Jordan Sonnenblick is one my new favorite authors. This past week I read DRUMS, GIRLS & DANGEROUS PIE and I loved it.
Steven is a young teen--an eighth grader--who is about to face the toughest year of his life. In October, his younger brother (5 or 6???) is diagnosed with a serious life-threatening illness: leukemia. Suddenly, Steven's life is out of control. He's expected to behave much like before: go to school, do his homework, take his weekly drum lessons, practice for his All-Star Jazz Band...but he has even more responsibilities to shoulder. Now he has to tend for himself while his mom and brother are out of town a good percentage of the time. He has to deal with the fact that his father is emotionally shutting down and isolating himself from his family. He has to deal with the knowledge that his annoying little brother may not live very long. His brother's requests for games and attention can't be swept away and filed under "bothersome" any more. After facing days and weeks of horrible medical procedures, how can Steven be cruel and refuse to play a couple of games a night? And how can he beat his brother? Shouldn't his brother be allowed to win something at the end of the day. Yes, life is full of changes for Steven.
Drums, Girls & Dangerous Pie is the story of how he copes with those changes and becomes a stronger, more compassionate young man because of it.
Here's a taste of the writing:
"Inside the dance, I found a bunch of my friends standing around in a corner. It suddenly struck me that the two worst social situations in middle school--dances and dodgeball--had a lot in common for guys like me. You go to the gym, stand in a corner as far away from the action as possible, and try not to be seen. Your eyes scan the room for threats--either flying projectiles aimed at your head or girls aimed at mortifying you by getting you out on the floor--and you sweat profusely while standing still. Also,you're wearing clothing that embarrasses you, and you feel like everybody else is better at this game than you are. And in both situations, you desperately hope that some miracle will occur to bring you glory, but you're too scared to attempt to do anything that might actually achieve any recognition. Oh yeah, dances and dodgeball: the two Ds of my middle school nightmares."
Drums, Girls & Dangerous Pie is the story of how he copes with those changes and becomes a stronger, more compassionate young man because of it.
Here's a taste of the writing:
"Inside the dance, I found a bunch of my friends standing around in a corner. It suddenly struck me that the two worst social situations in middle school--dances and dodgeball--had a lot in common for guys like me. You go to the gym, stand in a corner as far away from the action as possible, and try not to be seen. Your eyes scan the room for threats--either flying projectiles aimed at your head or girls aimed at mortifying you by getting you out on the floor--and you sweat profusely while standing still. Also,you're wearing clothing that embarrasses you, and you feel like everybody else is better at this game than you are. And in both situations, you desperately hope that some miracle will occur to bring you glory, but you're too scared to attempt to do anything that might actually achieve any recognition. Oh yeah, dances and dodgeball: the two Ds of my middle school nightmares."
From DRUMS, GIRLS & DANGEROUS PIE by Jordan Sonnenblick, p. 94-95
This review was written and submitted by Becky L.
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You can read Jordan Sonnenblick's blog here. It will also be added to the sidebar with the other Delicious Author Blogs.
Happy Weekending! And thanks for visiting Clean Reads.
"clean reads" huh? with 2 voracious yet impressionable readers, this could be just what I've been looking for... liked D,G&DP myself, will check your blog for other suggestions -- thanks!
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