Readers > Talk it Up! > Discussion guides > Tribute to Another Dead Rock Star

Tribute to Another Dead Rock Star by Randy Powell

Summary

Because his grandmother will soon be heading cross-country in an RV with her new husband, fifteen-year-old Grady Grennan has to find a new address. One option is to move in with his younger half brother, Louie, in Seattle. But that poses two distinct problems. The first: Louie is mentally disabled, and though Grady thinks the world of him, Louie's tough to take in large doses. And the second: Louie's stepmother, Vickie, is deeply religious and rules her household with an iron fist. She and Grady are about as compatible as Mozart and heavy metal.

Nevertheless, Grady's staying with them, testing the waters. He's in Seattle for a tribute concert to his and Louie's mother, Debbie Grennan, a rock icon who died three years ago when she OD'd in her car on the roof of a parking garage. Grady has been invited to speak at the tribute. He'll get to ride in a limo, meet groupies, the whole works. But what is he supposed to say to thousands of adoring fans about a mother who abandoned her sons in favor of a musical career?

At the same time, under Vickie's watchful eye, Grady's at least got to try to play the part of the role-model big brother to Louie. But with Vickie on a crusade to drive away all memories of their drug-addicted, grunge-rocker mother from her home, this is no easy task. Does Grady really want to move into this mosh pit? Debbie Grennan never made compromises. Why should he?

Book Talk:

I'm sure you have all heard of the death of a famous rock star. Be it Kurt Cobain or John Lennon, the death of a celebrity hits us all in different ways. Some of us tend to take it personally. Even though we have never met the person or really know about their private life, we think we know them and we feel a loss. After Kurt Cobain's death, thousands of fans flocked to Seattle to pay tribute to him. Even years after his death, people visit Elvis Presley's home to feel a link to him. In this story, heavy metal rocker Debbie Grennan has been dead for three years but the world is still listening to her songs. When a famous band decides to play a tribute concert to her memory, Debbie's 15 year old son is asked to participate. Grady agrees to do the morning radio show and is excited about the concert that night. He is looking forward to hanging out with the band. It's not his favorite band but his half-brother Louie is a big fan. Oh yes, Louie. I forgot to mention him. He's mentally retarded and he lives with his father and step mother nearby. Grady is living with his grandmother for now but knows that won't last. Grady loves Louie but finds it hard to visit him. Grady doesn't get along with Louie's stepmother one bit. They argue about everything. Grady wants Louie to come to the concert tonight but he knows there will be a terrible argument about it. Can Grady convince her that Louie should be there? Will Grady be able to get through the day without breaking down? This is a story about a kid coming to terms with the reality of his situation. By Nancy J. Keane

215 pages, 6th grade and up.

Discussion questions:

Warning! Some of the questions contain key elements of the plot. Do not read if you don't want to know what happens!

Grady talks about the way his mom used to embarrass herself - and him - in public. How do you think that made him feel? Have your parents ever embarrassed themselves - or you - in public in a big way? How did you handle it?
Grady has a lot of different emotions about his mother - pride, anger, and admiration, just to name a few. What other emotions does Grady have towards his mother? Do you thinks it's possible to love someone and hate them at the same time? Do you think it would be easier or harder to sort out your emotions toward someone when that someone is dead?
Some good things come to Grady as a result of having had a famous mom - other kids admire him; he gets to go to concerts and be on the radio. But bad things happen as a result of his mom's fame, too - other people know his family's private business, and people assume that he shares his mom's faults. What do you think it would be like to be the child of someone famous and controversial? What other positives and negatives can you imagine?
Grady says when he feels "angry or lost or hopeless" he takes off on his skateboard for a while to clear his head. Why do you think that is? Do you have an activity or a place that works in the same way for you?
Why is Mindy so important to Grady?
Grady says that the time he lived on Lopez Island with his mom, Mitch and Louie was the best time of his life. Why do you think that was?
Grady is both very protective of his brother, and also irritated by him. What are the challenges of having a brother like Louie? What are the responsibilities? What's the upside? How do you think you would manage having a brother like Louie?
Grady and Vickie, Louie's mother, have an interesting relationship. How does Grady feel about Vickie at the start of the book? How and why does that change by the end? Does your opinion of Vickie shift, as well?
Grady and Vickie both have strong feelings about the best way to deal with Louie. Which approach makes more sense to you? Why? They clash especially hard over the idea of Louie going to the Tantrum concert. Do you think he should have been allowed to go? Why?
Vickie accuses Grady of using Louie to make trouble for her. Do you think he does so - even if only unintentionally?
Grady accidentally overhears a conversation between Mitch and Vickie on the baby monitor - a conversation about himself. Have you ever overheard people talking about you in an unexpected way? How did it make you feel? How did you react?

If you liked this book try

Homecoming by Cynthia Voight
Thames Doesn't Rhyme With James by Paula Danziger
The Grooming of Alice by Phyllis Reynolds Naylor
The Wanderer by Sharon Creech

Snacks: fish and chips

Created in part with funds granted by the Oregon State Library under the Library Services and Technology Act, administered by the Oregon State Library. Send feedback to Katie O'Dell, Reading Promotions Coordinator