A review of "Tune it Out" by Jamie Sumner
Ages: 10 years and older
Summary:
Lou is a young girl with a great singing voice. Her mother took her out of school in the fourth grade when the school counselor suggested that Lou has a sensory processing disorder and should be tested. From that point forward, Lou’s normal life was on the road, singing, living in a truck and not talking about her disorder. To her mom, the disorder did not exist and therefore, in Lou’s mind, something to hide. One snowy night, fate intervened and an accident brought Lou and her mother’s lifestyle to the attention of the authorities. Lou was separated from her mother and forced to live with her aunt and uncle. As one can imagine, going from living in a truck to living in a nice home with caring adults and going to a private school was a huge change. But she found that this change gave her what she needed to cope with her disorder and succeed in life.
Mama Alerts:
No mama alerts
Theme, generally:
This book’s theme is labels do not define who you are.
Thumbs Up or Thumbs Down?:
Talking Points:
Lou’s mom pushes her to sing even when she is uncomfortable in order to “help her to make it big.” Do you think her mom was right? Why or why not?
When Lou gets to a new school, she makes unique friends in her drama class. What makes your friends unique?
Lou’s best friend Well connects with her via music playlists. What songs would be on your playlist?
In My Opinion:
I loved this book and I believe that this is a great book for all preteens and early teenagers. They may not all have the hardships that Lou had, but at that age, many obstacles seem insurmountable. Yet, with the help of friends and some adults Lou and the reader can figure things out. A great big thumbs up for Tune it Out!