I Am (Not) the Walrus (review)

For Toby, his bass playing is a point of connection with his absent, idolized older brother Shawn, who joined the Navy and now occasionally sends much-needed money back home. This makes it even more meaningful when the Beatles cover band Toby formed with his friend Zach gets its first gig opening for a popular local band. Then Toby finds a note inside his brother's bass claiming that it is stolen, and the straightforward plot opens up into something a lot weirder as Toby gets sucked into a strange world of obsessive bass aficionados, kindly music-store mentors, possible scam operations, and his brother's shady past. Accompanying him on this journey is Michelle, his sharply witty new girlfriend who's capable of giving as much brash oddness as she gets. The dialogue—between Toby and Zach, Toby and Michelle, even Toby and his mom—sparks with life and wit, and Briant gets to the heart of every scene with humor and flair (on stage fright: "What is this instrument? How do I play it? Who am I?"). Toby's money problems add realism to the obstacles standing in the way of his success in both love and music. Fans of Diary of a Wimpy Kid (BCCB 6/07) who are ready for an older protagonist will find this a pitch-perfect next step; readers who like their mysteries quirky, their heroes hapless, and their music retro will also rejoice.