THE CLUB

How can two people who’ve never met before have so much in common?

Jaxson is an eighth grader who loves playing the trumpet. He’s an only child with a humorously overconfident best friend named Logan. Jax narrates the beginning of a regular school year, including his awkward budding romance with classmate Samantha. Things change when new student Olivia makes an immediate impression on both boys. Liv is a talented and snarky trumpet player, and the teacher assigns her extra trumpet performances with Jax, which means they’ll need to spend considerable additional time practicing together. Jax notices many similarities between himself and Liv: They love the same music, they both have an edgy sense of humor, and they even tilt their heads the same way. They also both have single moms who conceived them using donor sperm; the two women become friends as their children spend more time together. And then, Jax and Liv learn something surprising that blows up their understanding of themselves, their relationship, and their sense of family. Walters ramps up the tension and pace as Jax and Liv grapple with emotional turmoil and questions of privacy. Their supportive group of friends are likable, compassionate, and funny. The characters are cued white.

A strong, accessible, and relevant story about modern families.