Gr 5-8 Eighth grader Apple and her mother moved from the Philippines to Louisiana several years ago after the death of her father. All Apple has left of her dad is a Beatles cassette with his name written on it. At school, her two best friends are trying to become part of the in-group and have become very critical of her, especially after it's discovered that she is on the unwritten Dog-Log and considered one of the ugliest girls in school. Apple is embarrassed by her mother, who doesn't speak English well. The protagonist is desperate to get a guitar so she can learn to play the Beatles songs that her dad loved, but her mother is adamant that she not waste her time on music. Soon, Apple makes friends with a new boy, Evan, who's not impressed with her former friends or their boyfriends. When the music teacher loans her a guitar, she discovers that she is something of a prodigy. The story will resonate with any student in middle school who has felt different and ostracized. The author has skillfully captured the various characters that populate Apple's middle school. Only Apple's mother remains two-dimensional until almost the end. The story is rather predictable until it ends with a twist. Apple mentions her favorite song "Blackbird" many times; readers unfamiliar with the song would benefit from listening to a recording or finding a YouTube clip.— Nancy P. Reeder, Heathwood Hall Episcopal School, Columbia, SC

Apple hates her nickname. It isn't the only thing about her life that she hates, either. She despises being "different" and longs to be just like all of her classmates. But she simply does not fit in: her mother speaks in her native tongue and cooks Filipino food. Apple likes music most of her friends have never heard, especially her well-worn Beatles albums. When Apple learns she is on the Dog Log, a list of the ugliest girls in school, she discovers who her true friends are. Debut author Kelly skillfully weaves together the story of misfit Apple, her love of music, and a budding romance with a new boy at school, while never losing focus on the central issue of what it is like to be the "other." Readers will be scurrying to find the music on Apple's list of favorite songs, many of them by the Beatles. Those titles are included in all the chapter titles as well, giving readers a tantalizing hint of events about to unfold.