Hiding Out at the Pancake Palace

by Nan Marino

Eleven-year-old musical prodigy, Elvis Ruby, was supposed to win the most coveted reality show on television, Tween Star . None of the other contestants even came close to his talents. But in the middle of the biggest night, with millions of people watching, Elvis panicked. He forgot the words to the song. He forgot the tune. He forgot how to play every single instrument he'd ever known and froze on national TV. So Elvis must run from the paparazzi camped outside his door and spend the summer working with his aunt and cousin at Piney Pete's Pancake Palace in the remote wilds of New Jersey. It's the perfect place to be anonymous, that is until Elvis meets Cecilia, a girl who can't seem to help blurting out whatever's on her mind.

An NPR Best Book of 2013

Genres: Middle Grade, Realistic Fiction, Fiction, Music, Childrens, Juvenile, Contemporary

272 pages, Paperback

First published April 16, 2013

Reviews

[Kate Lallier · Rating 5 out of 5]

Nan Marino has touched my heart again with her middle grade novel, Hiding Out at the Pancake Palace. Ever since Neil Armstrong Is My Uncle debuted, I've been waiting for this delightfully lyrical author to enchant me with another charming yarn. She did not disappoint.
Where Neil Armstrong was an historical fiction set in 1969 Long Island, this time Nan is writing about contemporary children from the pine lands of New Jersey. Elvis Ruby and Cecilia are the main characters and as different as two children can be. Elvis is a charismatic child musician who froze on a "Tween Star" television program and is the one "hiding out," and Cecelia is the kind of child you might not even know was in your class. However both characters share something in common: secrets. In fact, this book is an interesting study of the power of secrets and how everybody seems to have one.
As an elementary school librarian, I cannot wait to put this gem in the hands of my 5th and 6th graders. As much as my students and I loved Neil Armstrong, I actually think this book is more accessible and will be more popular with the kids. My hope is that Nan Marino continues with Elvis Ruby in another book because I think this character's originality and charm are going to make him a literary heart throb!
Nan Marino's sophomore novel is sure to enchant everyone from reluctant readers to discerning teachers. What a thoroughly enjoyable book! Well done.

[Barbara · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Pinelands of New Jersey might seem to be an unlikely place for a musical prodigy to hide, but that's exactly where eleven-year-old Elvis Aaron Ruby heads after freezing during his performance on TweenStar. His musician father grew up in the area and still has a couple of friends there. Elvis needs a place to hide from the paparazzi and try to get in touch with himself. Elvis has charisma, good looks, charm, and talent, and his benefactors do their best to help him blend in to the small town world of Wares Grove where he works in a pancake house. But Elvis's secret can only be kept so long. Eleven-year-old Cecilia Wreel, a lifelong resident of Wares Grove, couldn't be more different from Elvis. She has no musical talent and is often forgotten by those around her. Once she realizes the identity of the new boy in town, she enlists his help in finding a song that her parents claim to have heard in the woods on the night of her birth. But since she only told one person about Elvis's identity--and he told only one person...the two may not have time to accomplish their goals. It's pretty clear throughout the book that Elvis will eventually be found by the media, but what isn't clear is how much he may have changed. I liked watching Elvis (Aaron)struggle with his own identity and the image-conscious music industry as well as seeing the stubborn Cecilia never lose sight of her goal. The locals are all interesting too, and the pancakes served up by Aunt Emily sounded delicious, and well worth a road trip to the east coast. I also enjoyed the author's reminder that while some folks may long to escape from their small town lives, others may embrace those ways of being and actually find themselves there. This book is filled with humor and insight and is well worth reading.

[Julie · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book left me feeling... conflicted.

Most of what you need to know, you can guess from the cover and the title. In a very small town in New Jersey, hours from any other civilization, an 11-year old girl watches as a mysterious stranger arrives quietly in the middle of the night. In the light of day, there is a new boy working at the town's "Pancake Palace", and staying with its owner, Aunt Emily, and her adult daughter, Millicent. Even though she is not a pop culture fan herself, Cecilia soon discovers that Aaron is really the (recently fallen) star and musician, 11-year old Elvis Ruby. After "freezing" on stage during a performance on the reality show, "TweenStar", Elvis just wants to be left alone from the paparazzi and the throngs of fans for a while, so he is (of course) hiding out at the Pancake Palace. Until his secret starts slipping out and his cover is blown.

Throughout the main story line (see above), the author sprinkles bits of another story: that of the Jersey Devil. I suppose it is intended to add another element of support (and perhaps maturity) to Elvis's story, but I found it a bit convoluted, annoying and confusing.

For me, the whole reality-music-talent-show is at least 10 years past its prime -- and 5 years past its little bit of interest. My (9-year old) daughter and I read this together, and while we were interested in the characters and the general idea of "hiding out", the rest of the details seemed like an after-thought. The writing is nice and the story is paced well, which kept us interested, but it felt like it was a story written for someone my daughter's age, but with the interests of someone much younger.

So close, but ultimately, we were not overjoyed with "Pancake Palace".

[TurtleneckGirl · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cute story with positive themes of courage, friendship, self-esteem, family togetherness, and music! When eleven-year-old superstar Elvis, hot competitor on the reality tv show TweenStar, freezes up on the biggest night of the competition, he is targeted by the paparazzi. His dad brings him to stay with his Aunt Emily, who runs a restaurant called The Pancake Palace in the Pinelands of New Jersey, until all the fuss blows over. Elvis meets a girl named Cecilia, who marches to her own drum and doesn't always fit in with the other kids in town. Elvis needs to find a way to reconnect with music and Cecilia is looking for the song she's been told about since birth. By story's end, they've each found what they were seeking and have gained in self understanding as well. I especially enjoyed the descriptions of the New Jersey Pinelands, the details about all the different kinds of pancakes that Aunt Emily served up, and the scene at the Pickin' Shed the night the local musicians came together to jam.

[Toni Palma · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love that Nan Marino has set her wonderful story in a sort-of-fictitious place that most people pass through on their way to somewhere else. Wares Grove (based on a real New Jersey town) is the perfect place for young phenom Elvis Ruby to hide out after he, the shoe-in winner for a national singing contest, suffers a case of stage fright. Cecilia, a local girl, befriends Elvis - now known as Aaron - and, through music, the twosome find their own sense of specialness.

A sprinkling of local folklore (the Jersey Devil), Albert Hall music hall and the ecology of the Pinelands brings to life an otherwise looked over place in the world. Since I worked at the Frederick Priff school and frequented the Wawa in this town, I was especially charmed by the addition of these details.

Nan Marino's writing is warm and charming. I always look forward to her work.

[Karon · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a really sweet book. The characters are so quirky and lovable, I wanted to hug every one of them. Plus one of the main settings is a pancake house, who doesn't love a pancake house?? I received this as a giveaway on Twitter and wasn't completely sure I would like it. Two pages in and I couldn't put it down - An American Idol type contest runaway, a girl searching for her identity, and music woven throughout. Marino does a great job of integrating many moving parts into a cohesive story line. Both Elvis and Cecilia are people who you want as true friends. Best of all, the ending is satisfying without being too abrupt or sappy.

[Wendy]

As soon as I heard that Nan Marino had a new book out, I sprinted to the library to get on the wait list. What a great, classic middle-grade book! Marino deftly combines the vagaries of fame, growing up and a wee bit of magic all into a terrific romp of a book.

[Tara]

I *loved* Nan Marino's NEIL ARMSTRONG IS MY UNCLE. I cannot wait to read this one!

[Meredith · Rating 4 out of 5]

I didn’t think I was going to like this book as much as I did. I loved Cecilia and RJ, how he protects her even when he sometimes wishes he could help her fit in. Elvis Aaron was good, too. He was honest and a very nice sort of hero. The pace of the book was nice and I liked the sort-of magical tones, even though it ended with a more practical message. While the Jersey Devil story sometimes got a bit confusing, I liked the kids and characters so much. I enjoyed the switch in perspective through the book, with even RJ getting his moment. It totally charmed me.

[Judi Paradis · Rating 3 out of 5]

Cecelia lives in a remote town in South Jersey (home of the Jersey Devil) and is not at all affected by the appearance of superstar Elvis Ruby, who needs a place to hide from his crazed fan. Cecelia does her best to keep a secret, but she's not a good secret keeper. Slight and pleasant.

[Tressa · Rating 3 out of 5]

Hiding Out at the Pancake Palace was fun and showed me another side of New Jersey.

[Anna · Rating 3 out of 5]

I read this out loud at bedtime to the kids and the story seemed to drag here and there, but they enjoyed it nevertheless.

[Arielle · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love it!

[Sofia · Rating 5 out of 5]

I think it was a very cool book. I felt all the stress, happiness, and just general emotion that the characters felt throughout the story. I think it was a very interesting and thrilling book.

[Haley - · Rating 4 out of 5]

I didn't get to finish reading this book but, I liked it so far. I liked the secrecy like undercover agents. I also felt sad about the humiliation.

[H.R. · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.75

[Joy Hollingsworth · Rating 5 out of 5]

Cute and fun!

[Chris · Rating 3 out of 5]

Summary

Eleven-year-old musical prodigy, Elvis Ruby, was supposed to win the most coveted reality show on television, Tween Star, but in the middle of the biggest night, with millions of people watching, Elvis panicked. He forgot the words to his song. He forgot the tune. He forgot how to play every single instrument he'd ever known and froze on national TV. So, Elvis is running from the paparazzi camped outside his door and secretly spending the summer working with his aunt and cousin at Piney Pete's Pancake Palace in the remote wilds of New Jersey. It's the perfect place to be anonymous that is, until Elvis meets Cecilia Wreel, a young girl who lives across from the Pancake Palace.

Cecilia is a girl who marches to her own drum. She’s lonely and restless and not at all musical. She is trying to figure out who she is and where she fits in. Cecilia is on a quest. She believes that if she can just find a certain mysterious song that played on the day she was born, she will discover some truth about herself. She quickly discovers who Elvis is and quite frankly, she doesn’t care but because Elvis is so musical, he is just the person to help her do that.

Secrets are hard to keep and eventually others are beginning to notice that Aaron, the new assistant at the Pancake House, has a lot in common with Elvis. Soon, most of thetown knows, but can they keep Aaron hidden from the paparazzi until he helps Cecilia find her song and he’s ready to become Elvis again – this time on his terms?

My Comments

The premise is very creative. Kids who were American Idol fans or watch any other reality TV competition show will be thrilled with this book and especially with Elvis. He is a musical genius. He sings like an angel; he plays tons of different instruments and he knows everything there is to know about every song ever written. I really love how Elvis can musically “type” each customer who comes into the Pancake Palace. He can get rid of any customer he doesn’t like in just 3 songs played on his aunt’s cd system personally selected by him.

However, while I liked Elvis as a character, I never got a real sense of who he was and what he was feeling. Does he want to be a teen idol or not, or would he rather be Aaron the pancake maker? How does he feel about his family, who is on tour without him? Especially his sister who is becoming a star in her own right.

There are other great characters in this book, - Aunt Emily is a hoot, and her daughter Elvis’ older cousin, Millicent, is a funny, wise cracker who steals every scene she’s in. Unfortunately these characters as well as Elvis’ Dad and sister don’t get much coverage. I would have liked to know more about them.

Location plays a big part in this book. The story takes place in the Pine Barrens of New Jersey with its sugar sand beaches and pygmy trees. The author also introduces us to a local legend – the Jersey Devil. Each chapter starts with his picture. I was a little confused about this fellow, how important he was, and how he fit into the story. Although he may be a part of New Jersey folklore, he was new to me.

Hiding out at the Pancake Palace has many pluses. It has an unusual plot, well written characters a unique location, great dialogue and many clever subplots. Unfortunately, even with all these great things, the book comes across as a bit choppy and could have used some additional editing.

This book will appeal to girls and well as boys and is probably best for grades 5 and up. No inappropriate language or situations.

[Sharon Tyler · Rating 4 out of 5]

Hiding Out at the Pancake Palace by Nan Marino is a children's chapter book that is schedule for release on April 16 2013. Elvis Aaron Ruby is a musical prodigy, and at eleven has decided that he needs a break from the spotlight. The only place he can hide is with his aunt and cousin at Piney Pete's Pancake Palace in New Jersey. Cecilia is a girl that likes to sneak out and roam at night, and cannot seem to stop blurting out whatever is on her mind.When she discovers the secret behind the new boy's arrival she shares her need to hear the fabled music of the pines, which was said to have been heard when she was born.
Hiding Out at the Pancake PalaceHiding Out at the Pancake Palace is a story about finding yourself, and liking yourself, even when you are hiding. Elvis, or Aaron, is hiding from the paparazzi and himself by working at the Pancake Palace. His stint on Tween Star, think American Idol for tweens or Star Search, has left him disillusioned and unhappy. Music is part of his life, in his soul, but in his efforts to hide he tries to lock the music away. Cecilia is looking to keep the magic in her life, the joy and innocence that seems to be fading away as she gets older and her parents begin to doubt the story about the music of the pines.

There are moments told by several different characters throughout the story, but I found that it kept the action going and the story moving forward when another character might have shut down emotionally. Revelations about a failed performance and its root cause are perfect, and might just cement peoples views on television based talent contests. The tidbits about the Jersey Devil, and area folklore, were nice additions to the story and added a special flavor to the conclusion.

I recommend Hiding Out at the Pancake Palace to readers around nine and older. Tweens, teens, and adults can all easily lose themselves in the story and recognize something of themselves in the at least some of the emotional aspects of the story. Finding yourself, and your personal song or rhythm, are important to the story, which will leave readers of all ages a little more aware of how they seem themselves, and in turn how they see and treat others.

[Donna Siebold · Rating 3 out of 5]

Elvis Ruby is competing in the television show, TweenStar and he appears to be a lock to win, until he freezes up during the competition and cannot sing. Now he is being hounded to death by people who want to get his true story. He goes into hiding in Wares Grove, New Jersey, a small town in the Pinelands. He is staying with a family friend, "Aunt Emily" and her daughter Millicent. Emily runs Piney Pete's Pancake Palace. They make the best pancakes in the world but only in three flavors, red - cranberry, blue - blueberry and white - plain.

Elvis has to become incognito - something he is incapable of in his normal life. So, he disguise himself not just physically, which he does by cutting and coloring his hair, but also by changing his personality. Elvis, who is now calling himself Aaron, has always been told he radiates. So, he will attempt to minimize his radiant personality by not looking anyone in the eye and changing how he walks and even the gestures he makes.

Everything appears to be working until an odd girl named Cecilia figures out who Elvis really is. Cecilia and RJ are the only two kids in town that are the same age as Elvis. Cecilia has always been on the outside looking in and this never bothered her because from the time she was a little girl her parents had made her feel special by telling her the story of how the pines sang the night she was born.

Suddenly her mother changes the story and says they must have been imagining things. Now Cecilia feels miserable and lonely. But when she recognizes Elvis she is sure he will be able to find the music in the pines. Eventually Elvis is discovered because (a) Cecilia tells RJ who tells his mother and his sister (and then the story spreads from there) and (b) because his disguise was never really all that successful and some of the townspeople needed the reward money being offered to pinpoint Elvis' location.

In the meantime, though, Elvis learns that a song is only worth singing if it is your own song and Cecilia's family rediscovers their belief in the music of the pines. The story is well told and the kids are very likeable. There are several unbelievable plot points - but they are acceptable because of the tone of the story.

[Isaac Blevins · Rating 3 out of 5]

There are beautiful ideas in Hiding Out at the Pancake Palace. Nan Marino is able to describe the power of music and the effect of personal charisma in a way that will immediately connect with readers who have fallen under their spell. Elvis Ruby is a tween idol in hiding after a negative experience on a television talent show. He seeks refuge with a family friend in rural New Jersey who owns the titular Pancake Palace. It is there that he meets Cecilia Wreel, a girl who promises to keep his secret but who needs his help to find a mysterious tune her parents tell her they heard on the night of her birth.
These characters and the others who populate the town of Wares Grove are what make this novel compelling. Young readers will immediately recognize connections between Elvis and real-life celebrities and television music competitions. The central plot concerning Elvis' attempt to remain hidden is engaging though I couldn't help but wish that the author had spent more time on conflicts that were only hinted at between Elvis and his father. Unfortunately, the story of Cecilia and her quest for the music of the pines does not hold together as well. Marino tries to unite the two plot lines with brief interludes about the legendary Jersey Devil which may have added a little more insight and heart if they had been more consistent and more richly developed. That same lack of development hurt my emotional attachment to many of the supporting characters. They were interesting and their depths were hinted at, but not enough to make me care deeply about them.
Young readers who love music and wish for celebrity will find much to enjoy in Hiding Out at the Pancake Palace. Those readers who feel like they just don't fit in with the usual crowd will certainly identify with Cecilia. The novel has the possibility to spark interesting conversations about fame and identity. All these are strong reasons to recommend the title - and the young people who are it's target audience may just find them compelling enough to overlook the story's flaws.

[Rikki · Rating 3 out of 5]

Hiding out at the Pancake Palace is a sticky-sweet story of friendship and fame. The story follows eleven year old Cecilia Wreel who lives in a one traffic light sort of town in the Pinelands of New Jersey. No one goes to the Pinelands unless they’re lost or looking for a good place to hide. Every year on her birthday, Cecilia’s parents tell the tale of the day she was born in the marsh when the trees sang a special song to welcome her to the world. However, this year, her mom has decided not to tell the story. She thinks that maybe she and Cecilia’s father imagined the whole thing because they were so euphoric with happiness. Cecilia doesn’t really have any friends and the story of the singing trees makes her feel special. She desperately wants to hear the trees sing this song and starts to sneak out of her bedroom window at night to listen. It is on her first night of sneaking that she spies a strange car pulling up to the Pancake Palace, the only restaurant in town, and dropping off what looks like a girl about her age. The ‘girl’ with long, curly hair is actually superstar Elvis Ruby who is on the run from the paparazzi after choking onstage during his big performance on TweenStar. Elvis is also eleven, but he is the biggest celebrity in the country, and quite possibly the world. Cecilia doesn’t recognize him at first, but after overhearing him several nights later talking to the trees she discovers his true identity. He’s tried to change to fit in, but it’s only a matter of time before the world discovers where he’s hiding. Before he is discovered, Cecilia wants him to help her find the singing trees. What follows is a heartwarming tale about friendship, pancakes, the Jersey Devil, and finding your own music. Middle grade readers will most likely relate to this story which authentically depicts reality TV madness and overnight celebrities. Readers should also expect this book to incite cravings for pancakes and Elvis Presley music.

[Oswego Public Library District]

Elvis Ruby is a super star with phenomenal talent! At eleven years old he sings like an angel, can play just about any musical instrument, is full of charm and personality, and has dark curly hair to die for. He was sure to win the TweenStar TV reality competition, when he froze on stage during a live performance. The paparazzi are now relentlessly camped outside his hotel waiting for him. To get away and have some quiet time Elvis’ dad drops him off at Piney Pete’s Pancake Palace in Wares Grove, a small town in the Pinelands of New Jersey. It is run by family friend Aunt Emily and her out spoken daughter Millicent. To help Elvis go incognito, Millicent cuts his famous identifying curls and dyes his dark hair a mousy brown. They decide to use his middle name, Aaron, while he is staying at the Pancake Palace. His identity is quickly uncovered by Cecilia Wreel, a friendless seventh grader with a musical problem of her own. According to her parents, the night she was born the scrubby pine trees in the forest sang. Ever since, she has been trying to hear the trees sing again. Cecilia can’t carry a tune or even recognize a tune and has absolutely no rhythm. She tells Aaron if he helps her hear the trees sing she won’t tell anyone who he is, well hardly anyone. Can Aaron help her and himself without blowing his cover? The warmth and upbeat humor of the story will help bring readers to a satisfying conclusion. -MS

Click here to place a hold on Hiding Out at the Pancake Palace .

[Carly · Rating 3 out of 5]

I wish I liked this book more. There was nothing particularly wrong with it, and I liked what was there, but I was just left wanting more. The whole thing felt rather empty and I don't really know why. I think possibly the author didn't dig deep enough into any of the characters, so you never really got to understand them. Like why did Cecilia steal Natalie Bracer's hair clip? Or dig Natalie's Elvis Ruby scrapbook out of the trash? She didn't like music and she didn't know who Elvis was. I was never given the impression that Cecilia was going to use the scrapbook to become friends with Natalie. We are never given the whys to any of that. I think these examples were there just so the reader would think that Cecilia was the odd kid with no friends without having to do the work of making her odd. We also got chapters from her POV and she never explained her actions. Also Elvis' fame could have been explained better. Tweenstar seems to have shot him into super stardom, but I definitely got the idea that he was famous already from touring with his dad's band. Well, now I want an explanation of his dad's band. I also felt that the Tweenstar television show that Elvis was on should have been developed more. This a show that doesn't have an equivalence in our world. It seemed to be a mix of American Idol and Big Brother/The Real World. And the winner gets to live in the Tweenstar house for a year, along with a show on Broadway (what kind of show - a play, a concert, what?), and an action figure made in his likeness. We get little snippets here and there of what its about and its massive popularity, but I just wanted more. More of almost everything.

[Ann · Rating 3 out of 5]

Chose this one to read because it was up for the NCCBA awards. Story of a child singing star who freezes on stage and is taken to hide out in in a small town, Pinelands NJ to avoid the publicity. He is trying to hide out and is discovered by a little girl who cannot keep a secret. She enlists him to help find her missing " song" that was sung by the trees when she was born in the woods years ago. Funny at times and a good story to show an unlikely friendship and the price of fame.

[Kim · Rating 4 out of 5]

As a fairly recent transplant to New Jersey the first sentence is intriguing - because who knew in a smallish, very crowded state someone could find an out of the way place to hide? --
If you need somewhere to hide, try the Pinelands of New Jersey.
It's a wild place filled with swamp streams. And sand hills. Salt marshes and bogs. There are towns too, some so small they don't make it on the map. No one pays attention to them anyway.

The last sentence on the short first page: A place like this you can trust with your secrets.
The last sentence paragraph of the chapter: A place like this has secrets of it own.
And here's the first. They say that when the trees get restless they sing.
But it's the Pinelands, so most people don't notice that either.
And so sets up this story:
An eleven year-old needs to hide and to hide a secret but is this the place that can keep a secret? Will the people tell or the trees sing?
Cecilia Wreel is an endearing character you'll happily follow to find out if she and Aaron can find their own music and keep a secret.

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[Sails and Scales · Rating 3 out of 5]

This review published by Brigham Young University's Children's Book and Media Review

Elvis Ruby was supposed to win the biggest reality TV show, Tween Star. He doesn’t. Cecilia is supposed to be able to hear the music of the trees that played when she was born. She doesn’t. When Elvis runs away to the middle of New Jersey to avoid the press after he panics on stage and loses the competition, he meets Cecilia. The two of them explore their interesting town to discover their own music in the midst of disguising Elvis, helping Elvis’s Aunt Emily and cousin Millicent keep the press off his tail, and learning more about their own secrets.

The parts about the music in the trees and the jersey devil were interesting, but they didn’t make a lot of sense and sometimes felt strange in a book that was otherwise somewhat realistic. However, the characters were interesting, with Elvis dealing with the aftermath of disappointing himself and other people and Cecelia refusing to go along with the crowd. It would have been nice to have more description of why Elvis froze up on stage when he'd had performance experience in the past. It's a fun read without a lot of depth but a good message about finding your own path.

[Rachel · Rating 5 out of 5]

I cannot believe this is happening to me. This. Is. Not. Happening. To. Me.

Yesterday, I was hanging out with Justin Bieber at the NBA All-Star Game dodging the paparazzi from Celebrity Scoop magazine, and now I’m flipping pancakes in a t-shirt with the Jersey Devil on it. Yesterday, I was being compared to Elvis Presley in every newspaper in America. Today, I’m just the kid who choked on the world’s most popular reality show. Goodbye, superstar musician Elvis Ruby. Hello, Aaron: Nobody Kid from the New Jersey Pinelands.

Maybe this will be good for me. A little time away. It’s not like I can perform, seeing as I’m musically traumatized and couldn’t sing or play a note if I tried. Breathe, Elvis...Aaron...whatever. I’ll be OK as long as nobody asks too many questions. The only problem is, in a small town like this, all there is to do is ask questions. Especially for the two kids (yes, count ‘em 1-2) that live here. I just have to keep my head down and completely ignore this Cecilia girl. She’s making me paranoid though, and it looks like she wants to ask me a million and one questions that I absolutely CANNOT answer. I cannot make friends here, but I have to know if she KNOWS, you know?

[Megan · Rating 5 out of 5]

this book is very good. I wish I get to see Elvis Ruby

[Rachel · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved this small town book set in the New Jersey Pinelands. Elvis Ruby is a big superstar who choked on stage. To escape the paparazzi, he dyes his hair and moves in with a family friend who runs the Pancake Palace in a small town where everyone knows everybody. A girl named Cecelia discovers his secret while trying to track down the secret song of the pines. She herself doesn't really enjoy music at all, and she needs Elvis to help her find her own rhythm.
I loved the stories and rhythm of this book. The main negative is that sometimes it feels like a stitched up quilt that was not quite finished. Elvis feels a lot older than your average 11 year old, and Cecelia is really the only character that draws you in to her personal story. In a way, Cecelia is the real heroine of the story, while Elvis is just another Jersey devil hiding out in the Pinelands, hoping that no one will find him.