This book is really touching and made me realize how the author so subtlety changed the plot of the life of a 13-year old named Steven, by making his brother become diagnosed with leukemia. Steven's life would have been basically perfect if his brother didn't have leukemia. I like how this book shows the family's relationship and shows how they go on this journey through the year of this crisis. Although leukemia isn't common, I think it's a good book for people in grades 6-8 to read because they should know more about the problems around them. This book can be funny and sad altogether.
Drums, Girls & Dangerous Pie
By Jordan Sonnenblick
| Interest Level | Reading Level | Reading A-Z | ATOS | Word Count |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Grades 6 - 8 | Grades 10 - 8 | X | 5.9 | 49066 |
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. Salted with humor and peppered with devastating realities, DRUMS, GIRLS, AND DANGEROUS PIE is a heart warming journey through a year in the life of a family in crisis.
Publisher: Scholastic Inc.
ISBN-13: 9780545722865
ISBN-10: 0545722861
Published on 4/29/2014
Binding: Paperback
Number of pages: 304
Book Reviews (44)
As a drummer I appreciated how main character practiced a lot and put a lot of time and energy into practicing. This book is about a boy who has a little brother that got cancer. The book is about how the older sibling deals with his brothers cancer.
This was an amazing book! I really like stories that make you think and this was one of them. Steven is a normal 13 year old boy. School, wishing that the cutest girl in 8th grade ( Renee ) would notice him, annoying little brother ( Jeffrey ), and his favorite thing, playing the drums. But things change when his "annoying little brother" gets leukemia. The story follows Steven as he tries to deal with all the things going on in his life. I can't stop telling how amazing this book is. And if you read the book don't forget the authors note at the end about why the author wrote it. It's really sad.
Steven is your normal 8th grader that is in that middle range of being popular and non popular.He plays the drums in the city band and likes a girl like a normal 13 or 4 year old would.He has a brother named Jeffery and he is very hyperactive.one day his brother falls and has a terrible nose bleed it is very very bad.His mom takes Jeffery to the doctors office and when Steven get home from school he hears "your brother has leukemia."While Jeffery is in and out of the hospital Steven struggles at school,family,girls and to summarize it his life.Steven is doing better because of his guidance counselor told him he starts bringing his grades back up and starts him do better.There is a fundraiser for Jeffery's cause and he has to go to the hospital right before the concert.This is a heartwarming book with funny things and you will want to read it over and over again.
If you loved Rodman Philbrick's The Mighty or Gennifer Choldenko's Al Capone series, you will absolutely LOVE this book! Steven is your average 8th grader, whose not popular, but not unpopular either. He plays drums for a city band, likes a hot girl, and has a hyperactive brother named Jeffery. His life turns around when he hears four words. "Your brother has leukemia." As Jeffrey is in and out of the hospital, Steven suffers in many areas of his life: school, family, girls, money, and leukemia. But if one thing helps Steven get out of whack, it's Jeffery who is always there. Somehow, Steven gets through things by what his guidance counselor told him, "Instead of agonizing about the things you can't change, why don't you try working on the things you CAN change?" Through this one quote, Steven brings up his grades, loses his lackadaisical attitude, shaves his hair to help Jeffrey cope with the loss of his hair, and ends up becoming the popular kid by supporting his brother. When a fundraiser comes up supporting Jeffrey, and Steven has to play drums, he is prepared for this. But when Jeffrey has to go to the hospital right before his big solo, Steven leaves to support his brother. This story really, truly shows the effects of love.
When Jeffrey gets leukemia, Everything changes. From having an ordinary life to having a world upside down. Everything changes. The family is in the risk of breaking apart and his dear brother's struggles.
A little kid name Jeffery is having cancer right now and he dos it know it because he is 5 years old. And his family is having a hard time. Because of this the family is split and no one talks to each other.
This book is such a heart warming book it tells you a lesson that be grateful for what you have because their can be a bump in the road at any time just like this book.
I am reading this book for my language arts project and so far, I really like it! Even though I am only on Chapter 6, I find it really enjoyable and I even feel what the main character Steven is feeling. So far, the book is about how Steven's little brother Jeffrey got leukemia and he doesn't know how much time he has to live. Drums, Girls & Dangerous Pie by Jordan Sonnenblick is a really good book and I recommend it.
This book touched my heart in so many ways. The fact that Jeffery and Steven had such a strong sibling bond i thought was so sweet, i wish i was like that with my brothers. This book is happy, sad, funny, and will keep you on the edge of your seat the whole time. I highly recommend this book to everybody.