Put another nickel in

Jukebox
by David Merveille
Kane/Miller

Sometimes a book crosses over so fancifully into adult territory, I'm tempted to keep it for myself, lest the kids spill stuff or gum it up. Such it is with Learning to Fly or The Gift of Nothing. I'm adding Jukebox to that special list, though of course there's nothing wrong with sharing it with the sticky-fingered brats. Just give it back! In one piece! Did you hear me?!

There are precious few words in this book about a jukebox and how it transports its listeners into their private fantasies. On each left-hand page, a customer plugs in a coin, and on the facing page, becomes a hip-hop deejay or an opera soloist or a country strummer, to name but a few. The style of music is labeled with some clever typography used as a graphic element.

In fact, the whole book reminds me very much of those oversized bistro posters you can find at Z Gallery or swanky art poster shops, but shrunk down to a smaller format book. It's understated but polished, sparing in detail but big on storytelling elements.

Its humor derives from chuckling over people's imagined selves, while celebrating our inner John Travolta or Garth Brooks. I would've liked to see a few more women characters, but this is a small quibble.

Rating: *\*\*\

Comments

[MotherReader]

Love the Saturday Night Fever image on the cover. I'll keep a look out for this book.

I can share my picture books freely since my kids are past the sticky hands stage. My problem is that they take the chapter books and squirrel them away. I can't find half of my ARC's. Time for a cleaning intervention.

[Bkbuds]

When you're done, could you clean my son's room too?

Thanks!

[Barbara Johansen Newman]

Anne, late to this discussion (so what else is new?).

But I enjoyed reading about this book. I will get it for sure!

Why? Because my husband and I actually collect jukeboxes from the fifties (from what I can see, the "Bubbler" on the cover looks to be an old wurlitzer, circa 1947). We now have 4.

I've blogged about 3 of them. Here is a link:

http://johansennewman.typepad.com/cats_and_jammers_studio/2006/04/lights_action_r.html

For what it's worth, even though they weigh about 350 lb and only hold between 50 and 100 records, they deliver lot more fun than an iPod.

And you can still get brand new 45s.....

Rock and roll on!

[Barbara Johansen Newman]

oops!
Only gave you the link to the pictures. Here is the post:

http://johansennewman.typepad.com/cats_and_jammers_studio/2006/04/lights_actionro.html