An black Iraq war veteran and an Iraqi-American Muslim teenager form an unlikely friendship through their shared love of John Coltrane. A supreme coming-of-age story of friendship, forgiveness ― and jazz.
Tariq is is a young Iraqi-American Muslim man, beset by danger on the streets and conflict at home. Music is his only consolation. When he forms a friendship with the volatile but intriguing record-store owner and Iraq war veteran, Jamal, Tariq discovers the world of jazz ― and the man he could become.
Jamal is exciting, eloquent, and troubled. He suffers from PTSD, is always on edge. Tariq wants to learn from Jamal's knowledge of music, but can he afford to get close to this volatile veteran?
When violence that has long threatened finally erupts, things suddenly clarify for Tariq. He takes the ultimate risk ― not on behalf of his friend but his enemy ― and the disparate worlds of modern America and traditional Islam come together in an unexpected and gripping resolution.
Kevin Stevens has written grown-up books about bank robbers and jazz musicians but he also likes to write books for kids and teens. He helped the superheroes at Little Island create the Nightmare Club books for younger children (get spooked for free at www.thenightmareclub.com) and then went on to write his own books for children: The Powers and its companion book Pucker Power. (Check out www.readthepowers.com for free hilarity from the Powers family.) Pucker is his favourite character, even though he weed on Kevin’s leg once, thinking it was a lamp-post. His first book for teenagers was This Ain’t No Video Game, Kid! and his next book is A Love Supreme, for older teens. Both from Little Island, of course.