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Michael Wenberg
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Stringz Hardcover – May 17, 2010

by Michael Wenberg (Author)
4.3 4.3 out of 5 stars 5 ratings
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Life hasn t been easy for Jace Adams, a mixed-race teen whose mom moves them from one place to another so often that sometimes he's been in four schools in a single year. To cope with all that instability, Jace has vowed to never let himself get attached to anyone or anything--other than his beloved cello. But when his mom takes them to Seattle, where they're living with tough, sassy Aunt Bernice, Jace wonders if this time things might really change. Because money is tight, Jace plays his cello on the street in downtown Seattle, and one evening, someone throws a folded $100 bill with a business card attached into Jace s open cello case while he's serenading. That card changes everything; it's from a famous cello instructor who offers to take him on, giving Jace a shot at winning a large cash prize. Will he make the grade?
Previous page
  1. Reading age
    11 - 18 years
  2. Print length
    216 pages
  3. Language
    English
  4. Grade level
    6 - 12
  5. Lexile measure
    HL760L
  6. Dimensions
    5.5 x 1 x 8.25 inches
  7. Publisher
    Westside Books
  8. Publication date
    May 17, 2010
  9. ISBN-10
    1934813338
  10. ISBN-13
    978-1934813331
  11. See all details
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Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Gr 6-10–Jace Adams's mother likes to move whenever a relationship goes bad, so now he's a freshman at a new school in Seattle. They're living with his mother's scary Aunt Bernice, who will not allow Jace to live in the house. Instead, she sets him up in the shed in the backyard. His only real solace is his cello, Ruby, and the escapist power that comes from playing. The first half of the book is brilliant. It is well crafted; the language is interesting, funny, and insightful; and the characters draw in readers. However, midway through the story, Jace's mother leaves him to follow yet another boyfriend, and the entire tone changes. Whereas extreme care and attention were seemingly paid to the plotting in the first half, and it takes place over a few weeks, the second half feels rushed and clumsy and months pass without much detail. However, Jace's character works in spite of the book's flaws, and readers will feel pride in his triumph.Naphtali L. Faris, Saint Louis Public Library, MO
© Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

From Booklist

Fourteen-year-old Jace has had it rough. His father left before he was born, his older brother and role model went to jail, and his mother shuffled him from city to city in hopes of a better life only to move on a few months later. The only thing Jace can rely on is Ruby, his cheap but beloved cello. Hoping to make some money, Jace plays Ruby on the streets of Seattle but instead finds an instructor. Wenberg (Seattle Blues, 2009) returns to familiar territory—minority teens turning their love of music into life lessons, and in Jace's case, there are many. The young cellist battles bullies, abandonment, and his internal critic to become the musician he was born to be. Some of Jace's inner dialogue grows a bit wearisome (he repeatedly calls himself a loser), and some of the “black” dialogue reads a bit forced, but overall Jace is likable. Readers will want a happy ending for him, and Wenberg grants their wish. Grades 6-9. --Courtney Jones

Product details

  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Westside Books; 1st edition (May 17, 2010)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Hardcover ‏ : ‎ 216 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1934813338
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1934813331
  • Reading age ‏ : ‎ 11 - 18 years
  • Lexile measure ‏ : ‎ HL760L
  • Grade level ‏ : ‎ 6 - 12
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 15.2 ounces
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 5.5 x 1 x 8.25 inches
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.3 4.3 out of 5 stars 5 ratings

About the author

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Michael Wenberg

Michael Wenberg

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My wife and I and a black dog named Gracie live in a house in the woods above the small seaside village of Kingston on Washington State’s Puget Sound. I have a love/hate relationship with the Internet and the electronic devices that always seem to be attempting to rule my life so, in my spare time, I like to get as far away from them as I can. I enjoy playing my horn (a trombone), and hiking and mountain biking with my wife on nearby trails and in the Olympic Mountains. When the weather isn't too nasty, you may find me rowing my hand-built wherry on the waters of Hood Canal, Gamble or Miller Bays, or elsewhere on Puget Sound.

I'm the author of a number of books including the three YA novels -"The Extraordinary Adventure of an Ordinary Korean-American Teenager Named Benjamin Goldberg, " "Seattle Blues," and "StringZ" - as well as "Elizabeth's Song," a children's picture book published by Aladdin/Beyond Words Publishing in 2002. "Seattle Blues" was a Flamingnet Top Choice Award winner and a Bank Street College of Education Best Book of the Year in the 12 - 14 age category. "Stringz" was also a Flamingnet Top Choice Award winner and was selected a "Best of the Best" by the Pennsylvania School Librarian's Association in 2011.

You can find all of my stories for kids available at the Kindle Store at Amazon.com, along with my World War II novel, "The Last Eagle," and my new novel, "The Morning Star."

Customer reviews

4.3 out of 5 stars
4.3 out of 5
5 global ratings

Top reviews from the United States

Karen Dellecava
5.0 out of 5 stars This tough, young cellist will tug at your heart stringz
Reviewed in the United States on August 25, 2011
Verified Purchase
I was immediately hooked when Jace Adams gets into a fist fight on his first day at a new high school to defend a violin. Jace's passion for music is the driving force that connects him with unlikely friends; Elvis (owner of the previously mentioned violin) and sweet Marcy. I was taken with Jace's struggles to become his own man while afraid he won't ever fit in. The touching relationships between his brother, aunt and cello teacher and the humor woven throughout are a sheer joy. Michael Wenberg makes the cello cool. Read Stringz. Rejoice!
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Trina Burchett
3.0 out of 5 stars Jace Thought His Cello Was The Only Thing He Could Count On
Reviewed in the United States on March 22, 2011
Verified Purchase
Jace Adams lives a life with no stability and very little family. His mother has moved him from place to place, and he has even slept in a car at times. His brother, Derrick, is in jail and his dad is not in the picture because he left before Jace was born. The last place Jace and his mother lived was California where he could at least enjoy his love of surfing, but now they have moved to Seattle. Jace doesn't expect life to be good in this city, and he doesn't expect to make any friends. At least he has his cello, Ruby.

I look at the book cover and read the synopsis and, thinking about cello playing and a prestigious school, words like intelligent, confident, gifted and mostly `culture' come to mind. And then I think about the fact that not only does this black guy - Jace had an African American mother and a White Irish father - play a cello, but he likes to surf and I expected the story to be, I don't know, maybe `sophisticated' and `unique' are the words I'm looking for. As I began to read Stringz, it wasn't what I expected and I wasn't sure I wanted to finish the book.

When the story begins Jace is calling himself names like moron or loser and he's calling others by the same names and he's using way too much profanity. I did not expect any of that, particularly all of the profanity. I was so disappointed that I wasn't sure how I felt about the character. And then he brought up Oprah's name and that was unrealistic to me, because I'm not sure any teenage guy is giving Oprah a second thought. What I mean is a teenage guy wouldn't be quick to bring up her name the way a female would. But I could be wrong. It turned out that the more I read the more likable Jace became and, even though the name calling continued (still disappointing, especially when he said he felt like an animal on display at the zoo), he wasn't using foul language as much as the story went on and I appreciated that. This young man did not have a happy childhood and I could understand him being angry about some things, so I guess it was his anger that gave him such a nasty mouth. And as I learned more about his family life I could definitely understand his case of low self-esteem, or maybe I should call it self-loathing. But Jace did have something that made him feel good and that was his cello, Ruby, and they've been together since he was six years old. If it wasn't clear to me just how much he loved Ruby, it sure was after reading chapter eighteen!

It was a shame that Jace had a mom who seemed to always put her needs before her son's, but at least his brother, Derrick, cared enough to better his life. He showed up on the scene at just the right time. And his Aunt Bernice was okay in her own way and she sure cared more about him than his mother did. Still, Jace needed friends his own age, so it was good that he eventually opened up to his classmates Marcy and Elvis and found out that his cello wasn't the only thing he could count on.

I did not feel good about this book in the beginning, but it got much better. I especially liked that Dr. Aldo Majykowski took an interest in fourteen year old Jace, caring enough to help this young man realize how talented a cello player he was. I found myself smiling big for Jace by the end. Also, the words on pages 158 and 159 touched my heart deeply.
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LAS Reviewer
5.0 out of 5 stars An inspirational and engaging story
Reviewed in the United States on May 29, 2010
Originally Posted at: [...]

When life deals you a rotten hand, do you lie down and die? Or do you stand up and fight for what's right? Jace Adams, for one, has had enough of the lying down and is ready to try his hand at the standing and fighting. Despite all that is staring him in the face, his only concern is to change the course his life has been following and make it his own for the first time in his young life.

When we meet Jace, he's withdrawn and a bit sullen. His only friend is his cello, the only thing in his life he can constantly count on to never let him down. He and his mother have just resettled, again, and this newest move lands them in Seattle. His promise to remain invisible deteriorates on the very first day of school when he rescues a very expensive violin from an imminent demise. From that moment on, he discovers that certain people in this new school refuse to let him fade into the background. Slowly but surely, Jace's new friends help pull him out of his shell and an amazing transformation takes place.

The changes that overcome Jace are amazing. I have long believed in the power of music to overcome obstacles, and this novel furthers my belief in just that. When he lets down his walls and allows his two music-loving friends inside, the combination of the music and the support of someone close transform his entire world. Even his cranky Aunt Bernice begins to see him differently. I loved Jace from the very beginning, but the young man he is becoming by the end of the novel is even more lovable and enjoyable than the person he started out as.

With a little love, a lot of support and a handful of luck, we can all change our fortunes in life. I think that was the main message I got from this story. Jace goes from feeling like he's worth nothing to no one and winds up realizing that he is an important part of many people's lives with the added benefit of amazing musical talent. Hand in hand with his new friends and newfound confidence, he pushes forward to make a new life. An inspirational and engaging story for readers of all ages!
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