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Lemonade Mouth #1
Lemonade Mouth
Poets. Geniuses. Revolutionaries.
The members of the legendary band Lemonade Mouth have been called all of these things. But until now, nobody's known the inside story of how this powerhouse band came to be. How five outcasts in Opoquonsett High School's freshman class found each other, found the music, and went on to change both rock and roll and high school as we know it. Wen, Stella, Charlie, Olivia, and Mo take us back to that fateful detention where a dentist's jingle, a teacher's coughing fit, and a beat-up ukelele gave birth to Rhode Island's most influential band. Told in each of their five voices and compiled by Opoquonsett's "scene queen," freshman Naomi Fishmeier, this anthology is their definitive history.
From the Hardcover edition.
The members of the legendary band Lemonade Mouth have been called all of these things. But until now, nobody's known the inside story of how this powerhouse band came to be. How five outcasts in Opoquonsett High School's freshman class found each other, found the music, and went on to change both rock and roll and high school as we know it. Wen, Stella, Charlie, Olivia, and Mo take us back to that fateful detention where a dentist's jingle, a teacher's coughing fit, and a beat-up ukelele gave birth to Rhode Island's most influential band. Told in each of their five voices and compiled by Opoquonsett's "scene queen," freshman Naomi Fishmeier, this anthology is their definitive history.
From the Hardcover edition.
338 pages, Paperback
First published March 13, 2007
122 people are currently reading
4021 people want to read
About the author
Mark Peter Hughes
9 books91 followersMark Peter Hughes was born in Liverpool, England in the Oxford Street Maternity Hospital, the same hospital as John Lennon. His family moved to the U.S.A. when he was one and most of his childhood was spent in Barrington, Rhode Island.
Mark’s first novel, I Am the Wallpaper, is the the story of a girl who feels unnoticed and ends up being an unwitting online sensation. Soon after its publication he began work on Lemonade Mouth, a novel that taps into his experiences playing in oddball rock bands and trying to change the world. In a style loosely based on the interviews of the fab four in The Beatles Anthology, the five oddball members of the band called “Lemonade Mouth” tell the band’s chaotic story and their own individual stories in their own voices. The Disney Channel adapted Lemonade Mouth into the #1 cable movie of 2011, and the highly-praised book sequel, Lemonade Mouth Puckers Up, came out in 2012.
A Crack In The Sky is Mark's award-winning futuristic adventure of a boy and a mongoose on an overheated Earth at the end of the world. Mark is currently working on the follow-up to A Crack In The Sky, which will be called The Keepers of Tomorrow.
Mark lives in Massachusetts with his wife, three kids, and a dog named Wendel.
More Fun Facts:
… Mark was once kicked out of eighth grade music class for throwing a spitball.
… He plays trumpet and guitar with his band, The Church Ladies.
…He did a commentary about the writing life for National Public Radio. You can listen to it by going to his website.
Mark’s first novel, I Am the Wallpaper, is the the story of a girl who feels unnoticed and ends up being an unwitting online sensation. Soon after its publication he began work on Lemonade Mouth, a novel that taps into his experiences playing in oddball rock bands and trying to change the world. In a style loosely based on the interviews of the fab four in The Beatles Anthology, the five oddball members of the band called “Lemonade Mouth” tell the band’s chaotic story and their own individual stories in their own voices. The Disney Channel adapted Lemonade Mouth into the #1 cable movie of 2011, and the highly-praised book sequel, Lemonade Mouth Puckers Up, came out in 2012.
A Crack In The Sky is Mark's award-winning futuristic adventure of a boy and a mongoose on an overheated Earth at the end of the world. Mark is currently working on the follow-up to A Crack In The Sky, which will be called The Keepers of Tomorrow.
Mark lives in Massachusetts with his wife, three kids, and a dog named Wendel.
More Fun Facts:
… Mark was once kicked out of eighth grade music class for throwing a spitball.
… He plays trumpet and guitar with his band, The Church Ladies.
…He did a commentary about the writing life for National Public Radio. You can listen to it by going to his website.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 404 reviews
January 31, 2020
This book was really good. The movie (although I didn't see it) made me curious, so I decided to give the book a try. I really liked it. I'm not sure if I'd go as far as to say I LOVED it, but that's not because it lacked anything a good book should have. It just didn't spark with me.
The premise is a tad random, and the foundation of the entire plot seems a bit shaky, but I didn't mind. Just because what happened with Lemonade Mouth doesn't happen often, doesn't mean it can't happen. The writing was great, but what really astounded me was how well Hughes did with giving each narrator their own voice. Well, the main narrators. All the extraneous narrators blended together, but whatever.
Anyway, the characters all resounded with me pretty well. I didn't hero-worship any of them, like I do with some book characters, but I felt for all of them.
Olivia--at first, I really liked her. She's quiet, immensely shy, and has an unconventional talent. And at the end, I liked her. But there was a brief stint towards the climax where I wasn't a big fan of hers. It had to do with when she yelled at Wen. Who is she to call him a baby or a jerk? Having worse family problems does not give her the right to call him names like that. Is he not allowed to be angry with his life? Is it a competition? Is the person with the suckiest life the only one who gets to complain? I don't think so. Your father getting remarried to someone you got a hard-on for is bound to be stressful, and Olivia has no right to make Wen feel bad for the way he's feeling.
Mo--she was cool. I felt for her own problems, with her dad smothering her and her two different worlds constantly colliding. And hers and Charlie's romance was one of the highlights of the book. I'm really glad they got together.
Stella--she was hilarious to read about. Her writing style was perhaps the most distinctive, and I really enjoyed the way she grew and made up with her mom and found who she is. And it was nice to have a character not involved in a Battle of the Unrequited Feelings. I loved the Charlie/Mo and Wen/Olivia drama, but it was good having a character who grew and changed all on her own.
Charlie--I liked Charlie. He was funny, and his and Stella's writing styles were tied as my favorites. It helped when his writing style was so obviously the style of someone not used to writing. It gives him authenticity. His character can't write, so his style was awkward and run-on. It was helped shape his character.
Wen--he was probably my favorite. His problems were so normal, yet so unique, that I felt embarrassed and pissed and anxious right along with him. I really hope he and Olivia get together in the sequel I've heard about. If I had to root for only one character, it'd be Wen.
Overall, this book was definitely a good read. I'm afraid to see the movie, because it'll no doubt ruin it. No offense to the actors or screenwriters or Disney Channel, but I just feel like they'd take away what makes the book unique. For god's sake, they changed the instruments to conventional rock-band instruments. The abnormal instruments was one of the key components of what made the book unusual.
But I'll shut up now. Because I shouldn't judge the movie without having seen it. So either I see it, and then form an opinion, or I don't, and never talk about it again.
It was a great book, I definitely recommend it.
**UPDATE**
Okay, so I just watched the movie, and I have some things to say.
Overall, it was a good movie. I'm not usually into Disney movies (or the accompanying music), but this wasn't bad. A few of the songs I actually enjoyed (some of them were meh...), and the acting wasn't horrible.
That being said, they altered a LOT of facts when switching from novel to screenplay.
1. Charlie and Mo did NOT end up together. I wasn't exactly boiling with rage about this, but it kind of annoyed me. They got together in the book; what on earth possessed the writers to change that? I mean, it's not like Scott was compelling enough to inspire that. So why did they do it?
2. Speaking of Charlie, they changed EVERYTHING ABOUT HIM. Instead of having a dead twin, he had a 'perfect brother.' Those two ideas are at opposite ends of the spectrum. And instead of playing a set of bongos or whatever (excuse my ignorance), he played a traditional drum set. Don't get me wrong, I enjoy a traditional drummer as much as the next gal, but the atypical drum set was part of what made Charlie interesting. And they changed it. For god's sake, they even changed his LAST NAME. And wasn't he supposed to be kind of chubby? Is there not a market for that in a Disney movie?
3. Wen didn't have his embarrassing hard-on incident. It's a Disney movie, so I understood this. In fact, I was kind of glad they didn't make us watch that. But still, it's a change.
4. And speaking of WEN, he didn't play trumpet in the movie. He played the keyboard. I love piano, I really do. But once again, the unorthodox instruments were a big part of the story's foundation. Not a good change.
5. Mo didn't play violin in the novel, she played the upright bass. And she didn't end up with Scott, she ended up with Charlie (I know I already mentioned that).
6. Stella didn't play the guitar for the band. She played the ukulele. Once again, the interesting instrument was taken away.
Some of those changes didn't really ruffle me, but I didn't like them. I understand if the movie's songwriters couldn't come up with music for the assorted instruments in the novel, but...still. I was a little irked.
The whole unrealistic quality of this movie also made my eye twitch a little bit. I mean, they want the music to sound good, obviously, but come on. You don't break into perfect, auto-tuned song just like that. The book made it seem so much more natural than just, "Oh, look, perfect music." Maybe it's just me.
Olivia is supposedly shy and afflicted with severe stage-fright, but did anyone else notice how into it she got? Is that normal for someone terrified of performing? I don't know.
And speaking of Olivia, her tantrum was no better on-screen. But I already went into that. No more.
I realize this is a book review site, but I couldn't help but review the movie too. Some of the changes bothered me, though.
The premise is a tad random, and the foundation of the entire plot seems a bit shaky, but I didn't mind. Just because what happened with Lemonade Mouth doesn't happen often, doesn't mean it can't happen. The writing was great, but what really astounded me was how well Hughes did with giving each narrator their own voice. Well, the main narrators. All the extraneous narrators blended together, but whatever.
Anyway, the characters all resounded with me pretty well. I didn't hero-worship any of them, like I do with some book characters, but I felt for all of them.
Olivia--at first, I really liked her. She's quiet, immensely shy, and has an unconventional talent. And at the end, I liked her. But there was a brief stint towards the climax where I wasn't a big fan of hers. It had to do with when she yelled at Wen. Who is she to call him a baby or a jerk? Having worse family problems does not give her the right to call him names like that. Is he not allowed to be angry with his life? Is it a competition? Is the person with the suckiest life the only one who gets to complain? I don't think so. Your father getting remarried to someone you got a hard-on for is bound to be stressful, and Olivia has no right to make Wen feel bad for the way he's feeling.
Mo--she was cool. I felt for her own problems, with her dad smothering her and her two different worlds constantly colliding. And hers and Charlie's romance was one of the highlights of the book. I'm really glad they got together.
Stella--she was hilarious to read about. Her writing style was perhaps the most distinctive, and I really enjoyed the way she grew and made up with her mom and found who she is. And it was nice to have a character not involved in a Battle of the Unrequited Feelings. I loved the Charlie/Mo and Wen/Olivia drama, but it was good having a character who grew and changed all on her own.
Charlie--I liked Charlie. He was funny, and his and Stella's writing styles were tied as my favorites. It helped when his writing style was so obviously the style of someone not used to writing. It gives him authenticity. His character can't write, so his style was awkward and run-on. It was helped shape his character.
Wen--he was probably my favorite. His problems were so normal, yet so unique, that I felt embarrassed and pissed and anxious right along with him. I really hope he and Olivia get together in the sequel I've heard about. If I had to root for only one character, it'd be Wen.
Overall, this book was definitely a good read. I'm afraid to see the movie, because it'll no doubt ruin it. No offense to the actors or screenwriters or Disney Channel, but I just feel like they'd take away what makes the book unique. For god's sake, they changed the instruments to conventional rock-band instruments. The abnormal instruments was one of the key components of what made the book unusual.
But I'll shut up now. Because I shouldn't judge the movie without having seen it. So either I see it, and then form an opinion, or I don't, and never talk about it again.
It was a great book, I definitely recommend it.
**UPDATE**
Okay, so I just watched the movie, and I have some things to say.
Overall, it was a good movie. I'm not usually into Disney movies (or the accompanying music), but this wasn't bad. A few of the songs I actually enjoyed (some of them were meh...), and the acting wasn't horrible.
That being said, they altered a LOT of facts when switching from novel to screenplay.
1. Charlie and Mo did NOT end up together. I wasn't exactly boiling with rage about this, but it kind of annoyed me. They got together in the book; what on earth possessed the writers to change that? I mean, it's not like Scott was compelling enough to inspire that. So why did they do it?
2. Speaking of Charlie, they changed EVERYTHING ABOUT HIM. Instead of having a dead twin, he had a 'perfect brother.' Those two ideas are at opposite ends of the spectrum. And instead of playing a set of bongos or whatever (excuse my ignorance), he played a traditional drum set. Don't get me wrong, I enjoy a traditional drummer as much as the next gal, but the atypical drum set was part of what made Charlie interesting. And they changed it. For god's sake, they even changed his LAST NAME. And wasn't he supposed to be kind of chubby? Is there not a market for that in a Disney movie?
3. Wen didn't have his embarrassing hard-on incident. It's a Disney movie, so I understood this. In fact, I was kind of glad they didn't make us watch that. But still, it's a change.
4. And speaking of WEN, he didn't play trumpet in the movie. He played the keyboard. I love piano, I really do. But once again, the unorthodox instruments were a big part of the story's foundation. Not a good change.
5. Mo didn't play violin in the novel, she played the upright bass. And she didn't end up with Scott, she ended up with Charlie (I know I already mentioned that).
6. Stella didn't play the guitar for the band. She played the ukulele. Once again, the interesting instrument was taken away.
Some of those changes didn't really ruffle me, but I didn't like them. I understand if the movie's songwriters couldn't come up with music for the assorted instruments in the novel, but...still. I was a little irked.
The whole unrealistic quality of this movie also made my eye twitch a little bit. I mean, they want the music to sound good, obviously, but come on. You don't break into perfect, auto-tuned song just like that. The book made it seem so much more natural than just, "Oh, look, perfect music." Maybe it's just me.
Olivia is supposedly shy and afflicted with severe stage-fright, but did anyone else notice how into it she got? Is that normal for someone terrified of performing? I don't know.
And speaking of Olivia, her tantrum was no better on-screen. But I already went into that. No more.
I realize this is a book review site, but I couldn't help but review the movie too. Some of the changes bothered me, though.
June 10, 2024
First 47 pages: Different than the Disney tv movie. Stella the rebel is very tall and cut off most of her hair. Olivia the lead has panic attacks both on and offstage. Charlie the drummer is chubby and has frizzy hair, and his twin brother is dead and talks in his head. Wen doesn't have much of a social life either, and accidentally gets nude drawings of his dad's new gf. Mo the indian girl is skinny and gets detention for making out in the bushes. The music teacher is an old white lady with a 'chocolate cake' pile of brown hair on her head. But most of the key scenes seem to be there. Nice variety of fonts.
Up to page 100: It's weird reading a book about a band making music. But I still got chills when Olivia started to sing. They seem more 'avant guarde' so far than on tv.
All done. I liked it. Too bad Stella's problems weren't brought out in the movie. By the way, some couples shake out differently in the book. There's not a segway scooter to be seen though.
There's a couple nice chapters at the concerts, where the point of view changes between about 10 different people.
I can't help liking the movie, especially the songs, which have positive lyrics.
Up to page 100: It's weird reading a book about a band making music. But I still got chills when Olivia started to sing. They seem more 'avant guarde' so far than on tv.
All done. I liked it. Too bad Stella's problems weren't brought out in the movie. By the way, some couples shake out differently in the book. There's not a segway scooter to be seen though.
There's a couple nice chapters at the concerts, where the point of view changes between about 10 different people.
I can't help liking the movie, especially the songs, which have positive lyrics.
July 7, 2012
I have an embrassing confession to make: I have a huge weakness for Disney Channel Original Movies. I don't know why. I just do. There's something reassuring, almost reassuring, about watching attractive young people badly act their way through a 90 minute cliche script only to have the ending arrive with a pretty bow. Lemonade Mouth particularly captured my heart. It has all the things I love; cute boys, witty jokes, and awesome (if not random) music scenes. Plus Charlie reminded me of Johnny Depp. ;) Anyway, when I heard it was based on a book, I went on the hunt. The result? Awesomeness and slight anger at Disney. Honestly, they did a great job taking well-flushed out human characters and turning them into purified pretty caricatures. The movie and the book are drastically different when it comes to characters. I liked the band watching the movie, but I felt for them reading a book. They were all just so wonderfully flawed, and it rocked! Olivia was probably my favorite character. She was much more sad and quieter in the book, and it really fascinated me to get a glimpse into her heat through the lyrics she wrote (which were absolutely beautiful btw). Mo was great too . I really felt her struggle between old and new, which I know from friends is a struggle for teenagers growing up in the US with parents still deeply attached to their old country's traditions. (SA: Also loved the added element of a romance between her and Charlie!) Stella was basically the same, and I loved her for it. I didn't really didn't like the guys as much (Wen spent the majority of the book lusting after his Dad's girlfriend before realizing his feelings for Olivia, and Charlie has this weird habit of talking to his twin brother who died at birth inside his head. Which some might consider a coping mechanism but not by me cuz this happened to a friend of mine a d she's never talked to a dead person inside her head.), but they still rounded at the story well. I'm still seething cuz Disney cheated us out of an awesome sound not using the band setup and sound Hughes wrote about. I also liked the alternating views and how they were organized so you got a little perspective from everyone even though some of them weren't that developed. (Particularly liked Olivia's way: writing letters to her dad. Glad Disney kept that bit even with a little editing. Recommend?Definitely! I hope fhere's a sequel in the works for both the movie and book!
Want to read
February 2, 2019How did I had no idea this book existed?
I LOVE the movie so much, it's really sinful that I haven't read the book.
But no worries, I can fix that XD
I LOVE the movie so much, it's really sinful that I haven't read the book.
But no worries, I can fix that XD
April 19, 2024
I love the movie but I just couldn’t with the book
March 9, 2012
I have to say first that I read the book only AFTER seeing the Disney Channel original movie. (Which I HIGHLY recommend if you liked the book!!)
So, I have spoilers for both the book and the movie!!!!
Anyway, I really liked some things more in the book and some more in the movie. First off, I was very happy to see that Mo and Charlie got together in the book! :) It made my day! And I'm not quite sure why they changed that part of the story. Mo's character is definitely different in the movie. And also in the movie, it's not really explained why she turns back to Scott after she made this huge deal about being a different type of person, not one that could be with him. So weird!
Olivia and Wen also made me smile. Although there were hints in the movie, it didn't distinctly have their romance laid out like in the book. And I found it REALLY funny how Wen lusted after Sydney in the book because I could actually kind of see that in the movie. But I understand why Disney would take that out.
But there were some things that Disney did right. Like adding in Mel at the end of the movie. It was a great little "The world works in mysterious ways!" add-in. Mel of Mel's Lemonade is the one who brought them all together after all. ;)
And changing Charlie's "dead twin brother" to "amazing older brother who is still alive" was also a good choice. I'm not sure how the Disney audience would react to Charlie's...odd situation. Though I did like it in the book.
Personally, I really liked this book. And although I still had the movie characters in my head, I saw major differences in their personalities. And yet some major similarities. I liked how Disney kept all of the injuries pretty much the same. Even Olivia's LINES were the same when she was screaming at Wen - which were a good call. That was one of my favorite scenes in the movie.
I also liked the book bringing in Olivia's dad. And how she was writing to him ALL ALONG. Changing that in the movie changed a good bit of Olivia's character. In the book, she's completely loyal to her father. She knows he has done wrong but she also still loves him. In the movie, she's afraid to write to him. I think I liked Mo and Olivia more in the book. The others were about the same. I liked Wen a lot in both and Charlie and Stella were both pretty okay.
As far as the writing goes, I LOVED the switching POVs. I honestly always looked forward to reading the story from Wen's or Olivia's perspective. It never confused me at all - though then again, I had VERY clear images of all five of them from the start from seeing the movie. And when the author broke up the Halloween Bash and the other concert into OTHER character's POVs, I was thinking how totally AWESOME it was!! It's like saying, "Hey! Actually there ARE other characters in this here book! Thanks! Have a good day!!!" Almost like this moving through characters was like the revolution!
Overall, a very good read. I'm glad I picked it up!!!
So, I have spoilers for both the book and the movie!!!!
Anyway, I really liked some things more in the book and some more in the movie. First off, I was very happy to see that Mo and Charlie got together in the book! :) It made my day! And I'm not quite sure why they changed that part of the story. Mo's character is definitely different in the movie. And also in the movie, it's not really explained why she turns back to Scott after she made this huge deal about being a different type of person, not one that could be with him. So weird!
Olivia and Wen also made me smile. Although there were hints in the movie, it didn't distinctly have their romance laid out like in the book. And I found it REALLY funny how Wen lusted after Sydney in the book because I could actually kind of see that in the movie. But I understand why Disney would take that out.
But there were some things that Disney did right. Like adding in Mel at the end of the movie. It was a great little "The world works in mysterious ways!" add-in. Mel of Mel's Lemonade is the one who brought them all together after all. ;)
And changing Charlie's "dead twin brother" to "amazing older brother who is still alive" was also a good choice. I'm not sure how the Disney audience would react to Charlie's...odd situation. Though I did like it in the book.
Personally, I really liked this book. And although I still had the movie characters in my head, I saw major differences in their personalities. And yet some major similarities. I liked how Disney kept all of the injuries pretty much the same. Even Olivia's LINES were the same when she was screaming at Wen - which were a good call. That was one of my favorite scenes in the movie.
I also liked the book bringing in Olivia's dad. And how she was writing to him ALL ALONG. Changing that in the movie changed a good bit of Olivia's character. In the book, she's completely loyal to her father. She knows he has done wrong but she also still loves him. In the movie, she's afraid to write to him. I think I liked Mo and Olivia more in the book. The others were about the same. I liked Wen a lot in both and Charlie and Stella were both pretty okay.
As far as the writing goes, I LOVED the switching POVs. I honestly always looked forward to reading the story from Wen's or Olivia's perspective. It never confused me at all - though then again, I had VERY clear images of all five of them from the start from seeing the movie. And when the author broke up the Halloween Bash and the other concert into OTHER character's POVs, I was thinking how totally AWESOME it was!! It's like saying, "Hey! Actually there ARE other characters in this here book! Thanks! Have a good day!!!" Almost like this moving through characters was like the revolution!
Overall, a very good read. I'm glad I picked it up!!!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 23, 2014
Disney Channel must die. I know movies are never exactly like the book, and a lot of kids watch Disney, so the movies they play have to be family friendly. So in that case, they shouldn't have touched Lemonade Mouth. They completely dumbed down the story and the characters, making their personal struggles less heavy. And speaking of things being less heavy, the actress who played Olivia. Olivia is described as being fat and rather creepy looking, so who does Disney cast, you might ask? BRIDGET MENDLER. Because there's no way fat people are talented enough or good enough to be in a DISNEY film, now are they? Don't get me wrong, I have nothing against Bridget Mendler. My point is, this book has a lot of good messages in it, and it's a great story. I really enjoyed it, and I don't think Disney did a good job of portraying the struggles of these characters and didn't show how much of outcasts they were. I have news for you Disney, you can dumb down your little crap movies, but you can't dumb down life!
June 2, 2011
Oh. My. Gosh. I am in love. Lemonade Mouth is brilliant. A masterpiece. I watched the Disney Channel movie version and loved it. Then I went and got the book. Even better. I can't believe I've lived this long without reading this. Then I read the prequel to Lemonade Mouth. Great. I now want to play the electric ukulele, the trumpet, the timbales, and the double bass. I want to have a voice like a 3-pack-a-day smoker. I want to be Stella Penn. I want to be Olivia Whitehead. I want to be Mohini Banerjee. I want to be in love with Wendell Grifford. I want to know Charlie Hirsh. I want to ride my bike across town. I want to die my hair green. I want to see Lemonade Mouth in concert. I want to be Lemonade Mouth. All because of this book.
July 11, 2011
Enjoyable! Exactly what I anticipated and didn't feel let down at all.
What I didn't like about the movie was made up for in this book, and what I didn't enjoy about the book the movie made up for.
If you want to read a fun book about a band of misfits who come together to start a Revolution, grab this. You're bound to connect to one of these characters. For me it was Olivia. The shy one who has a tough time being herself in front of people. It didn't hurt that I would have had a crush on Wen too.
What I didn't like about the movie was made up for in this book, and what I didn't enjoy about the book the movie made up for.
If you want to read a fun book about a band of misfits who come together to start a Revolution, grab this. You're bound to connect to one of these characters. For me it was Olivia. The shy one who has a tough time being herself in front of people. It didn't hurt that I would have had a crush on Wen too.
May 26, 2022
cute!!! a little corny because they were literally doing all that for a lemonade machine but I enjoyed it
May 22, 2025
Oh lemonade mouth haha. 12 year old Noelle was a STAN for the movie and, I gotta say, I’d like to watch it again as my age has more than doubled since I’ve last seen it. The book was fun to read but v criiiinge, I rolled my eyes multiple times lol. Fun to remember the plot of the movie though.
I read this book bc I found the second lemonade mouth book (yep) in a little free library and the realized it was a series. Haven’t decided if I’m going to read the second one.
🍋
I read this book bc I found the second lemonade mouth book (yep) in a little free library and the realized it was a series. Haven’t decided if I’m going to read the second one.
🍋
October 2, 2023
so we’re just not gonna address why Charlie is hearing voices?
December 29, 2023
5 ⭐️
i usually don’t like books that switch povs but this book was honestly pretty slay and might be a favorite of the year 😁😳 (mo&charlie and wen&olivia are otps frfr)
i usually don’t like books that switch povs but this book was honestly pretty slay and might be a favorite of the year 😁😳 (mo&charlie and wen&olivia are otps frfr)
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 17, 2024
definitely more than a band
February 25, 2025
if you’re looking for a YA Daisy Jones and the Six this is it. You get perspectives from all five band members and from other characters on the scene. A lot of hilarious differences from the book to the movie which I loved getting to read but also so many of the lines from the movie are straight from the book. It’s more than just “inspired by” they really honored the original text and I respect Disney a lot for that.
August 4, 2023
sério, pq esse livro não é tipo gigante?
muito bom meu dels, um hit teen
muito bom meu dels, um hit teen
October 27, 2024
wersja z disney channel na zawsze top, ale czytało się całkiem przyjemnie!
April 26, 2024
felt like i got more insight on the movie characters even if it is different! the only thing i’m mad they didn’t keep the same for the movie was scott not being in the band. get that man out of my band!!!!!!
Want to read
July 12, 2023me acabo de enterar q hay libro
April 1, 2010
4-1-10
Random Reads
Lemonade Mouth
By Mark Peter Hughes
The legacy began in the basement of Opequonsett High School during detention. It was fortuitous that the five freshmen serving their time together being as they normally were not members of the detention-attending crowd. All it took was a radio commercial and a little improvising and then the monumental band, Lemonade Mouth, was born.
The band’s five members may run with different crowds at Opequonsett High but managed to come together through a musical connection. Stella is the spearhead of the group. Stella, the green-haired ukulele player, is an individual always looking for a cause to back. Wen, trumpet player extraordinaire, is dealing with his dad’s new, much younger, girlfriend who appears to be taking over both his home life and parts of his school life, i.e. accidentally switching his homework with her nude self-portraits. Percussionist Charlie tells his part of the story through an English assignment which will guarantee a passing grade. Mo, the object of Charlie’s affection and stand-up bass player, struggles with her parents’ dreams of her attendance at an Ivy League college and her new budding popularity. Lastly, Olivia is in the spotlight as the voice behind Lemonade Mouth, but she keeps her personal life close to the chest.
Together the members of Lemonade Mouth along with a forgotten music teacher front a massive crusade against corporate infiltration into their school and the removable of their beloved frozen lemonade machine while doing battle with the current popular upperclassmen band at Opequonsett High.
Lemonade Mouth is a unique blend of the movie, The Breakfast Club and the TV show Behind the Music. Hughes constructs the book as an exclusive tell-all written by the school’s top gossip queen. Hughes successfully creates five distinctive voices as each character tells their story themselves. Lemonade Mouth is a fresh and funny story that shows how certain causes can bring people together despite their differences and unite with a common goal.
Random Reads
Lemonade Mouth
By Mark Peter Hughes
The legacy began in the basement of Opequonsett High School during detention. It was fortuitous that the five freshmen serving their time together being as they normally were not members of the detention-attending crowd. All it took was a radio commercial and a little improvising and then the monumental band, Lemonade Mouth, was born.
The band’s five members may run with different crowds at Opequonsett High but managed to come together through a musical connection. Stella is the spearhead of the group. Stella, the green-haired ukulele player, is an individual always looking for a cause to back. Wen, trumpet player extraordinaire, is dealing with his dad’s new, much younger, girlfriend who appears to be taking over both his home life and parts of his school life, i.e. accidentally switching his homework with her nude self-portraits. Percussionist Charlie tells his part of the story through an English assignment which will guarantee a passing grade. Mo, the object of Charlie’s affection and stand-up bass player, struggles with her parents’ dreams of her attendance at an Ivy League college and her new budding popularity. Lastly, Olivia is in the spotlight as the voice behind Lemonade Mouth, but she keeps her personal life close to the chest.
Together the members of Lemonade Mouth along with a forgotten music teacher front a massive crusade against corporate infiltration into their school and the removable of their beloved frozen lemonade machine while doing battle with the current popular upperclassmen band at Opequonsett High.
Lemonade Mouth is a unique blend of the movie, The Breakfast Club and the TV show Behind the Music. Hughes constructs the book as an exclusive tell-all written by the school’s top gossip queen. Hughes successfully creates five distinctive voices as each character tells their story themselves. Lemonade Mouth is a fresh and funny story that shows how certain causes can bring people together despite their differences and unite with a common goal.
October 11, 2023
Lemonade Mouth, while a nostalgic read from a time past it does not fully carry into our present times. The Disney iteration offers a much more digestible form of the storyline, against the novel's more distinct exploration (and at times exploitation).
Hughes' writing reflects from the time it was published, from both the use of multi-narrators to the language used. Notably, Charlie's "inner voice" of his stillbirth brother that insinuates the more perverse and intrusive thoughts is retracted from the film and for good reason: WHAT?? Listen... I'm getting my masters degree in mental health counseling and I believe that instead of a band Miss Reznick should have directed him to see a psychiatrist.
I have similar thoughts about Mo, it was evident that Hughes was trying to make a statement regarding strict parents and how they can diminish one's individuality even if there is initial good intent. While the message is good (and one I agree with of course as someone who resonates with Mo), it falls through when you do deeper reading on how certain aspects of Indian culture are discussed with some... not so well researched perspective. There is something a bit questionable about a white man doing a criticism commentary piece on another culture that does not sit with me: nor would it work in our modern time.
This does not mean that I didn't have a decent time reading the novel itself, it has been on my to-read list since I found out it had a novelization back in 2013 and I was excited to read it. The multi-perspective narrative was fun and it was especially fun to see key elements be played out from the point-of-view of someone not in the band at times. The halloween party was especially a fun read from that standpoint as well! While I was not certain all of the time who was who when the narrator changed, it was a great stylistic approach towards describing the extent of the impact that Lemonade Mouth was having on the changing environment of Opuquonsett High School.
Hughes' writing reflects from the time it was published, from both the use of multi-narrators to the language used. Notably, Charlie's "inner voice" of his stillbirth brother that insinuates the more perverse and intrusive thoughts is retracted from the film and for good reason: WHAT?? Listen... I'm getting my masters degree in mental health counseling and I believe that instead of a band Miss Reznick should have directed him to see a psychiatrist.
I have similar thoughts about Mo, it was evident that Hughes was trying to make a statement regarding strict parents and how they can diminish one's individuality even if there is initial good intent. While the message is good (and one I agree with of course as someone who resonates with Mo), it falls through when you do deeper reading on how certain aspects of Indian culture are discussed with some... not so well researched perspective. There is something a bit questionable about a white man doing a criticism commentary piece on another culture that does not sit with me: nor would it work in our modern time.
This does not mean that I didn't have a decent time reading the novel itself, it has been on my to-read list since I found out it had a novelization back in 2013 and I was excited to read it. The multi-perspective narrative was fun and it was especially fun to see key elements be played out from the point-of-view of someone not in the band at times. The halloween party was especially a fun read from that standpoint as well! While I was not certain all of the time who was who when the narrator changed, it was a great stylistic approach towards describing the extent of the impact that Lemonade Mouth was having on the changing environment of Opuquonsett High School.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 15, 2014
While not as good as the Disney Channel movie, this book was nevertheless a very good teen read about the power of a few people to make a difference.
ETA: I reread this book in 2014 (three years after the initial read), curious whether I’d get a new perspective on it. I’m now four years removed from high school and eight years removed from the characters of Lemonade Mouth, so would it hold up?
I’ll admit I was slightly worried. At first, Charlie’s grammatically-challenged sections were a real irk, and Stella’s sections were a touch long-winded. But after a chapter or two, I lost myself in the book again, feeling goosebumps as I reread the more powerful passages. I maintain that this works better as the movie musical, because the music is so integral. I’ll admit, parts fo the soundtrack played in my head as I read. But it is also a fantastic book.
What’s striking about this book is how empowering it is. As someone who saw things worth fighting for in high school, but could do nothing about them, there was a big element of wish fulfillment in reading this book. I wanted to fight back, to make a difference, to start a revolution. And reading about the profound impact this band had on other kids really affected me.
Even though the empowerment aspect is the best part of the book, it’s also a beautiful story about friendship and family. Watching these kids connect and become “More Than a Band” was beautiful, and seeing their respective home lives gave a great sense of how families can be so different, yet each have issues of their own.
It’s a shame this book isn’t more popular, because kids should read books like this. Something that lets them know they don’t have to be powerless, to let their freak flag fly, hold it high, and raise it up.
ETA: I reread this book in 2014 (three years after the initial read), curious whether I’d get a new perspective on it. I’m now four years removed from high school and eight years removed from the characters of Lemonade Mouth, so would it hold up?
I’ll admit I was slightly worried. At first, Charlie’s grammatically-challenged sections were a real irk, and Stella’s sections were a touch long-winded. But after a chapter or two, I lost myself in the book again, feeling goosebumps as I reread the more powerful passages. I maintain that this works better as the movie musical, because the music is so integral. I’ll admit, parts fo the soundtrack played in my head as I read. But it is also a fantastic book.
What’s striking about this book is how empowering it is. As someone who saw things worth fighting for in high school, but could do nothing about them, there was a big element of wish fulfillment in reading this book. I wanted to fight back, to make a difference, to start a revolution. And reading about the profound impact this band had on other kids really affected me.
Even though the empowerment aspect is the best part of the book, it’s also a beautiful story about friendship and family. Watching these kids connect and become “More Than a Band” was beautiful, and seeing their respective home lives gave a great sense of how families can be so different, yet each have issues of their own.
It’s a shame this book isn’t more popular, because kids should read books like this. Something that lets them know they don’t have to be powerless, to let their freak flag fly, hold it high, and raise it up.
August 3, 2011
I hadn't heard of this book until Disney channel made a movie out of it (2011). (The movie was good--not quite as good as High School Musical but way better than Camp Rock 2).
Lemonade Mouth is the name of a band of Five Rhode Island high schoolers (three girls, two boys) who meet each other in detention and start playing music together. The point of view switches between these five unique voices and even, at times, to other students and teachers. Normally I wouldn't like this because it takes you out of one story and puts you in another, but here is not the case. The focus is always on the band. (The band is the main character and it has a life of its own). You get to see the band and the music from different perspectives. In chapter 5, the Halloween Bash, the perspective changes every page but always the story moves forward and this technique really worked here.
So the pacing is excellent. The five teens are, for the most part, outsiders/nobodies (in their opinions, at least) and the band gives each of them a boost of confidence and friendship and all that; thus your positive message, which for YA books I believe is for the better (my opinion--some disagree). The situations are realistic, dealing with typical teen problems, sometimes sad but not too sad (one kid's dad is in jail, another is dumped by her boyfriend, etc...); and like I said, unique voices. Even their band is unique: a ukele, a trumpet, timbales, bass and singer.
Lemonade Mouth is the name of a band of Five Rhode Island high schoolers (three girls, two boys) who meet each other in detention and start playing music together. The point of view switches between these five unique voices and even, at times, to other students and teachers. Normally I wouldn't like this because it takes you out of one story and puts you in another, but here is not the case. The focus is always on the band. (The band is the main character and it has a life of its own). You get to see the band and the music from different perspectives. In chapter 5, the Halloween Bash, the perspective changes every page but always the story moves forward and this technique really worked here.
So the pacing is excellent. The five teens are, for the most part, outsiders/nobodies (in their opinions, at least) and the band gives each of them a boost of confidence and friendship and all that; thus your positive message, which for YA books I believe is for the better (my opinion--some disagree). The situations are realistic, dealing with typical teen problems, sometimes sad but not too sad (one kid's dad is in jail, another is dumped by her boyfriend, etc...); and like I said, unique voices. Even their band is unique: a ukele, a trumpet, timbales, bass and singer.
January 30, 2014
After watching the Disney version, I had a mental picture of what I was going to see. Boy was I wrong within the first few chapters. And I'm very grateful for that. The characters, minus Mo, bare no resemblance to the actors portraying them in the film. But that is beside the point. The theme of friendship, loyalty and speaking your mind really resonated within me. This isn't just one point of view, it is several ranging from the five band members, to fans and even to the bullies. Definitely a must read to anyone who has ever been shy to speak up or afraid to show their real side.
August 18, 2025
Lit, crazy, movie
Jokes aside - incredible book!! A bit more mature than the movie but still the movie was quite close to the book! Absolutely lives up to the hype I have for my favorite movie, I had a lot of fun and at times there were tears - a beautiful journey
Jokes aside - incredible book!! A bit more mature than the movie but still the movie was quite close to the book! Absolutely lives up to the hype I have for my favorite movie, I had a lot of fun and at times there were tears - a beautiful journey
November 26, 2023
For some reason, this novel was just sitting in an old desk my brother used to own. Please don't ask me how it got there.
(Poets. Geniuses. Revolutionaries.
The members of the legendary band Lemonade Mouth have been called all of these things. But until now, nobody's known the inside story of how this powerhouse band came to be. How five outcasts in Opoquonsett High School's freshman class found each other, found the music, and went on to change both rock and roll and high school as we know it. Wen, Stella, Charlie, Olivia, and Mo take us back to that fateful detention where a dentist's jingle, a teacher's coughing fit, and a beat-up ukelele gave birth to Rhode Island's most influential band. Told in each of their five voices and compiled by Opoquonsett's "scene queen," freshman Naomi Fishmeier, this anthology is their definitive history.) ~ Blurb from Goodreads
Stella was honestly the best character in this entire novel. So from what I could gather, she's basically this tomboy and she's so over the top and chaotic, that I was fascinated by her. I had to know more. I had to keep reading her parts.
Charlie was a pretty great character too. He's basically the "space cadet" of the group and he sometimes hears the voice of his dead brother and it's as if the brother is living through him. I love the "dead brother voice" thing. It's a very unique and interesting way of showing Charlie's grief and showing that he really hasn't come to terms with it.
The way the setting was used was rather disappointing. So this novel is set in Rhode Island. Yes, a few real towns and cities and whatnot are name dropped, yes the high school mascot is an angry clam, and yes there is one scene that takes place on a beach, but that's about it. In fact, Rhode Island has so little of a presence, that you could set this novel in literally any other coastal state and very little would actually change. Now, this may be because I was born and raised there and thus am biased or whatever, but Rhode Island is a state with a vast history and a lot of character. Something Upstairs is also set in Rhode Island (more specifically Providence), but it really taps into the state's vast history and the state's character and immerses the reader through the way Providence is described. Not only that, but the setting actually plays a big part in the story. In other words, it was a story that was proud to make Rhode Island a part of it.
I hated the way this novel was structured. So the first chapter alone is, I'm not kidding here, forty-eight pages long. Yes, you read that right. Now this wouldn't be the worst thing in the world if it didn't constantly switch between several different narrators at various points. Though, to be fair, the novel does try to have each narrator stand out by having each narrator's part be written in a different font and the framing device for this novel is a reporter trying to piece together the story of the band through their own recollections and recovered evidence. But, not only is this structure really annoying, but because the narrator is changing so frequently in these chapters, it also makes it difficult to get attached to or even acquainted with any character. Honestly, I think a better move would've been to implement a "One narrator per chapter" rule. That way, the novel can breathe a little bit and take its time to allow the reader to get a good idea as to who all the characters are.
Chapter five is just bizarre. So this chapter takes place during the Halloween Bash Lemonade Mouth plays and (with the exception of Naomi who's the person piecing the story of Lemonade Mouth for the reader), it's narrated by a billion super minor characters and I can't for the life of my understand why. For one thing, the scenes they narrate feature most of the main characters and (in the case of characters like Lyle) don't really provide any additional insight that hasn't been provided previously. To add insult to injury, most of the reactions from these minor characters can basically be categorized into one of two camps. "Lemonade Mouth is awesome!" And "God I hate Lemonade Mouth." Now some may argue that this is done to convey the general attitude towards Lemonade Mouth. But, much like with chapter one, the frequent narrator change makes it a massive struggle to get to know any of the characters featured on an individual level. This chapter should've just had only two narrators. One member from Lemonade Mouth (maybe Stella) narrating the pre-show parts and Naomi, who takes over as narrator as soon as Lemonade Mouth starts playing and describes the body language, facial expressions, and even bits of dialogue from the audience to convey the general attitude towards Lemonade Mouth. This way, the same goal is accomplished while making things way less convoluted.
Besides Stella and Charlie, none of the other characters were that interesting or got a ton of development. Mo is basically an Indian overachiever who bites her nails and Olivia is shy cat lover who loves her dad, despite the fact that he Yes, it is hinted at that she has trust issues, but these issues are never really explored, so it just seems like it was thrown in there in a half-assed attempt to add depth. Oh and Wen... well. I swear to God, I think his only character traits are that he hates his changing family dynamics and has a strong yet reluctant crush on his new stepmom. Yes, really.
Overall, Lemonade Mouth was a novel that had a couple of interesting characters and a decent concept, but was ultimately ruined by a lousy execution.
Overall Grade: D-
(Poets. Geniuses. Revolutionaries.
The members of the legendary band Lemonade Mouth have been called all of these things. But until now, nobody's known the inside story of how this powerhouse band came to be. How five outcasts in Opoquonsett High School's freshman class found each other, found the music, and went on to change both rock and roll and high school as we know it. Wen, Stella, Charlie, Olivia, and Mo take us back to that fateful detention where a dentist's jingle, a teacher's coughing fit, and a beat-up ukelele gave birth to Rhode Island's most influential band. Told in each of their five voices and compiled by Opoquonsett's "scene queen," freshman Naomi Fishmeier, this anthology is their definitive history.) ~ Blurb from Goodreads
Stella was honestly the best character in this entire novel. So from what I could gather, she's basically this tomboy and she's so over the top and chaotic, that I was fascinated by her. I had to know more. I had to keep reading her parts.
Charlie was a pretty great character too. He's basically the "space cadet" of the group and he sometimes hears the voice of his dead brother and it's as if the brother is living through him. I love the "dead brother voice" thing. It's a very unique and interesting way of showing Charlie's grief and showing that he really hasn't come to terms with it.
The way the setting was used was rather disappointing. So this novel is set in Rhode Island. Yes, a few real towns and cities and whatnot are name dropped, yes the high school mascot is an angry clam, and yes there is one scene that takes place on a beach, but that's about it. In fact, Rhode Island has so little of a presence, that you could set this novel in literally any other coastal state and very little would actually change. Now, this may be because I was born and raised there and thus am biased or whatever, but Rhode Island is a state with a vast history and a lot of character. Something Upstairs is also set in Rhode Island (more specifically Providence), but it really taps into the state's vast history and the state's character and immerses the reader through the way Providence is described. Not only that, but the setting actually plays a big part in the story. In other words, it was a story that was proud to make Rhode Island a part of it.
I hated the way this novel was structured. So the first chapter alone is, I'm not kidding here, forty-eight pages long. Yes, you read that right. Now this wouldn't be the worst thing in the world if it didn't constantly switch between several different narrators at various points. Though, to be fair, the novel does try to have each narrator stand out by having each narrator's part be written in a different font and the framing device for this novel is a reporter trying to piece together the story of the band through their own recollections and recovered evidence. But, not only is this structure really annoying, but because the narrator is changing so frequently in these chapters, it also makes it difficult to get attached to or even acquainted with any character. Honestly, I think a better move would've been to implement a "One narrator per chapter" rule. That way, the novel can breathe a little bit and take its time to allow the reader to get a good idea as to who all the characters are.
Chapter five is just bizarre. So this chapter takes place during the Halloween Bash Lemonade Mouth plays and (with the exception of Naomi who's the person piecing the story of Lemonade Mouth for the reader), it's narrated by a billion super minor characters and I can't for the life of my understand why. For one thing, the scenes they narrate feature most of the main characters and (in the case of characters like Lyle) don't really provide any additional insight that hasn't been provided previously. To add insult to injury, most of the reactions from these minor characters can basically be categorized into one of two camps. "Lemonade Mouth is awesome!" And "God I hate Lemonade Mouth." Now some may argue that this is done to convey the general attitude towards Lemonade Mouth. But, much like with chapter one, the frequent narrator change makes it a massive struggle to get to know any of the characters featured on an individual level. This chapter should've just had only two narrators. One member from Lemonade Mouth (maybe Stella) narrating the pre-show parts and Naomi, who takes over as narrator as soon as Lemonade Mouth starts playing and describes the body language, facial expressions, and even bits of dialogue from the audience to convey the general attitude towards Lemonade Mouth. This way, the same goal is accomplished while making things way less convoluted.
Besides Stella and Charlie, none of the other characters were that interesting or got a ton of development. Mo is basically an Indian overachiever who bites her nails and Olivia is shy cat lover who loves her dad, despite the fact that he Yes, it is hinted at that she has trust issues, but these issues are never really explored, so it just seems like it was thrown in there in a half-assed attempt to add depth. Oh and Wen... well. I swear to God, I think his only character traits are that he hates his changing family dynamics and has a strong yet reluctant crush on his new stepmom. Yes, really.
Overall, Lemonade Mouth was a novel that had a couple of interesting characters and a decent concept, but was ultimately ruined by a lousy execution.
Overall Grade: D-
April 27, 2024
finally i read this book ! my childhood self is beaming ! i debated giving it an obligatory nostalgia-influenced five-star rating, but in the end i could not. like it’s very beautiful to me but i can admit it’s not a masterpiece by a longshot. anyways, time for a ridiculously long review !
first things first: movie or book ? who wins ?? it feels sacreligious to say, as ive seen the movie so many times, but for every difference between the book and the movie, i preferred the book’s version of events. in many cases, this was just because the book lays out a much more plausible story than the movie. on top of that, the band is fully like, an alternative rock/indie band in the book, which i think fits objectively better with the idea that they have major appeal among outcasts. the themes of outcasts/revolution/athletes v. everything/etc were also worked into the movie with a reallyy heavy hand compared to the book (and even the book is a bit heavy-handed with some of this). but yeah, all that said, i still love the movie. so i’ll call it a tie.
okay at this point i feel the need to go through each character and discuss my thoughts about them. bon appetit.
first, wen. meh. sorry wen. you’re a trumpet player. of all the characters, i think wen definitely fell the flattest. he didnt bother me, but i had trouble putting a finger on literally any of his personality traits, and was generally uninvested in him as a person. i was surprised by this a little bit, because in the movie i feel like he has a more discernable personality, and it’s easy to root for him (even though disney maintained his trumpet-player energy). many of the funny/charming things wen says or does in the movie are things charlie said or did in the book. which to be frank is so fucked. i guess they were worried about giving charlie Best Character Syndrome, which ill admit is a valid concern, but still.
onto mo. with her i would say the author makes a clearer effort to create a multi-dimensional character. unfortunately, i think he fails here as well (though she had a more distinctive personality than wen, and i liked her a lot more than him – sorry again wen), and her storyline did stray into potentially offensive territory. specifically, it felt evident that she was an indian character written by a white person, as a lot of her internal conflict/internal monologue felt sort of stereotypical/underresearched. she also says “chai tea” at one point, which rachel has roasted me for saying on numerous occasions (shoutout rachel if you’re reading this). obviously im not the expert here but it definitely came off like the author had just done some research on indian culture without thinking too deeply about what the experience of a young indian girl might actually look like/how it might differ from the experiences he may have heard about before/how she might think about herself and her identity/etc, and whether he was capable of tactfully portraying all this.
okay, olivia time ! she i would say does get some development. she also struck me as very very different in the book as compared to the movie. specifically, in the book she comes off sort of spacey/off in her own world, and is generally very retreated into herself. i feel like this just doesn’t translate in the movie. also, the movie really half-asses her anxiety. like after reading the book i must admit she hardly even comes off as anxious in the movie by comparison; she’s shy and has stage fright (which she seems to pretty much get over after the first show anyways) and that’s as far as they go with it. i definitely prefer her character in the books.
now for stella. she is frustrating in a very similar way in the book and the movie, ill be the first to admit. but i do think that in comparison to the movie, the book provided a lot of context for who she is and why she sometimes behaves in a frustrating manner. i wont get into specifics too much, but one thing i found interesting about her character in the book is that she cares A LOT what people think of her. this REALLY doesnt come across in the movie; to be honest, in the movie, you basically get the impression that she just doesnt give a fuck and has no self-awareness whatsoever. this makes it hard to like her at times, especially watching the movie as an adult. reading the book though, i think her character comes across a lot clearer, and she’s much more likeable.
last but not least, charlie. my love ! he was my favorite by a mile. he gets so much attention in the book and it made me so happy. i will never forgive disney for how they watered down his character to literal oblivion (why give wen all his good lines ?? all his best moments ?? what did he ever do to deserve this ?? does he not play the trumpet after all ??). like genuinely in the movie charlie is made almost irrelevant compared to the other characters. and for what ? hes the best one ! proud to say he was always my favorite though, even with disney slandering his good name.
first things first: movie or book ? who wins ?? it feels sacreligious to say, as ive seen the movie so many times, but for every difference between the book and the movie, i preferred the book’s version of events. in many cases, this was just because the book lays out a much more plausible story than the movie. on top of that, the band is fully like, an alternative rock/indie band in the book, which i think fits objectively better with the idea that they have major appeal among outcasts. the themes of outcasts/revolution/athletes v. everything/etc were also worked into the movie with a reallyy heavy hand compared to the book (and even the book is a bit heavy-handed with some of this). but yeah, all that said, i still love the movie. so i’ll call it a tie.
okay at this point i feel the need to go through each character and discuss my thoughts about them. bon appetit.
first, wen. meh. sorry wen. you’re a trumpet player. of all the characters, i think wen definitely fell the flattest. he didnt bother me, but i had trouble putting a finger on literally any of his personality traits, and was generally uninvested in him as a person. i was surprised by this a little bit, because in the movie i feel like he has a more discernable personality, and it’s easy to root for him (even though disney maintained his trumpet-player energy). many of the funny/charming things wen says or does in the movie are things charlie said or did in the book. which to be frank is so fucked. i guess they were worried about giving charlie Best Character Syndrome, which ill admit is a valid concern, but still.
onto mo. with her i would say the author makes a clearer effort to create a multi-dimensional character. unfortunately, i think he fails here as well (though she had a more distinctive personality than wen, and i liked her a lot more than him – sorry again wen), and her storyline did stray into potentially offensive territory. specifically, it felt evident that she was an indian character written by a white person, as a lot of her internal conflict/internal monologue felt sort of stereotypical/underresearched. she also says “chai tea” at one point, which rachel has roasted me for saying on numerous occasions (shoutout rachel if you’re reading this). obviously im not the expert here but it definitely came off like the author had just done some research on indian culture without thinking too deeply about what the experience of a young indian girl might actually look like/how it might differ from the experiences he may have heard about before/how she might think about herself and her identity/etc, and whether he was capable of tactfully portraying all this.
okay, olivia time ! she i would say does get some development. she also struck me as very very different in the book as compared to the movie. specifically, in the book she comes off sort of spacey/off in her own world, and is generally very retreated into herself. i feel like this just doesn’t translate in the movie. also, the movie really half-asses her anxiety. like after reading the book i must admit she hardly even comes off as anxious in the movie by comparison; she’s shy and has stage fright (which she seems to pretty much get over after the first show anyways) and that’s as far as they go with it. i definitely prefer her character in the books.
now for stella. she is frustrating in a very similar way in the book and the movie, ill be the first to admit. but i do think that in comparison to the movie, the book provided a lot of context for who she is and why she sometimes behaves in a frustrating manner. i wont get into specifics too much, but one thing i found interesting about her character in the book is that she cares A LOT what people think of her. this REALLY doesnt come across in the movie; to be honest, in the movie, you basically get the impression that she just doesnt give a fuck and has no self-awareness whatsoever. this makes it hard to like her at times, especially watching the movie as an adult. reading the book though, i think her character comes across a lot clearer, and she’s much more likeable.
last but not least, charlie. my love ! he was my favorite by a mile. he gets so much attention in the book and it made me so happy. i will never forgive disney for how they watered down his character to literal oblivion (why give wen all his good lines ?? all his best moments ?? what did he ever do to deserve this ?? does he not play the trumpet after all ??). like genuinely in the movie charlie is made almost irrelevant compared to the other characters. and for what ? hes the best one ! proud to say he was always my favorite though, even with disney slandering his good name.
January 6, 2022
I loved reading more about the characters of one of my favorite Disney Channel movies and I have to say that I like the story a lot better in the book. The one thing that threw me off a bit in this book was the many, many different perspectives. At times it got a little too much for me. But all in all, I really enjoyed reading this!
October 4, 2024
So I watched the Disney channel movie of this book when I was a child and loved it so when I found out it was a book I obviously had to read it. This book was just so boring though. I rewatched the movie after reading this and I think the great thing about the movie is how fast it is. The book however takes so long to actually get started. You spend the first 100 or so pages just getting the characters to the detention that starts the whole plot of the book. After that it kind of picked up and kept my attention at least enough to finish. I also really disliked a lot of the characters. They get better as the book goes on but in the beginning I hated being in their heads because their innervoices are so self centered and they all think that they are better than everyone while also simultaneously thinking that they are the outcasts of the school. This book is also just a sign of the times when it was written it has racist, sexist, and fatphobic comments sprinkled throughout that really remind you that it is from 2007. Also this is a little nitpicky but for a young YA book this book had so many big words that I was stopping and questioning if this was really meant for children to read. I don't anticipate myself ever reading the sequel and unfortunately this is one of the times where I think the movie is better than the book.
June 10, 2025
I think this book was a very cute story and definitely a middle school read. I think for the most part the movie is 95% accurate to the book’s storyline. I really liked Olivia the most out of the characters in the book while I liked Stella the most in the movie. I am interested to see what the sequel brings.
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