Ukulele Hayley by Judy Cox (review)

When Hayley purchases a ukulele at a yard sale, everything changes for the former "no-talent shrimp"; her music teacher helps her get started, she progresses quickly on the instrument, and her subsequent performance at the school talent show is so well received that she starts a wildly popular ukulele band. Hayley and the other members of the Bridgewater Ukulele Group (BUG) then learn that the Board of Education is planning on cutting the music program, so Hayley stages a musical protest. Hayley's successes are impressive, but there is little description of either the process of achievement or the trials encountered along the way; she progresses rapidly from feelings of inadequacy and bashfulness to musical star and group leader with little explanation as to how she got there. The Board of Education storyline is completely preposterous, from the villainous board president (who watches the talent show with a scowl on his face) to the complete turnaround, wherein the board reverses their vote the very night of the impromptu conference. That said, there is a lot of can-do spirit in the story, and while readers may not leave with a deep understanding of how Hayley overcame her obstacles, they will nonetheless be happy that she did. Pen and ink illustrations showcase Hayley, with her wild curly hair and smattering of freckles, and tips on how to play the ukulele are included at the novel's end. Readers who like their protagonists with a lot of mettle will particularly appreciate Hayley's rapid rise from shyness to stardom.