"Self-proclaimed teenage philosopher, Cordy Wheaton, lives in a sleepy, southern town where nothing ever happens; not since his hero, jazz musician John Coltrane, left some seventy years earlier to "follow the sound." Cordy's life has been unraveling since the night his father and his brother, Travis, exploded on each other. The night Travis's addiction transformed him from budding musician into something entirely different. The night Travis took his saxophone and disappeared. When Cordy discovers that his father is seriously ill, the sixteen-year-old vows to reunite the Wheaton family before it's too late. He embarks on a modern-day odyssey with forty bucks in his pocket and a dream to find his brother and convince him to be Travis again-by taking him to a show at famed Birdland Jazz Club in New York City, and reminding him of the common bonds they share with their legendary hero. Cordy's journey, punctuated by a fascinating cast of characters, is soon haunted by ghostly visions, traumatic dreams, and disembodied voices that echo through his mind. He starts to wonder if the voices are those of the fates, guiding him toward his destiny-or if he's starting to lose his grip on reality"--
Grades 10-12 Fish Out of Water Books|||juvenile
Frank Morelli.
Includes questions for classroom/book club discussion.
