Matt's travails and humorous perspective on life will resonate with many adolescent readers, especially boys. ( )

Matthew, a trumpet player for his school band, is a 14-year-old boy in a mid-size town in Texas. He has an epiphany, and realizes that his true calling is to be a drummer in a rock or indie style band. His parents are not enthusiastic about this, since the trumpet is their choice, and tell him that if he wants drums, he’ll have to pay for them. A neighbor informs him, that his problem is that he lets “The Man” run his life. “The Man,” he explains, is authority including parents, cops, teachers, bosses and old people, i.e. everyone who tries to keep Matthew from pursuing his dreams. The story, as told by Matthew, in a very amusing way, portrays the rocky road on his way to achieving his goal, and the ways in which he stands up to “The Man” along the way. The book includes many cartoon-like black and white pictures, which provide funny explanations and diagrams that depict various aspects of the story. This book is recommended for young teens, especially boys, who will relate to Matthew’s relationships with his friends, his new girlfriend, his teachers, and his parents. ( )