Teen Books About Music
Grades 7-9
Cover of "The Bad Decisions Playlist"
The Bad Decisions Playlist
by Michael Rubens

When his believed-dead famous musician father suddenly reappears in his life, teen Austin, a talented guitarist, is pulled into his father's overwhelming world in ways that compromise Austin's dreams and relationship with his girlfriend.
TEEN REALISTIC RUBENS MICHAEL
Cover of "Bobby Sky: Boy Band or Die"
Bobby Sky: Boy Band or Die
by Joe Shine

After two grueling years of training to be a Shadow, a top-secret guardian, sixteen-year-old Robert "Hutch" Hutchinson's first assignment is to join a boy band and protect its world-famous front-man.
TEEN REALISTIC RUBENS MICHAEL
Cover of "Coady and the Creepies"
Coady & the Creepies
by Liz Prince

A trio of punk rock sisters head out on their first tour since a freak accident rendered their drummer a ghost. The Creepies fight through bloodsucking promoters, fanboy zombies, and ghoulish rivals to achieve their dream.
YA GRAPHIC COADY 1
Cover of "Echo"
Echo
by Pam Muñoz Ryan

Lost in the Black Forest, Otto meets three mysterious sisters and finds himself entwined in a prophecy, a promise, and a harmonica. Decades later, three children, Friedrich in Germany, Mike in Pennsylvania, and Ivy in California find themselves caught up in the same thread of destiny in the darkest days of the twentieth century, struggling to keep their families intact, and tied together by the music of the same harmonica.
TEEN HISTORICAL RYAN PAM
Cover of "Echo"
Four Seasons
by Jane Breskin Zalben

Over the course of a year, thirteen-year-old Allegra Katz, a student at the demanding Julliard School and the daughter of two musicians, tries to decide whether she wants to continue to pursue a career as a concert pianist or to do something else with her life.
TEEN REALISTIC ZALBEN JANE
Cover of "Guitar Notes"
Guitar Notes
by Mary Amato

Tripp, who plays guitar only for himself, and Lyla, a cellist whose talent has already made her famous but not happy, form an unlikely friendship when they are forced to share a practice room at their high school.
TEEN REALISTIC AMATO MARY
Cover of "Hiding Out at the Pancake Palace"
Hiding Out at the Pancake Palace
by Nan Marino

When musical prodigy, Elvis Ruby, completely freezes up on television, he is forced to hide out in the Pine Barrens of New Jersey, where he spends the summer working with his aunt and cousin at Piney Pete's Pancake Palace, the perfect place to remain anonymous until he meets Cecilia, a girl who can't seem to help blurting out whatever's on her mind.
TEEN REALISTIC MARINO NAN
Cover of "How You Ruined My Life"
How You Ruined My Life
by Jeff Strand

Rod's life is going well until his rich, prankster cousin, Blake, moves in for three months--moving into his room and moving in on his girlfriend and band--ruining everything.
TEEN REALISTIC STRAND JEFF
Grades 10-12
Cover of "The Beauty That Remains"
The Beauty That Remains
by Ashley Woodfolk

Autumn, Shay, and Logan, whose lives intersect in complicated ways, each lose someone close to them and must work through their grief.
TEEN REALISTIC WOODFOLK ASHLEY
Cover of "Being Friends With Boys"
Being Friends With Boys
by Terra Elan McVoy

Enjoying her position as a girl among several male friends who rely on her for advice and group cohesion, Charlotte, who eschews female drama, is astonished when a handsome newcomer makes her aware of her femininity and a long-time friend reveals he wants more.
TEEN ROMANCE MCVOY TERRA
Cover of "The Disenchantments"
The Disenchantments
by Nina LaCour

Colby's post-high school plans were that he and his best friend Bev would tour with her band, then spend a year in Europe, but when she decides to start college just after the tour, Colby struggles to understand what losing her means for his future.
TEEN REALISTIC LACOUR NINA
Cover of "The Haters"
The Haters
by Jesse Andrews

Three young musicians follow a quest to escape the law long enough to play the amazing show they hope (but also doubt) they have in them.
TEEN REALISTIC ANDREWS JESSE
Cover of "I'm Glad I Did"
I'm Glad I Did
by Cynthia Weil

In 1963 sixteen-year-old JJ Green, a songwriter interning at New York City's famous Brill Building, finds herself a writing partner In Luke Silver, a boy who seems to connect instantly with her music, and they start cutting their first demo with Dulcie Brown, a legend who has fallen on hard times, with a secret past.
TEEN HISTORICAL WEIL CYNTHIA
Cover of "Jazz Owls: A Novel of the Zoot Suit Riots"
Jazz Owls: A Novel of the Zoot Suit Riots
by Margarita Engle

In early 1940s Los Angeles, Mexican Americans Marisela and Lorena work in canneries all day then jitterbug with sailors all night with their zoot suit wearing younger brother, Ray, as escort until the night racial violence leads to murder.
TEEN HISTORICAL ENGLE MARGARITA
Cover of "Just Listen"
Just Listen
by Sarah Dessen

Although Annabel's façade makes people think she has everything going for her, she is lonely since she and Sophie are no longer speaking and her anorexic sister gets all the attention at home, until she meets reformed bad boy Owen, who just may be the one person who can help Annabel face the imperfections of life.
TEEN REALISTIC DESSEN SARAH
Cover of "Kill the Boy Band"
Kill the Boy Band
by Goldy Moldavsky

When their adoration gets out of hand and results in a favorite boy-band member being kidnapped and held in their hotel room, four zealous, superfan girls manage their disappointment with their hostage while struggling to figure out how to resolve the problem they've created.
TEEN MYSTERY MOLDAVSKY GOLDY
Cover of "The Rise and Fall of the Gallivanters"
The Rise and Fall of the Gallivanters
by Mary Jane Beaufrand

Obsessively following a series of disappearances in 1983 Portland that he believes are linked to the German owners of a local brewery, Noah prepares for a battle of the bands competition and wonders about an enigmatic new bandmate. 
TEEN MYSTERY BEAUFRAND MARY
Cover of "The Sky is Everywhere"
The Sky is Everywhere
by Jandy Nelson

Enjoying her life in the shadow of a fiery older sister, 17-year-old bookworm Lennie Walker is shattered by her sister's sudden death, a tragedy that causes her relationships with her sister's equally grief-stricken boyfriend and a French newcomer to change in ways she never could have imagined.
TEEN REALISTIC NELSON JANDY
Cover of "Tone Deaf"
Tone Deaf
by Olivia Rivers

Ali Collins was a child piano prodigy until a brain tumor caused her to lose her hearing, and now, after meeting Jace, the lead singer of Tone Deaf, her musical and romantic possibilities increase.
TEEN REALISTIC RIVERS OLIVIA
Wildflower
by Alecia Whitaker

Sixteen-year-old Bird Barrett is discovered by a country music record label while playing in her family's bluegrass band. As her star rises, she must learn to stay true to her roots while navigating a brave new world of glamour and gold records in Nashville, Tennessee.
TEEN REALISTIC WHITAKER ALECIA
Longwood Public Library800 Middle Country RoadMiddle Island, New York 11953longwoodlibrary.org