A 13-year-old queer girl dreams of being a musician in this coming-of-age story.Cline Louise Alden, who was named after Patsy Cline, lives in Paris, Kentucky, with her waitress Mama, who believes in practicality, and Gram, who encourages her love of music, particularly older songs from women country singers. When Cline learns of an upcoming singer/songwriter workshop in Lexington, she's determined to go even if she has to keep it a secret from Mama and find a way to come up with the $300 fee. The workshop is both inspiring and intimidating, while Sylvie, Cline's assigned partner who prefers rock music, gives Cline all sorts of nervous and excited feelings. The story skillfully tackles varying Christian beliefs about sexuality, Gram's Alzheimer's, the family's financial struggles, and shifting friendships. While the plot is propelled by Cline's musical journey, it's the captivating character of Cline herself that makes the book shine, although many secondary characters are notable in their own rights. Cline's confident, candid, and immensely endearing narrative forms the heartbeat of the book as she learns to be both vulnerable and strong. Readers with passion and big dreams will be able to relate. It's refreshing that Cline has no internal struggle about her sexuality; her concerns are about how and when to share her identity with others. Cline is White; Sylvie's mom is from Mexico and her father is White and American, and side characters bring additional diversity to the story.Destined for the spotlight. (Fiction. 9-13)

For 13-year-old Cline, music is her life, and her dream is to become a professional country music star, a dream that is anathema to her practical, single-parent mother who stridently discourages Cline. And so, when an opportunity presents itself to participate in a young singer-songwriter workshop, Cline secretly attends. There she meets Sylvie; though at first antagonists, the two girls become friends and, for Cline, who is secretly gay, hopefully something more. In the meantime, Cline has come out to her best friend, Hollie, who betrays her by essentially outing her, which marks an end to the girls' lifelong friendship. As if this weren't enough, Cline's beloved grandmother has been diagnosed with Alzheimer's. To complicate things even further, Cline and Sylvie have been invited to try out for a slot on the upcoming Daylight Savings Bluegrass Festival. Can they keep this a secret, too? Though Ormsbee doesn't break any new ground with her LGBTQ+ content, she handles the material well; her characters are empathic, and the appealing story ends on a harmonious note.

From her small-town home in Paris, Kentucky, thirteen-year-old Cline (named after Patsy) dreams of a future as a singer-songwriter. Her mother, who must work long shifts at the local diner to support the family, wants her to focus on a more practical pursuit. Her best friend, who is heavily involved with her Christian youth group (and a boy in it), discounts Cline's pursuits entirely. Still, she finds strength and support through the encouragement of her musical grandmother, the memory of her late father, and the lyrics of the songs on her favorite playlist. When her mother forbids her to apply for a Young Singer-Songwriter Workshop at the University of Kentucky in Lexington, she conspires to do so anyway. Her determination and passion see her through many challenges along the way, bringing her closer to an understanding of herself and others (including well-developed secondary characters). Cline's first-person narration is an engaging mix of naive earnestness and mature self-assurance. Her secret weekly trips to Lexington and increased awareness of her attraction to workshop partner Sylvie help her grow as a musician and person. Comparing and contrasting her own feelings with what she notices around her, the protagonist explores her understanding of family, friendship, illness, sexual identity, religion, music, and more. Her story offers readers an inspiring combination of self-awareness, bravery, and passion. Julie Roach

A 13-year-old queer girl dreams of being a musician in this coming-of-age story.Cline Louise Alden, who was named after Patsy Cline, lives in Paris, Kentucky, with her waitress Mama, who believes in practicality, and Gram, who encourages her love of music, particularly older songs from women country singers. When Cline learns of an upcoming singer/songwriter workshop in Lexington, she's determined to go even if she has to keep it a secret from Mama and find a way to come up with the $300 fee. The workshop is both inspiring and intimidating, while Sylvie, Cline's assigned partner who prefers rock music, gives Cline all sorts of nervous and excited feelings. The story skillfully tackles varying Christian beliefs about sexuality, Gram's Alzheimer's, the family's financial struggles, and shifting friendships. While the plot is propelled by Cline's musical journey, it's the captivating character of Cline herself that makes the book shine, although many secondary characters are notable in their own rights. Cline's confident, candid, and immensely endearing narrative forms the heartbeat of the book as she learns to be both vulnerable and strong. Readers with passion and big dreams will be able to relate. It's refreshing that Cline has no internal struggle about her sexuality; her concerns are about how and when to share her identity with others. Cline is White; Sylvie's mom is from Mexico and her father is White and American, and side characters bring additional diversity to the story.Destined for the spotlight. (Fiction. 9-13)