Fiddle Fever

Although it is 1914 and the world is changing all around him, Felix LeBlanc feels trapped on his Louisiana farmhouse, where nothing ever happens. When he hears his uncle, ’Nonc Adolphe, play the fiddle for the first time, he knows there’s music in his blood, and he’s determined to be a musician, too. However, he’s too poor to buy his own fiddle, and to make matters worse, Maman has forbidden him to even touch one, fearing that he’ll choose the wayward life of a fiddler. And so Felix begins to build his own fiddle out of a crude cigar box and a piece of cypress wood, keeping it a secret from his family and even his best friend, Chance. It is a solitary journey that will require all of his ingenuity—and place at risk the relationships that are dearest to him. Set against the colorful backdrop of the Cajun bayous, Fiddle Fever relays an important message about the universal need for self-expression and the compromises we must all make in our search for individuality. Glossary of French terms. Can a boy with a secret fiddle made from a cigar box find his voice without losing everything he loves? A Forbidden Passion: Félix knows music is in his blood, but his Maman has forbidden him from ever touching a fiddle, forcing him to pursue his dream in the shadows. Making Your Own Instrument: With no money for a real fiddle, Félix uses his ingenuity—and a discarded cigar box—to build his own, one secret shaving at a time. Family Secrets: A journey of self-discovery that uncovers a hidden truth: the very grandfather he was named after was a secret fiddler, too. A Rich Historical Setting: Step into the bayous of 1914 Louisiana, a world of Cajun traditions, French language, and a community where music is the soul of the people.