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Title details for The Scar Boys by Len Vlahos - Available

The Scar Boys

by Len Vlahos
Lincoln Hoppe
Audiobook
1 of 1 copy available
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1 of 1 copy available
If RJ Palacio's Wonder was a young adult novel, it'd be something like The Scar Boys.
A severely burned teenager. A guitar. Punk rock. The chords of a rock 'n' roll road trip in a coming-of-age novel that is a must-read story about finding your place in the world...even if you carry scars inside and out.
In attempting to describe himself in his college application essay—help us to become acquainted with you beyond your courses, grades, and test scores—Harbinger (Harry) Jones goes way beyond the 250-word limit and gives a full account of his life.
The first defining moment: the day the neighborhood goons tied him to a tree during a lightning storm when he was 8 years old, and the tree was struck and caught fire. Harry was badly burned and has had to live with the physical and emotional scars, reactions from strangers, bullying, and loneliness that instantly became his everyday reality.
The second defining moment: the day in 8th grade when the handsome, charismatic Johnny rescued him from the bullies and then made the startling suggestion that they start a band together. Harry discovered that playing music transported him out of his nightmare of a world, and he finally had something that compelled people to look beyond his physical appearance. Harry's description of his life in his essay is both humorous and heart-wrenching. He had a steeper road to climb than the average kid, but he ends up learning something about personal power, friendship, first love, and how to fit in the world. While he's looking back at the moments that have shaped his life, most of this story takes place while Harry is in high school and the summer after he graduates.
“These Boots Are Made for Walkin’” written by Lee Hazlewood. Copyright ©1965 – 1966 ® 1983 – 1984 Criterion Music Corporation. All rights reserved. Used By Permission. International Copyright Secured.

  • Creators

  • Publisher

  • Awards

  • Release date

    January 21, 2014

  • Formats

    • OverDrive Listen audiobook

      • ISBN: 9780804167291
      • File size: 183729 KB
      • Duration: 06:22:46

  • Languages

    • English

  • Levels

    • Lexile® Measure: 910
    • Text Difficulty: 4-5

  • Reviews

    • AudioFile Magazine
      Harry is ugly, shy, and covered with hideous burn scars. Befriended by the charismatic Johnny, he finds his way back to life through participation in a band. Narrating this story about the power of music and friendship to heal, Lincoln Hoppe strikes just the right note with the character of Harry--offbeat, a touch sarcastic, a little wistful--as Harry describes the teen friendships and tensions that arise around the band, The Scar Boys. Hoppe's perfect pacing moves the story along while allowing Vlahos's details to unfold in the listener's mind. Saturated with musical references, this audiobook has chapter titles that are song titles. The author even plays the guitar music that introduces the production and provides the accompaniment when Hoppe sings one of Vlahos's original songs. J.C.G. (c) AudioFile 2014, Portland, Maine
    • Publisher's Weekly

      November 4, 2013
      Publishing exec Vlahos debuts with a coming-of-age/rock-and-roll novel mashup written in the form of a college admissions essay (one that blows past the 250-word limit). Left physically and psychologically scarred by a childhood accident involving bullies and lightning, Harbinger “Harry” Jones is ignored or considered a “freak” at school. In middle school, he’s befriended by a kid named Johnny, and in high school they start a band. When they take the show on the road, life becomes immeasurably more entertaining, especially with crushworthy Cheyenne on board as the Scar Boys’ bassist. Injuries aside, Harry’s trajectory loosely mirrors Vlahos’s time as the guitarist for a touring punk/pop band, so details like how to cut a record, land a gig at the now-defunct club CBGB (the novel is set in the 1970s and ’80s), or rework a tour when the van breaks down strongly resonate. This, along with the author’s clear passion for music, balances out a few clunky structural elements, such as flashbacks within the already retrospective narration, as Harry learns to open up to himself and others. Ages 14–up. Agent: Sandra Bond, Bond Literary Agency.

Formats

  • OverDrive Listen audiobook

subjects

Languages

  • English

Levels

  • Lexile® Measure:910
  • Text Difficulty:4-5

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