Though Hammond gets off to a slightly bumpy, halting start, he soon catches the fun rhythm and youthful energy of Korman's latest novel, a fresh spin on the fish-out-of-water tale. Leo Caraway leads a charmed life as a fairly straight-laced Young Republican and A-student headed for Harvard on a scholarship. But then he finds out that his biological father is none other than Marion X. McMurphy (aka King Maggot), lead singer of the wildly popular punk band Purge. As Leo expects, this shocking bit of information brings with it some bad karma, and a misunderstanding costs him his Harvard scholarship. Only one out-there option makes sense at this point: Leo will work as a roadie for Purge, and get his father to cough up the tuition money. But life on a rock tour is even freakier than Leo imagined, and the truth he learns about dear old dad is freakiest of all. Rock fans will appreciate the short riffs at chapter breaks and the intriguing music-centric premise. Ages 12-up. (Apr.) Copyright 2006 Reed Business Information.

Gr 7 Up-Leo, a high school senior and "Mr. Republican," has received a scholarship to Harvard. However, after being accused of helping another student during a test, he looses the financial assistance which he must have to enroll. Although he was talking, he was not giving answers to the other student and stands up for himself. At about the same time, he learns that his biological father is really King Maggot, the leader of a popular punk rock band. Leo manages to get a job as a roadie with the band hoping to get King to pay his college tuition. That summer, he learns who his real friends are and much more about himself. Billy Hammond becomes Leo, reading the first person narrative in the novel by Gordon Korman (Hyperion, 2006) at a lively pace and with plenty of emotion. He employs some voice changes to reflect the other characters. Teens will relate to the informal dialogue and enjoy eavesdropping on Leo as he reflects. Sound effects play a key role in this recording and are sure to please listeners. Short interludes of punk music are played frequently. There are noises of crowds, emails are read with an echo, and phone conversations sound realistic. An excellent choice.-Claudia Moore, W.T. Woodson High School, Fairfax, VA Copyright 2006 Reed Business Information.

Korman is a good date: Laugh-out-loud funny, honest, hot and sweet, he knows how to start a story with lines about Republicans and body-cavity searches in the first few pages. Leo, our hero, is a senior with a scholarship to Harvard, a tangential relationship to the Young Republicans, good, loving parents and Goth-goddess Melinda, whom he's known all his life. But shortly readers-and Leo-discover that a good deed gets him accused of cheating, loses him his scholarship and reveals to him his hitherto unknown parentage. One night's backstage indiscretion by his mom meant that Leo's biological father is none other than King Maggot, lead screamer of Purge, the band that practically founded punk, and Melinda's hero. Leo spends the summer after senior year as a roadie for Purge's reunion tour, with its standard excesses and odd charms chronicled in Leo's self-aware, slightly dorky voice. This has virtually the same plotline as Liza Conrad's "chicklet-lit" Rock My World (2005), and the two would make a great couple. (Fiction. YA)

A high school Republican Club president learns that his biological father is the leader of the legendary punk rock band Purge. Narrator Billy Hammond helps young Leo Caraway shed his Brooks Brothers jacket and go on tour with the band to see if dad’s rebellious blood truly runs through his veins. Gordon Korman’s story puts Hammond through his paces as he imparts the personalities of more than a dozen characters. Even his female characters sound believable, an achievement that is always a challenge for male narrators. Sadly, the snippets of rock music interspersed are often lame. They could use some input from someone closer to the era. M.S. © AudioFile 2006, Portland, Maine