The Rubber Band is a new children’s novel by my friend Christy Hoss.
It’s the story of a makeshift third-grade musical group that enters a contest. They call their group “The Rubber Band.”
But The Rubber Band has more important things to show us than just a group of precocious musicians trying to win a contest.
Type-One (juvenile) diabetes plays a role.
Christy’s book features a multi-ethnic cast of characters with astonishing techy skills. The four boys and one girl face physical and family challenges along the way with warmth and grace.
Full of elementary school humor, poignancy, and life lessons, it’s a wonderful gift for the older elementary school students in my life.
What’s the story about?
A third-grade boy gets in trouble one day by firing a rubber band at the smartest girl in class.
He missed, yes, but that propelled them all into a musical adventure.
Eddie, the lead character, learns lessons about friendship and not judging by what you see.
He has to practice forgiveness. He learns about grace and that wealth doesn’t mean happiness.
All without preaching!
While I have a savvy third grader in my life, I asked Christy about their ages.
I assisted in second and third grade, taught art for the entire school, produced two plays and published the yearbook. All those experiences plus observing and listening to children all day have given me 😊plenty of material.”
She knows this age group well.
But, how could they be such good musicians? I’m a musician. I wouldn’t be able to perform as well as The Rubber Band‘s nine-year-olds did!
There was an actual Rubber Band made up of 3rd-6th graders that played in the local school talent show like professionals and had other gigs at an open mic night.
I asked them to play at my 5oth birthday party too. They have gone on to other things, but I hear they are still into music and have retitled their band.”
Those who live in our county may also see familiar spots–with different names. Local writer Francine Rivers wrote the endorsement.
It’s an excellent example of writing what you know!
The Rubber Band and diabetes
The onset of diabetes plays an important role in the novel.
And for that reason, the book is invaluable for vulnerable kids.
Most of whom, of course, don’t realize something is wrong until it hits hard.
In 2018, an estimated 1.5 million new cases of diabetes were diagnosed among U.S. adults aged 18 years or older. This includes approximately 210,000 children and adolescents younger than age 20 years.”
If you’re concerned about a child or have a child with diabetes, this children’s novel could help ease some of their fears.
Christy has the disease herself and wrote about it and the confusion it can cause a child.
Her descriptions are entertaining, real, and enlightening.
Christy plans additional novels about The Rubber Band characters. One will involve diabetes camp. Another–a diabetes service dog!
Dogs for Diabetes
Christy understands the emotions and the fears that come with the dis-ease (as Eddie says in The Rubber Band).
I love to inspire others, especially diabetics. When I was first diagnosed, I thought diabetes was a death sentence, but now I see it as an equation to live by: Diabetes + Living = Live-abetes.“
Christy and her diabetes service dog Aiden are a well-known pair. They’ve been a team for three years and Aiden has saved Christy’s life many times.
The two of them (separately) trained at the Dogs4Diabetes Nylabone Training Center in the San Francisco Bay area. They met early in Aiden’s training and Christy fell in love. She tells about it here:
The decision is made by the trainers to place a dog that will fit your lifestyle and there are many waiting to be placed. Everyone loved Aiden.
Three years ago when I was called for placement, he ran into my arms with his quirky slurps and chomps and I knew we were a fur-ever team.
He is a rare brindle lab but highly intelligent. At home when I am low, he doesn’t pick up his alert bar that is always hanging on his collar, but brings me glucose tabs. He cuts out the middleman and goes straight to the solution.”
Who is Christy Hoss?
Minnesota native Christy Hoss moved to California as a young woman following a traumatic event.
A teacher and former French horn player, Christy lives with her family and her service dog Aiden in northern California. (She’s currently learning to play the soothing kalimba.)
Christy’s dreams of being a writer began when her second-grade teacher, Mrs. Olson affirmed her abilities
(Does anyone know Mrs. Olson of Thief River Falls, Minnesota? Please pass her this blog post!)
The Rubber Band inspiration came one day while she worked as an aide.
One day as I watched the third graders playing math games, I noticed a rubber band on the floor where they sat in pairs. I’m filing and correcting papers, but my writing mind took off and I put the beginning to the story together that day.”
Update: The Rubber Band Stretches continues the band’s story through the Elvis-impersonator Rocky and his life as a foster child.
Tweetables
The Rubber Band: music, diabetes, & third graders! Click to Tweet
How a simple rubber band inspired a children’s novel. Click to Tweet
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