Time travel through a weathered boombox to the south side of Chicago in the 1970s to hear the exhilarating music and lives showcased in Kat Croswell's: Pieces of Eight: A Harper Family Mixtape. Join our heroine, eight-year-old Jasmine (Jazzy) Piccolo Harper, as she and her family experience joy, grief, and good trouble in this tender, tragic, and dramatic coming of age story. Kat dreams up sweet powerful images juxtaposed with the major and minor chords of life in an innovative writing genre she has named a literary mixtape. Prepare your heart to burst, to break, and to be on beat to a perfectly timed 8 count."
- Kelechi Ubozoh, Co-editor of We've Been Too Patient: Voices from Radical Mental Health
The narrative revolves around Jazzy's family - Joanne, Phillip, Jackson, Jacy, Jamar, Joseph, and their faithful dog, Brutus. Each character adds a layer of depth and richness to the story. The journey is further enriched by Jazzy's friends, Pookie, Beans and the Snaggletooth Twins, the enigmatic neighbor, Old Lady UpChurch, and the new boy in town, Buster Beaudreaux.
Pieces of Eight transcends the boundaries of a typical story; it is a literary symphony, resonating with a captivating and refreshing rhythm. The embedded soundtrack offers readers an innovative and authentic storytelling experience. Each page is a testament to human resilience, the significance of family ties, and the transformative power of music. It's a narrative that will evoke laughter, tears, and provoke thoughts that linger, resonating long after the last page is turned.
