Drums, Girls, and Dangerous Pie

Jordan Sonnenblick's book Drums, Girls, and Dangerous Pie is a narrative story from the point of view of Steven Alper. He is a normal eighth grade boy. He is in a all city jazz band in a high school even though he is in middle school. Sadly he is one of the two middle schoolers in the band. He plays drums. He is nerdy and clumsy. Steven has a little brother named Jeffrey. Jeffrey is a five year old with curly blond hair and an energetic attitude. All that changes though when Jeffrey is diagnosed with cancer. Steven changes with the new surprise. He gives up a lot for his family, grows up a lot in maturity, and becomes less self conscious.

Steven will give up anything for his family. His favorite thing to do is play the drums. When Jeffrey got cancer he had to give up his drum lessons because his family could not support the lessons with a cancer bill to pay.  Also when Steven has a study date with  the girl of his dreams Renee Albert he has to give up the date for Jeffrey. Renee had a cold and Jeffrey could not be around sicknesses like that.

Steven becomes a "man" towards the end of the story. Even Stevens father said so himself. Steven was devastated by the cancer situation. But Steven stayed strong throughout Jeffreys cancer treatment. He practices his all-city music pieces ten times harder than he did before and with encouragement he did all of his homework.

Steven has become more confident of himself and thinks about other people instead of just himself. He always wants to comfort Jeffrey. So when the cancer took Jeffrey's "golden" hair Jeffrey was sad. So Steven decided the best way to comfort Jeffrey was to shave his head to. Steven did shave his head to. He did not care what other people thought of him at school just that he made Jeffrey happy.

Steven has grown up a lot in maturity, he has given everything he could, and he has become more confident of himself and thinks about other people. This book was amazing over all. Steven has grown and become a man. I am happy that I don't have to go through this situation.