Gr 6-9-Rendered penniless by the murder of his wealthy, record-producing father, 13-year-old biracial Keith and his mom are forced out of their fancy Brooklyn apartment to live with his father's sister in small-town Hollow Falls, OH. Once there, Keith enrolls in school where by day he fights off bullies and befriends Veronica, a popular and gorgeous blond who soon works her way into his affections. By night, he funnels his grief and frustrations into the Jimi Hendrix songs he plays on his guitar. But Keith's grief morphs into rage when his mom discovers that his father had another woman on the side and a son named Jimi, and he vows to track them down and make them pay. Written in line breaks with Hendrix's lyrics interspersed throughout, Adoff's novel features unique characterizations-especially Keith-whose mixed heritage and bright paisley '60s attire sets him apart from the other teens in his school and from many other characters in YA literature. However, the plot, although easy to follow, tends to drag, and the overly moralized conclusion seems too preemptive to be realistic. Teen readers will respect Keith for his individuality and drive to save himself and his mother from poverty, but will be rolling their eyes by the novel's forced finale.-Hillias J. Martin, New York Public Library Copyright 2005 Reed Business Information. From: Reed Elsevier Inc. Copyright Reed Business Information

Gr. 8-11. This verse novel carries Keith, a 13-year-old biracial boy, through the tumultuous first six months after his father's death. His dad, a music producer who called him Little Cool and shared his love for Jimi Hendrix's music, is shot to death in Brooklyn. Their money seems to be gone, so he and his mom move to Ohio to live with his aunt. Keith copes with a small town, a racist bully, and panic attacks, but he also meets a shy, beautiful blonde and plays his guitar fiercely. He uncovers the truth of his father's money losses, and he finds another Jimi who was in his father's life, so the title has a double meaning. The denouement, which takes place in Cleveland's Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, is melodramatic but effective. In language occasionally wry and often funny, Adoff captures the self-pity and self-centeredness of an eighth-grade boy as well as his very real pain and doubt. --GraceAnne DeCandido Copyright 2005 Booklist From: Syndetics Solutions, Inc. Distributed by Syndetic Solutions, Inc.