about the book
Seventh-grader Alex Schrader has attended an all-boys preparatory school all his life, and spends most of his free time goofing around with his guy buddies. So far, girls have not been a part of his everyday life, and that’s been all right with him!
After a terrible earthquake hits Haiti, however, a beautiful Haitian girl named Bijou moves into Alex’s Brooklyn neighborhood. Bijou attends a nearby school, and Alex is absolutely taken with her—he wants to spend time with her, and woo her—after all, she’s stolen his heart!
Both Alex and Bijou will have much to learn about one another and each other’s cultures as they find themselves falling in love for the first time. Unfortunately for Alex, Bijou’s strict uncle will not let her leave the house without a chaperone. This will make it hard for Alex and Bijou to spend time together! Luckily, they have the help of some crafty friends who are willing to break rules, and so the pair figures out a way that they can see each other in secret.
While Alex is learning about the Haitian dating culture that Bijou is used to, he also has to deal with his friends when he tells them he likes a girl. What does it really mean when you ask a girl out, anyway? And when Bijou and Alex are discovered sneaking around to see one another, what will happen to them and their blossoming relationship?
about the author
Josh Farrar is a graduate of Wesleyan University. After finishing school, Josh spent ten years working at companies, including Scholastic and LeapFrog, where he created software used to help kids gain strong reading skills.
Of course, reading and learning are important to Josh, but his first love in life is music. He has composed music for film and theatre, and has played in a number of bands over the years. This love is the reason that music plays such a large role in his novels! In fact, after writing Rules to Rock By, he created a band based on the story, and they toured the East Coast. Later on, he wrote A Song for Bijou, which was inspired by a Haitian American band called Dja Rara. Without a doubt, music and writing go hand in hand for Josh.
When he isn’t working, Josh loves to read, write, watch television, and of course, play stringed instruments. Today he lives with his wife in Brooklyn with their one-eyed cat named Zeitoun and a dog called Popeye.
Source:
Author website
Also by Josh Farrar:
Rules to Rock By. Walker Books for Young Readers. 2010.
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