Rock God

Gr 7–9—In a zany, fast-paced, retro rock-music adventure, B.J. Levine, 13, moves with his guitar-strumming father and protective mother to NYC. When a bearded specter named Merv visits his parents and drops a slim, tattered book titled The Legend of the Good Supreme, B.J. is mesmerized and decides to follow this guide to achieving success as a rocker. After recruiting three talented classmates to play in his band, he admits that he has no musical training or original songs. But an impromptu backstage performance for pop icons the D.O.G. catapults him and his band into an unexpected, harrowing road trip that ultimately dumps the teenage rockers at a competition in music mecca Asbury Park, NJ. Hounded by aging rock-loving bikers and dodging threats from the Overlord, B.J. performs with his band, finds his voice, discovers his true family, learns his real name (Bon Jovi), and realizes his dream. Loaded with witty musical references and allusions to songs, artists, places, and events from the 1970s to the present, B.J.'s quest for fame and self-discovery is a rollicking tale. Unknown to B.J., his parents are ex-rockers in hiding, and he is the long-awaited, messianic heir to the throne, following in the footsteps of Mick Jagger, Bruce Springsteen, and Bon Jovi. In an adult world full of zealots and contradictions, B.J. is on a mission to solve riddles about his past and his future with the help of his friends. The teen is an action hero whose vulnerability, candor, impulsive actions, and determination will delight rock fans.—Gerry Larson, formerly at Durham School of the Arts, NC