Maria Boyd – författare

THE CRIMEIt all started when Will mooned the girls'' school bus. It wasn''t his finest moment. And it''s the last time William Armstrong will sully the St. Andrew''s community, says Principal Waddlehead-er, Waverton.THE PUNISHMENTThat''s when a teacher worried about Will''s home situation comes up with an idea. Why not let Will, a talented guitarist, give back to the school in a progressive manner? Why not have him play in . . . THE SCHOOL MUSICAL?THE MUSICALNow Will is stuck in the school production of The Boy Friend. He''s a laughingstock, and he has to give up his weekends for a show set at a girls'' finishing school.THE PLAYERSThere''s the trombone-playing seventh grader who proclaims himself Will''s best friend and refuses to leave his side. Then there''s the undeniably attractive leading lady. Although she might be in love with her costar, the new football hero (and dazzling singer!).Sharp-witted, funny, and poignant all at once, this is the story of a boy going through a difficult time who, in a most unlikely way, discovers the person he truly wants to be.From the Hardcover edition.

If you like Melina Marchetta and Barry Jonsberg, you''ll love Maria Boyd''s novel about being in Year 11, being in trouble and being a good friend. Will is in trouble and everyone''s worried. They reckon it''s because of what happened six months ago. He doesn''t know what they''re on about. The latest incident lands him in Deputy Waddlehead''s office. His school career is over. That is, until his ''concerned'' English teacher fixes it so he gets a punishment ten thousand times worse than expulsion - helping out with the school musical. This is where the real trouble starts. What do you do with a year seven trombone-playing geek who appoints you as his new best friend, teachers who never get off your back, a really hot girl who thinks you''re an idiot, and a rugby-playing jock who doesn''t realise how dangerous it is to go to a boys'' school and act like you actually enjoy singing and dancing? It''s a completely different world, and Will is determined not to get sucked in.