TUNE IT OUT written by Jamie Sumner is an engaging novel for middle grade readers about 12 years old Lou who has been blessed with a beautiful singing voice but who cannot sing in front of people. Lou is living with a sensory processing disorder that no one around her can see. She cannot tolerate loud noises such as doorbells ringing, clocks chiming and people clapping. And when people touch her, bump her or come close she feels extreme pain and anxiety. She thinks she is crazy.
Homeless and living in a truck with her mother is yet another burden placed upon her. Her mother is determined that Lou will sing pick up gigs to prepare for a career in music. These appearances are painful to her and cause her to pull out her hair and throw up. After Lou drives their truck off the road in bad weather, social services are alerted to the fact that Lou is not being properly taken care of and she is placed with her Aunt until things can be sorted out.
She comes to an understanding of her problem with the help of her social worker, therapist and Well (short for Maxwell), a student she meets at the private school in which she has been enrolled. He gives Lou the support and the courage to get involved with new things such as assistant directing the school play.
The characters of Lou and of Well are genuinely and colorfully put forth and show great empathy for each other. Furthermore, the author allows the reader to get inside Lou’s head and actually feel the struggle she has been dealing with for so long as well as the wholesome way Lou eventually reconnects with her mother on her terms.
TUNE IT OUT written by Jamie Sumner is a wonderfully told story about disability, friendship, courage and love for readers 10-14 years of age (Atheneum Books for Young Readers, 2020).
Activity questions for TUNE IT OUT
Have you ever heard of SPD, sensory processing disability, before reading this novel? Unexpected and loud sounds could completely take Lou over to the point she could not handle them. Go through the story and make a list of all of the sounds that rendered Lou unable to cope. What coping mechanisms did her therapist suggest to her? What is a sensory diet? Relook at pages 220 and 221.
Why does Lou’s friend Well prepare a Spotify playlist for her? Take a look at the list on pages 215 and 216. How does he think it will benefit Lou? If you are familiar with some of the songs how do you think it will benefit Lou? If a friend were to design a song playlist for you, what songs would you hope would be on it?
Lou, as assistant director of the school play, is given an opportunity to once again sing in front of an audience. Could she have done this without Well’s support? Could she have done this if she knew her mother was in the audience?
The author gave this book the title TUNE IT OUT. How does it relate to the story? If you were to give this story a title what would it be?
