The Music Thief
In a harsh and noisy time, a young girl's key to her dreams -- music -- may be closer than she thinks. "There was a new song playing in the back of Alma's head. An angry song, for Jovita and her killer, and Eddie, and everybody whose family did things that everybody had to live with. She could feel it, thumping in her brain, but couldn't hear it well enough to even hum it. Not in this house.""She needed quiet, and a guitar. She needed Mrs. B's house." Alma misses many things. She misses her grandmother; her big brother Eddie back when he didn't deal drugs; the freedom she had before her baby niece Silvita was born; and now, worst of all, she misses Jovita, the singer she idolized who was recently killed in a drive-by shooting. Just when things seem hopeless, Alma discovers the cat door in her neighbor's often-empty home, and an unintended window opens into a better world, full of music. And what could be the harm in Alma's stealing (borrowing, really) a little peace and quiet, maybe even a ticket to her future? Peni R. Griffin has created a character at once bitter and optimistic. She has succeeded, even more impressively, in making the "dark" world surrounding Alma shine with small -- but life-changing -- possibility.
Format:Hardcover
Language:English
ISBN:0805070559
ISBN13:9780805070552
Release Date:October 2002
Publisher:Henry Holt & Company
Length:160 Pages
Weight:0.75 lbs.
Dimensions:0.7" x 6.3" x 8.6"
Age Range:10 to 14 years
Grade Range:Grades 5 to 9
Customer Reviews
1 rating
Is it wrong to "steal" music?
Published by Thriftbooks.com User , 21 years ago
Jovita has died. Thousands mourn the drive by shooting of the famous Hispanic singer, including Alma. Alma's whole world has collapsed, and she doesn't know how to cope. She listens to her Jovita tapes over and over, until her brother takes her tape player away from her. Furious, Alma finds another way to listen to music--her next door neighbor's house. Climbing in through the cat flap, Alma uses the house as her refuge when things at home get too tense. She never intended to harm anything, and never expected to get caught. But her brother discovers her secret, and ruins everything.Inspired by the death of Selena, Griffin has created a wonderful glimpse into the Hispanic world of San Antonio, Texas. Readers enjoy the food, the language, the music, and the lifestyles of the culture. The story itself felt a little disjointed, and character development was not complete--there were too many characters to deal with on a personal level. Not only do we deal with Alma, but also the five people in her immediate family, the neighbor, friends, and extended family. The ending was convienient, though it works for the story. Overall, I enjoyed the cultural aspects of the book, and I like the idea of the storyline.
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