GENRE:Fiction - Mythical; Fantasy,
HONORS: none
REVIEW: This story is a classic fairy tale of Pied the Piper of Hamelin , except in this case Pied Piper, Peter 'Gringras', is the lead in the rock n' roll band, Brass Rat. There was a chance meeting between him and Callie McCallan, a bright, high school journalist where a band interview leads her to witnessing Gringas in the back alleyway playing a flute. Suspiciously, the night before Halloween, she notices that all the children in the neighborhood disappear. Callie, a strong female protagonist with investigative skills and keen intelligence, finds that Gringas has to pay his debt with "souls not gold". Teen readers who are nostalgic about their childhood stories will appreciate the modern twist.
OPINION: The attractive cover and musical edge are a nice quirk to old mysticism. The book could have been a mash-up experiment gone wrong, but Yolen doesn't fail to balance the fun and mystical uncertainties that she incorporates in many of her books. Those who are loyal fans of Jane Yolen will be interested to read this collaboration that she wrote with her son.
IDEAS: Recommended for readers seeking a parody or modern day fairy tale.
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