More Than Maybe

Gr 9 Up–Music is the common thread that brings together Vada, a music events blogger, and Luke, a Brit who has put his musical talents aside, instead focusing on his vlog with his twin. Cullen and Luke record their vlog, “The Grass is Greenly,” at The Loud Lizard, Vada’s mom’s boyfriend’s club. Though Vada and Luke admired each other’s work from afar, it takes until senior year for them to really interact with one another. As they work together, with Luke composing and Vada choreographing a piece for the school showcase, their respective challenges become clear: Vada’s biological father is an alcoholic who forgets she exists until he needs a babysitter or a favor, while Luke’s dad wants him to follow in his rock star footsteps. Each has dreams of their own they long to pursue. Woven through the story are texts and conversations filled with musical references, so all-encompassing that every music-loving reader will find something familiar and a new artist worth exploring. From the Rolling Stones to country and Counting Crows to Bastille, readers will undoubtedly be Googling frequently and developing an appreciation for the artists and their songwriting along the way. Vada and Luke’s struggles with family, fame, and exes are believable and relatable.