Katy is not a music lover. When her mother heads to Peru on an archeological expedition, Katy is sent off to visit her father in L. A. , where she describes her response to a live show: “It’s not easy to listen to. It’s scary. I like music to be in the background. Not in my face.” As the daughter of The Rat, drummer of the infamous rock band Suck, Katy’s lack of musical ambition comes as a surprise to many. That includes Lake, daughter of another Suck original member, who has intense musical ambitions. Lake shows her contempt for Katy’s disinterest, and what she perceives as her bland personal style, by nick-naming her “Beige.” When Katy’s tenure in L. A. is extended against her wishes, she finds herself involved in the lives of her new acquaintances: Lake, with her driving musical aspirations; Garth, an uncool Skater boy who idolizes The Rat; and Leo, a gorgeous teen who inspires Katy to infatuation. There’s also Trixie, a burlesque dancer and The Rat’s girlfriend, and her young son, Auggie. And there’s The Rat himself, with a personal history clouded by substance abuse, but a responsible wish to truly act as Katy’s father for the first time. With chapter titles taken from songs and band names, Beige rocks to the underlying music that drives this novel from start to finish as Katy learns to look outside her narrow comfort zone for friendship and love. (Age 13 and older)

"Castellucci mixes details of the L.A. punk scene with memorable characters and witty dialogue. . . . Consider this pure Nirvana." -- BOOKLIST

Exiled from Canada to Los Angeles, Katy can't believe she is spending the summer with her father--punk name: the Rat--a recovered addict and drummer for the band Suck. Even though Katy feels abandoned by her mom, even though the Rat's place is a mess and he's not like anything she'd call a father, Kathy won't make a fuss. After all, she is a girl who is quiet and polite, a girl who smiles, a girl who is, well, beige. Or is she? From the author of BOY PROOF and THE QUEEN OF COOL comes an edgy L.A. novel full of humor, heart, and music.