Will

THE CRIME It 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 PUNISHMENT That'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 MUSICAL Now 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 PLAYERS There'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.

Publishers Weekly

When 17-year-old Will drops his pants to moon the bus of girls from the sister school to his all-boys academy, he is exiled to the land of geeks, aka, the band for the school musical, a punishment suggested by his English teacher. The school leadership has grown weary of Will's hijinks, and this is his last chance to prove himself. But in the year since his father died, Will has ceased to care about most things, dwelling in a silent grief that is slowly revealed to readers. But through the strong supporting cast--Zach, the seventh-year student who idolizes Will; Elizabeth, Will's crush; Chris, Will's best friend; and Mark, the lead in the musical, who comes out to Will--Will is brought slowly back to the land of the living. Readers should find it easy to sympathize with Will's vibrant, deadpan narration and his frequent use of slang, while recognizing that his jocular exterior hides a deeper vulnerability. Debut novelist Boyd effectively handles Will's final outpouring of repressed emotions: the personal growth achieved by her realistic, likeable protagonist is abundantly clear. Ages 12 up. (July)

Maria Boyd has spent the better part of the past seven years teaching at two boys' high schools in Sydney, Australia, a job that has guaranteed her, among other things, at least four belly laughs a day. Before that, she completed her master's in cultural studies, and before that, she traveled the world from her base in London.
She has explored many different types of opportunities in her working life, but nearly all have had something to do with young people and teaching. There is no coincidence in this-she enjoys and believes in them both. Maria lives in Sydney.
Will is her first novel.