Five Flavors of Dumb is a moving, fun read, full of emotion and plenty of Seattle rock history. Piper and her sister are both deaf, but the story is not so much about their disability as it is about the main character's struggle to find out who the real Piper is. She begins the story having a fractured relationship with her parents, and feeling lost and invisible at school because her best friend (who is also deaf) moved away. The band management project begins as a way to make money, but along the way Piper learns that to succeed in the rock business, one must truly appreciate the art and emotion behind the music. The band visits Seattle landmarks dedicated to JImi Hendrix and Kurt Cobain (and references are made to the tragic circumstances of their deaths). There is a budding relationship where two characters kiss passionately, but otherwise interaction between the sexes is not physical. The language that occurs is strong (f-ck, shi-), but occurs on only a couple of occasions. There are excellent lessons about not judging a person by their exterior, as all of the female characters learn surprising things about each other's strengths and insecurities as they become friends.
