Playing Through the Turnaround: A Middle Grade Story About Music, Protest, and Finding Your Voice for Kids (Ages 8-12)

Sparkling wit and heart combine in a tale of young musicians protesting budget cuts and navigating shifting friendships, clueless adults, and unexpected loss as they discover the power of speaking out and the value of listening. “A brave and dazzling debut, this timely novel is a blueprint for hope.” —Katherine Applegate, Newbery Medalist and bestselling author of The One and Only Ivan“Keen and clear and fiercely funny.” —Linda Sue Park, Newbery Medalist and bestselling author of A Long Walk to Water“Brilliant, sharp, comic, poignant, and true.” —Gary D. Schmidt, two-time Newbery Honor–winning author of The Wednesday Wars“A splendid novel filled with honesty and heart.” —Karina Yan Glaser, bestselling author of the Vanderbeekers series.Fifth period is hands down the best time of day in Connor U. Eubanks Middle School, because that’s when Mr. Lewis teaches Jazz Lab. So his students are devastated when their beloved teacher quits abruptly. Once they make a connection between budget cuts and Mr. Lewis’s disappearance, they hatch a plan: stop the cuts, save their class.Soon, they become an unlikely band of crusaders, and their quest quickly snowballs into something much bigger—a movement involving the whole middle school. But the adults in charge seem determined to ignore their every protest. How can the kids make themselves heard?Saving the Arts: When budget cuts threaten their beloved Jazz Lab, a small group of musicians launches a protest that spirals into a movement to protect all the school’s creative programs.Found Family: Six very different students—the rebel, the genius, the quiet one, and more—must learn to work together, forming an unlikely but unbreakable team.Multiple POV Story: Told from six distinct and authentic voices, every chapter offers a new perspective on friendship, family, and the courage it takes to speak up.Book About Jazz Music: Perfect for young music lovers, this story is steeped in the rhythms and soul of jazz, celebrating the power of music to connect and inspire. Read more