In fulfillment of my youngest’s rock-and-roll dreams, Santa gifted Miss L this guitar six months ago. To our delight, she promptly named it “Jessica.”
Miss L has been taking weekly guitar lessons ever since, learning chords that will one day be the building blocks of her preeminent rock opera - a prediction I’m making with confidence based on her love of Édith Piaf and the vibrato with which she sings “Take Me Out to the Ball Game.”
Yes, rock flows through Miss L’s veins, an impulse that no doubt comes from her dad, who played in three bands in his 20s and still rocks a mean campfire session. Like her papa, Miss L has plans, and I am here for any and every arena that she and Jessica intend to rock, and rock hard.
For all these reasons and more, new picture book HOW TO BE A ROCKSTAR is right up our backstage alley. This hilarious story by Lisa Tolin, illustrated by Daniel Duncan, (Putnam), delivers rock lifestyle 101 with wit, sparkle and spunk and is coming to a town near you on Aug. 2, 2022. Tickets are on sale now - IE: this jam-of-a-book is available for pre-order now.
HOW TO BE A ROCK STAR is a picture book about kid poised and ready to show the rock-and-roll ropes to young readers. This how-to guide covers all of the pivotal moments in the Behind the Music arc of band life. The ups, the downs, the roaring comeback… each gets a verse. And the chorus? Sheesh, what a hook. You’ll be humming it all summer: Whatever happens, keep playing. Here are three things that I love about the new picture book HOW TO BE A ROCK STAR…
Finding Your Voice
Fronting a band is a journey full of glory and compromise - truths that the main character of HOW TO BE A ROCK STAR has learned first hand. Lucky for readers, this seasoned pro is willing to share industry secrets that will help aspiring rockers manage their careers and expectations.
If you want to be a rock star… First, you need a band. Youngers brothers are not ideal, but yours will have to do. When forming a band, sometimes you have to work with what you’ve got, and that includes little sibs. You also need to pick an instrument, select a band name, and define your sound. So many choices, and many of them blocked by suits - in this case, parents trying to manage noise levels. The narrator of this book, a true artist, shows that the fun of being a rock star is using limitations as fuel for experimentation. Rocking is about finding your voice and singing a song the crowd can get behind.
Art by Daniel Duncan
Lil Rockers, Center Stage
Grown ups will find humor in every line of this book, which chronicles key incidents in the rock lifestyle narrative, from wardrobe malfunctions to flippant retorts from jaded naysayers… like Dad: I liked it better when you played Wheels on the Bus. As the narrator says, Everyone’s a critic.
But the most important audience of all remains center stage. Young readers will see themselves in the parental power struggles, chosen instrumentation (broom guitar and pot-and-pan drum kit), and residential performance spaces. For as all little rockers can attest, no cheers can compare to those from a hometown crowd. The venues that matter most - where you can let loose and release your rocker wail - are the places that made you who you are… where you found out what you’re really made of.
Art by Daniel Duncan
Rock Like No One’s Watching
Some moments in rock life are epic. The filled arenas, the flashing lights, the roar of the crowd. But sometimes, things fall out of tune. As this story documents, in your journey to rock stardom there will be face plants and downward spirals: The tour may take its toll on your brother. You’ll likely experience creative differences with people you love. And, at times, the only way forward might be to go solo.
Living your rock-and-roll dream won’t be easy. But the thing that will push you onward, and drive your fans to call for one more song, is the way you feel when you’re doing what you love. That passion is contagious.
Art by Daniel Duncan
HOW TO BE A ROCK STAR is pure picture book fun. There are no heavy handed morals to be found in this clever new read. But there is a hidden track: The abandon and heart that beats in the main character’s rock star center, boldly encouraging young readers to stay true to themselves, stay on stage, and play on.
That’s rock ‘n roll.
The Creators
Lisa Tolin is a journalist and editor. HOW TO BE A ROCK STAR is her debut picture book. She lives in Brooklyn with her husband and two young sons, who provided inspiration for the book. Learn about Lisa at www.lisatolin.com.
Daniel Duncan is a children’s book illustrator, who likes to create vibrant characters within detailed environments, using earth colours and textures. He studied illustration at Middlesex University and now works from his home in leafy Amersham on the outskirts of London. See Daniel’s work on Instagram at @daniel_duncan_illustration.
One lucky reader will win
HOW TO BE A ROCK STAR,
signed by Lisa Tolin!
1. "Like" this post (click the heart below)
2. Follow me (@anitraschulte) on Twitter
3. Retweet my pinned contest tweet by 7/15/22
GOOD LUCK!
You also can order a copy of HOW TO BE A ROCK STAR, signed by author Lisa Tolin, via Community Book Store, Park Slope, Brooklyn. Be sure to put your personalization request in the comments.