Someday, Somewhere

Gr 9 Up— This story about first love will engage readers with the lyrical voices of the characters. Ben (an uber-violinist in New York City) and Dom (who is helping her mom in her failing laundry shop in Trenton, NJ and living on rice and beans) are in such separate worlds they should never meet. But a school field trip to Carnegie Hall places Dom in the balcony at the back of the hall while Ben is front and near-center, playing the most awesome violin he has ever played. The audience, the conductor, and Dom are floored and stand for the ovation. The pacing throughout is fast and furious. The author has created a story told through expertly crafted dialogue and monologue. The composition mimics music with arpeggios and crescendos as Dom seeks out the boy she saw on her school field trip. Ben, trying to find a mystical girl he saw, posts flyers around his school, New York City, and on Instagram. "Have you seen this girl?…Wild, curly hair…a voice like liquid gold." Teens will root for Dom and Ben and won't want to leave these characters.