Sonnenblick, Jordan.
DRUMS, GIRLS & DANGEROUS PIE
New York : Scholastic, 2005
IL 5-8, RL 5.3
ISBN 0439755190

(5 booktalks)
 

Thirteen-year-old Steven has a totally normal life: he plays drums in the All-Star Jazz band, has a crush on the hottest girl in the school, and is constantly annoyed by his five-year-old brother, Jeffrey. But when Jeffrey is diagnosed with leukemia, Steven's world is turned upside down. He is forced to deal with his brother's illness and his parents' attempts to keep the family in one piece.  (Rebecca Caudill Young Readers’ Book Award 2008)

Booktalk #2
 

13-year-old Steven has a totally normal life. He plays drums for the all-Star Jazz Band, has a crush on the coolest girl in school, and is constantly annoyed by his 5-year-old brother, Jeffrey. When Jeffrey becomes ill with leukemia, Steven and his family must cope with Jeffrey’s cancer. It affects the entire family but it is Steven’s life at school and with the band that changes the most.  (Pennsylvania Young Reader’s Choice Awards nominee, 2008-2009)

Booktalk #3

What if you had a dream that you wanted to become a big-time drummer?  You're as into your music that you play as Amadeus Mozart! Your dream girl is hanging around you and your friends lately, yet she's taken already. She hasn't found out that your feelings for her are strong, but you feel the time coming soon. Just when you thought nothing can go wrong, the biggest bomb you could think of drops! Your dreams of a career and a girl just crushed in a moment. All of a sudden, your focus is based on your family crisis and you realize that you've forgotten about yourself. Can you even imagine how you'd feel? This may not be your true life, but what if it was? Wouldn't you just want to cry? Well, this is the realistic story of 14 year-old Steven, and that's about all he does lately. Not only does his brother Jeffy have issues, but Steven soon meets a new friend that he can finally connect to, Samantha. Yet, sadly, it all comes crashing down! To find out what almost ruined Steven and his family's lives, read the greatest realistic fiction novel Drums, Girls, and Dangerous Pie by Jordan Sonnenblick. (Sumer G., student)

Booktalk #4

Has anyone in your family ever been sick?  Of course, everyone has been sick before, but have you ever ridden in an ambulance on your way to the hospital every other day?  This is the life of Steven and his younger brother Jeffery.  It all started out with a nose bleed and some bruises, which turned out to be leukemia.  As time went on, Jeffery's golden locks began to fall out and his eyes lost their sparkle.  Can you imagine being Steven in this situation?  Now Steven's good grades are going down the tubes, he is the center of attention at school every day, and his mom and brother have to fly to Philadelphia every week.  In Drums, Girls and Dangerous Pie by Jordan Sonnenblick, Steven faces embarrassment, girls, and drum solos along with Jeffery's dangerous pie.  Yuck!
I recommend this book for sixth, seventh, and eighth graders who are intrigued by surprise and interest.  This fascinating novel is realistic fiction.  (Caroline B., student)

Booktalk #5

Eighth grader Steven Alpert is on top of the world.  He’s been selected to rehearse and perform on drum set and congas with the All-City high school jazz band in their spring concert…they only take two percussionists and he is one of them. He’s crazy about Renee Albert who he thinks is the most beautiful girl in his class. And his good friend, Annette, who is a talented young pianist in the eighth grade, has also been selected to play with the All-City high school jazz band.

Life has a funny way of bringing up surprises. Suddenly Steven finds out that his younger brother, Jeffrey, has a serious life-threatening disease that he and his family must cope with. Steven deals with it with humor and bravery and realizes what it means to “be there” for his brother.

Drums, Girls & Dangerous Pie paints a realistic story about a young man’s passion for music, concern for his family and an attraction to pretty girls. It is told with wit and comedy even though it deals with a serious subject. Hey, what is Dangerous Pie? Read the book and find out.  (Melissa Bowman, Melissa.Bowman@pisd.edu, Armstrong Middle School,  Lone Star Book Award nominee, 2006-2007)