What a Song Can Do: 12 Riffs on the Power of Music

In a dozen short stories, writers ponder What a Song Can Do: 12 Riffs on the Power of Music, edited by Jennifer Armstrong. In Ron Koertge's ""Variations on a Theme,"" nine high school band members (writing as ""percussion,"" ""clarinet,"" etc.) tell their own stories bound by their role in the ensemble. The titular story by David Levithan focuses on a young guitarist struggling to cope with his parents and his boyfriend while music consumes his thoughts. Other authors include Dian Curtis Regan, Gail Giles and Joseph Bruchac. .