The Boys in the Back Row

by Mike Jung (Author)

The Boys in the Back Row
Reading Level: 6th − 7th Grade

Best friends Matt and Eric are hatching a plan for one big final adventure together before Eric moves away: during the marching band competition at a Giant Amusement Park, they will sneak away to a nearby comics convention and meet their idol-a famous comic creator. Without cell phones. Or transportation. Or permission.Of course, their final adventure together is more than just that-really, it's a way for the boys to celebrate their friendship, and their honest love and support for one another. That's exactly what we love so much about

The Boys in the Back Row: it's an unabashed ode to male friendship, because love between boys, platonic or otherwise, is something to celebrate. And of course, because this is Mike Jung, we'll be celebrating it with hilariously flawed hijinks and geekiness galore!

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School Library Journal

Starred Review

Gr 5-7--Matt feels he can handle anything sixth grade dishes out so long as he has his best friend, Eric. But when Eric learns his family is moving at the end of the school year, Matt's world is rocked. The friends cook up one last adventure that will make them school legends--or get them expelled. Their plan? Sneak out on the last day of a school band trip to meet their favorite author at a nearby comics convention. Trouble starts when classmate and frenemy Sean learns about the excursion and wants in. Matt's first-person narration is fresh, funny, and keenly observant of all the social complexities of both the middle school and adult worlds. Jung addresses tough topics from bullying to gender stereotypes in a breezy style that doesn't undermine the seriousness of the issues. The novel, and its title, are a loving homage to band kids in general and the back row of student musicians who play bass drums. Matt and Eric's bond, the heart of the novel, is a touching, honest depiction of male friendship. Despite their looming separation, Matt remains hopeful about the future, citing the exploits of his favorite comic book heroine, Sandpiper: "Even if she was about to lose someone she cared about, I still wanted to find out what happened next." Readers will feel the same. VERDICT Witty and original--how many novels celebrate band kids? A first purchase for all middle grade collections.--Marybeth Kozikowski, Sachem P.L., Holbrook, NY

Copyright 2020 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

Publishers Weekly

Hilltop Summit K-8 School sixth graders Matthew Park, who is Korean American, and Eric Costa, who is white, have been best friends since fourth grade orchestra, where they bonded after Matt introduced Eric to comics. When they hear that their band class is going to compete in a three-day amusement park music festival, the boys are thrilled--especially when they find out that Jonah Burns, their favorite graphic novelist, is going to sign the Sandpiper Iconic Edition at nearby DefenderCon. The boys don't seriously consider ditching the last day of the festival, however, until they receive some news: Eric's mother has been offered a job as a pastry chef in New York, and the Costas are moving across the country at the end of the school year. But when bully Sean McKenna discovers their plans for a last hurrah--and, worse, wants in--the boys must decide how best to proceed. The treatment of themes including toxic masculinity, anti-Asian racism, and homophobia at times lacks nuance, but the colloquial kid-speak rings true. The boys' friendship is refreshingly open and affectionate, and the narrative, including a bittersweet ending, is a resonant portrayal of the transitory nature of adolescence. Ages 8-12. Agent: Marietta B. Zacker, Gallt & Zacker Literary. (Oct.)

Copyright 2020 Publishers Weekly, LLC Used with permission.
Mike Jung
Mike Jung is the author of Geeks, Girls, and Secret Identities and contributed to the anthologies Dear Teen Me, Break These Rules, and 59 Reasons to Write. He is a library professional by day, a writer by night, and a semi-competent ukulele player during all the times in between. Mike is proud to be a founding member of the #WeNeedDiverseBooks team. He lives in Oakland, California, with his wife and two young children. Find Mike at mikejung.com.
Mike Maihack is the creator of the Cleopatra in Space series. Book One: Target Practice won a Florida Book Award and was a YALSA Quick Pick for Reluctant Young Adult Readers. He is also the creator of the popular webcomic Cow & Buffalo and has contributed to books like Sensation Comics Featuring Wonder Woman; Parable; Jim Henson's The Storyteller; Cow Boy; Geeks, Girls, and Secret Identities; and Comic Book Tattoo. Mike lives with his wife, two sons, and Siamese cat in Land O' Lakes, Florida. Visit him online at mikemaihack.com.
Classification
Fiction
ISBN-13
9781646140114
Lexile Measure
-
Guided Reading Level
-
Publisher
Levine Querido
Publication date
October 06, 2020
Series
-
BISAC categories
JUV039060 - Juvenile Fiction | Social Themes | Friendship
JUV039230 - Juvenile Fiction | Social Themes | Bullying
JUV039020 - Juvenile Fiction | Social Themes | Adolescence
Library of Congress categories
Adventure and adventurers
Adventure stories
Bullying
Comic books, strips, etc
Moving, Household
Best friends
Male friendship
Drummers (Musicians)
Marching bands

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