cover image The Vinyl Princess

The Vinyl Princess

Yvonne Prinz, . . HarperTeen, $16.99 (313pp) ISBN 978-0-06-171583-9

Prinz (the Clare series) is the cofounder of the independent music store chain Amoeba Music, and her latest novel has all the props of the trade. School’s out and 16-year-old Allie, aka the Vinyl Princess, is working at Bob & Bob’s Records in Berkeley, Calif., for the summer—a quintessentially dingy haven for music geeks, anti-downloaders, and street freaks. Over the span of three months, she attracts the attention of a roguish mystery boy she calls “M,” witnesses a robbery, shepherds her divorced mom through the perils of online dating, finds her soul mate, and starts a vinyl listeners–only blog/fanzine (“Corporate rock still sucks; downloading is harmful to music and other living organisms. Music is love”). While Allie’s personal dramas are entertaining, what makes the book stand out is her encyclopedic, cross-genre knowledge of bands, songs, and albums, beyond the usual suspects. References to the old-fashioned but still cherished mix-giving ritual will be appreciated by music connoisseurs and novices alike. Allie’s song lists are an education in themselves—they’re worth a listen and this is worth a read. Ages 12–up. (Jan.)