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Drums, Girls, And Dangerous Pie


by Jordan Sonnenblick

List Price: $6.99
Available: Usually ships in 24 hours
Sales Rank: 7407
Studio: Scholastic Paperbacks
Binding: Paperback
Reading Level: Young Adult
Number Of Pages: 304
Publication Date: September 01, 2006
Publisher: Scholastic Paperbacks


EDITORIAL REVIEWS

Product Description
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 heartwarming journey through a year in the life of a family in crisis.



CUSTOMER REVIEWS (Average Customer Rating: 5.0 based on 29 reviews)

A Heartwrenching Book That Surprises  
I was supposed to read one of Jordan Sonnenblick's books this summer as he is coming to visit next year. I wasn't too excited at first as I had never heard of him and that usually means a red "X" in my book. But this book is one the best I have read so far this summer. I almost cried several times, like when Jeffy sent Steven that note and when Samantha had died. Jeffery was such a cute and generous brother, yet I still understood how he was annoying. Steven was an engaging character with a ton of wit and sarcasm up his sleeve. I enjoyed how he and Annette got together at the end(but who didn't see that coming?)and liked how Renee (who had a really big ego)became friends with Steven and cared about him. I found the scenes where Steven was suffering and crying the most painful to read, and I began to ponder about life and how lucky we all are. This book really opened a window for me, and I'm thankful for that. I only have one problem,and that is how much the author uses "rents" in his book. I have never heard any kid my age use that in reference to their parents. But I think that Mr. Sonnenblick caputured the speech and actions of the teenager well, so that's a plus, considering how little I can relate to a lot of the teen/real-world fiction books that pervade the market. In all, this book was so enjoyable and so good that I'll probably read all his other books. Well done!
July 05, 2008

Didn't like it!  
Sorry, I just didn't find this book realistic at all. The author tries very hard, but does not succeed in writing a well written book about childhood cancer.

It is extremely hard to do and the author was very unsuccessful with this book.

Skip it!
April 13, 2008

Amazing read! A gold star book!  

As if being a 13-year-old, eighth grade male isn't bad enough, (there's girls to impress, homework to catch up on, drums to practice), try finding out your five-year-old brother has leukemia. It started the morning Steven left his little brother, Jeffrey, on a stool while he made his "moatmeal." Jeffrey fell and the bleeding started. Their mother races out the front door to take Jeffrey to the emergency room with an ice pack on his nose. Steven dreads the lecture he knows he'll get once he's home from school. Instead he's told his mother and brother will be leaving for Philadelphia and tests.

Steven tries to hold it together. But before long, he's feeling invisible, left out, guilty, angry. lonely, helpless, and wondering "what's the point?" His mother is totally wrapped up in caring for Jeffrey, his dad has become a worried zombie, and there's nothing Steven can do to help. Or is there?

For me, the single most important criteria for a gold star book is that it must make me "feel". It must make me reevaluate life as I see it, and wonder if I'm doing all I can to 1)appreciate my own blessings, and 2)make life better for others. This book does that and more. Jordan Sonnenblick gives the reader an honest, gritty look into the life of a family dealing with childhood cancer. He does it with amazing sympathy and humor. My 13-year-old son recommended this book to me. Two of his friends read it as well. If you haven't had the chance to read DRUMS GIRLS & DANGEROUS PIE, I highly recommend it.
March 23, 2008

Not an ordinary book  
This book is about an 8th grade kid trying to deal with life: school, girls, and playing in the band. He is the lead drummer for the all-city band. However, this all changes when his brother gets cancer. His whole life is turned upside-down. now he has to deal with school, girls, band, and a brother with cancer. It is an intriuging book and easy to read. I would reccomend it to someone in middle school or, maybe, in the early years of high school.
March 10, 2008

Best Book Ever!!!  
Drums, Girls and Dangerous Pie is a realistic- fiction book where a kid named Steven finds out his little brother has leukemia. On top of that Steven has school, drums, and girls to think about. I gave Drums, Girls, and Dangerous Pie a rating of 5 out of 5 stars because it was one of the best books i have ever read. It makes you cry and laugh at the same time. I like books were i can not predict the ending and this was definitely one of those books. Drums, Girls, and Dangerous Pie is a heartwarming book that left me thinking about the difficulties of having someone with cancer in your family. I mean imagine having cancer or the medical bills that need to be paid. What about the family falling apart? Find out about this and much more in Drums, Girls, and Dangerous Pie by Jordan Sonnenblick.
February 22, 2008


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