and occasional injustices that might otherwise go unobserved." -- Booklist

(Accidental Love) "With humor and insight, [Soto] creates memorable, likable characters." -- Booklist

(Have Mercy on These Teenage Chimps) "[A] lighthearted, off-beat slice of life . . . Breezy and entertaining." -- Kirkus Reviews