MAKIN' THE GRADE (Rock N Rebels, No 1) [Paperback]

Jahnna Malcolm (Author)

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Though its characters are cartoonish and its plot comfortably predictable, the first installment in the Rock 'n' Rebels series is written with such enthusiastic abandon that it is hard to dislike. Gio, J.J., Tory and Rikki meet on their way to audition for the famous rock promoter Lenny Victor. Much to their mutual delight, all four are chosen to be a part of his latest project, a band called The Now Crowd. The boys' initial enthusiasm fades when they discover that Lenny doesn't really want them to play onstage; instead, he has hired them as a lip-synching back-up group for the obnoxious lead singer, Sky Jordan. With the help of Gio's sister Frankie, the frustrated rockers stage a rebellion while performing in a variety show. While Gillian Cross's Chartbreaker gives a more accurate account of a rising rock band, this fairy-tale version has its own bubbly appeal. Ages 8-12.
Copyright 1991 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From School Library Journal

Grade 4-7-- In this first series entry, record producer Lenny Victor discovers Gio, a streetwise, attractive urban kid; Tory, a surfer; J.J., an all-American type from the heartland; Rikki, a cool, laid-back black dude; and Sky, a heartthrob at 16. Victor sequesters them in an apartment and tells the boys to watch a video tape of their dance steps and to listen to a cassette of their songs until they have the moves down cold. As the band members cut loose from Victor with their own hit song, so may readers rebel against spending time with this group of characters. They have little depth and the story has little action. --Blair Christolon, Prince William Library, Manassas, VA
Copyright 1992 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 9 and up
  
• Paperback
• Publisher: Skylark (July 1, 1991)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0553159550
• ISBN-13: 978-0553159554
• Product Dimensions: 7.4 x 5.1 x 0.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 0.8 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #10,269,622 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Jahnna N. Malcolm is the pen name of American authors Jahnna Beecham and Malcolm HIllgartner. They have written more than 130 published books for children and young adults, with sales of more than 8 million. Their book series, The Jewel Kingdom was published by Scholastic in 1997. Their parenting book, I'm Counting to 10, a compilation of humorous columns they wrote for Sesame Street Parents magazine, received a Parent's Choice Silver Award for 2001.
Their musical Chaps! (Samuel French) has played at over 30 regional theatres around the US. Other musicals include They Came From Way Out There (premiere Oregon Cabaret Theatre, 2004) and Dogpark: The Musical (Samuel French, 2010). Their latest musical, Holmes and Watson Save the Empire, premiered at the Milwaukee Rep in October 2009.
Malcolm and Jahnna continue to work in the theatre as actors, directors and voice talents. Malcolm is an award-winning narrator of more than 60 audiobooks. They met while working as actors for the Oregon Shakespeare Festival and were later married on the set of Twelfth Night at the old Empty Space Theatre in Seattle. Their passion for travel has taken them all over the world, from Thailand to Kenya. Their most recent adventure took them to Iceland to attend Elf School.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars This book is great, July 12, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: MAKIN' THE GRADE (Rock N Rebels, No 1) (Paperback)

I first read this book when I was 12, I got it from a used bookstore. The book is about 5 teens living every kids dream of becoming famous. With their hit single makin the grade riseing the charts they should be happy. Nope instead they are fighting, and getting on eachothers nerves. I own both books in this series they are both good.