Sing Like No One's Listening

by Vanessa Jones

Overview

Nettie Delany has just been accepted into a cutthroat performing arts school, but she hasn't been able to sing a single note since her mother died.

Duke's Academy of Performing Arts isn't for the weak-willed or easily intimidated; the school has mentored plenty of big names, including Nettie's own mother—a ballerina superstar. With the shadow of grief haunting her every step, Nettie has her work cut out for her if she plans to stay enrolled in a highly coveted program.

No room for error. Nettie must work through the pain of the past, horrible classmates, and vicious teachers to find her voice again and deliver a showstopper. If not, she faces expulsion. With the help of her friends and a new romance, can Nettie get it together in time? Everyone is watching.

Former West End performer and author Vanessa Jones delivers a well-crafted journey of grief and healing in this contemporary young adult novel. An ideal read for fans of theater and Broadway musicals.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781682631942
Publisher:	Holiday House
Publication date:	09/01/2020
Pages:	304
Sales rank:	1,174,630
Product dimensions:	5.60(w) x 7.90(h) x 1.20(d)
Lexile:	HL650L (what's this?)
Age Range:	16 Years

About the Author

Vanessa Jones trained at Laine Theatre Arts and went on to be a musical theater actor in West End Shows, including Sister Act, Grease, Guys and Dolls, Annie Get Your Gun, and Mary Poppins. She began her writing career with a stage play for a fringe theater and also works as a freelance copywriter and editor. She lives in England.

Editorial Reviews

"Anglophiles, music and theater nerds, and those looking for some classic will-they-won't-they romance will all find something to enjoy here. Jones writes her subject matter authentically, with obvious passion to balance the professional arts' not-so-pretty struggles. . . . A touching portrait of healing after loss." —Kirkus Reviews

"Jones' novel has the expected Fame vibes that will delight any reader who loves stories of aspiring young stars learning their craft, but its exploration of Nettie's complexities makes the story unique. . . . Jones offsets the narrative's weightier moments with light and quirky ones, making it a fast read with staying power." —Booklist

From the Publisher

07/31/2020

Gr 7–10—Nettie gets accepted into Duke's Academy of Performing Arts, the same place her recently deceased mother attended. The only problem is right after her (terrible) audition, she loses her singing voice. Determined to succeed at Duke's, Nettie works on bringing music back into her life to help fill the hole her mother left when she died. To help her navigate her new school, Nettie finds friendship with fellow students Alec, Kiki, and Leon and a love interest in typical heartthrob Fletch. Intended to be a Fame-meets-Glee underdog story, this novel falls flat. The story is full of literary tropes and the LGBTQ characters read as stereotypical instead of genuine. Instances of body shaming and eating disorders are unfortunately too common within the dance community, yet feel like more of an aside here than something helpful for the storyline. No additional resources are given at the end of the book for the reader. Nettie is pale-skinned, Alec is tanned, Leon is Black, Kiki is "mixed race," and Fletch is white. VERDICT Readers looking for a YA novel about the love of theatre or the arts would do better to check out Leah Johnson's You Should See Me in a Crown or Cynthia Leitich Smith's Hearts Unbroken.—Anna Taylor, Chattanooga, TN

School Library Journal

2020-06-15
Nettie is a singer—although she currently can’t produce a single note.

Despite a disastrous audition, Nettie is accepted by the prestigious Duke’s Academy of Performing Arts in London’s West End. Her famous mother, who trained there as a ballerina, passed away suddenly a year ago, leaving Nettie’s emotions raw. After a horrendous first day that includes bullying from an older student and cruel public abuse from an elder ballet teacher, she stops in an empty studio, where she surprises herself by being able to sing a song her mother liked. Then she realizes she’s not alone; someone’s playing piano, hidden by a partition. Shocked, Nettie runs out, leaving the identity of her accompanist a mystery. As she settles in, Nettie collects a dramatic group of friends, including two gay boys and a bi-curious girl who struggles with body issues and disordered eating; Nettie does her best to support her. Getting to know an attractive guitar player and private voice lessons that help her work through her psychological triggers take up the rest of Nettie’s time. Anglophiles, music and theater nerds, and those looking for some classic will-they-won’t-they romance will all find something to enjoy here. Jones writes her subject matter authentically, with obvious passion to balance the professional arts’ not-so-pretty struggles. Most characters are white although there is some ethnic diversity in the cast.

A touching portrait of healing after loss. (Fiction. 14-18)

Kirkus Reviews