Road Rash

Book excerpt: A teenage drummer finds out what life is really like on tour with a rock band in this funny and bittersweet YA novel. For anyone who loved Almost Famous or This Is Spinal Tap. After being dropped from one band, sixteen-year-old drummer Zach gets a chance to go on tour with a much better band. It feels like sweet redemption, but this is one rocky road trip—filled with jealousy, rivalries, and on-stage meltdowns. Mark Parsons has written a fast-paced, feel-good novel about a boy finding his place in the world, in a band, and in the music. Zach is a character teens will stand up and cheer for as he lands the perfect gig, and the perfect girl. “A must-read for young garage-band types.” —Booklist “Readers and especially musicians should enjoy debut novelist Parsons’s look at a band on the run.” —Publishers Weekly “A road-trip adventure in romance and friendship that is ultimately all about the music.” —Kirkus Reviews