The Rattle Box — Jane Charles

Two things stand in the way of Madison Cross realizing her dream of studying music performance and composition at a prestigious college: 1) Her parents, who don't understand or get her, and want her to attend a community college and settle on a career that will actually support her one day; and 2) A private instructor. No music school is going to take her seriously with only middle and high school instruction, but she has never been given the opportunity for private instructions (see #1 above). Her one shot is convincing Mrs. Dosek, a well-respected pianist who teaches for free, but the woman won't return an email, let alone talk to her. When Madison discovers a pink box of letters hidden in her parents' attic, she's consumed with wanting to know more about the woman who wrote them. Through reading the heartbreaking letters, Madison comes to learn more than she ever dreamed of about herself, but now she has to face her biggest fear, and it has nothing to do with college. She must learn where she came from in order to find out where she's going.