Tawni and Brielle have been best friends forever; they've also always played cello together, with Tawni as principal and Brielle as second chair. They are talented and now hold those same positions in the intermediate City Youth Orchestra. Things change suddenly when Tawni breaks her wrist and Brielle moves up to principal. Always comfortable in second chair, Brie is apprehensive about solo parts and leading her cello section. Evidently, her director and her brother (who plays bass) have confidence in her musicality and drive, but she needs to gain self-confidence. Can she do it by the spring concert? Will her friendship with Tawni survive? As Brie relates her experiences, readers join her on her emotional roller coaster and root for her improvement and success. This short, high-interest, fast-paced novel will find a place with music lovers, but also makes for a satisfying friendship and school story for tweens and younger teens.

FLORENCE, Melanie . He Who Dreams . 137p. Jan. 2017. ISBN 9781459811027 . RIVERA, Raquel . Show Mode . 135p. Mar. 2017. ISBN 9781459812048 . ea vol: (Orca Limelights). Orca. pap. $9.95. Gr 69Orca's "Limelights" series, which focuses on teens involved in art, music, and dance, continues with three new volumes. In Strings Attached, Brielle is a cellist who reluctantly takes over as first chair in the City Youth Orchestra after her best friend Tawni is injured in a sports accident. When Tawni returns, Brielle must decide whether to support her friend or follow her dreams. In He Who Dreams, Josh is a half-Irish, half-Cree soccer player who unexpectedly discovers a passion for Aboriginal dance. Though he faces derision from both his friends and fellow dancers, he must learn to accept himself and embrace his heritage. The ambitious Adina wants her team to be the best at their school's annual fashion show in Show Mode, but her perfectionism pushes her friends away. Each book has authentic, high-interest teen drama and deals with issues such as friendship, cultural identity, extreme dieting, and teamwork. VERDICT Written at a fourth grade reading level, this series will be particularly appealing to hi-lo middle school readers interested in the performing arts.