Drums, Girls, and Dangerous Pie

Title: Drums, Girls, and Dangerous Pie
Author: Jordan Sonnenblick
Genre: YA; Realistic Fiction
Pages: 273
Time to complete: 10 days


Book Summary:
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.


Review:

I loved reading this book. So much so that I had to put it down some days because I was crying. This is a unique and heartbreaking take on the struggles of having a family member suffering from leukemia. While it may have a crazy title and an even crazier plot summary, the book is good for young readers and holds an important message about family and brotherhood. Readers can relate to him best because middle school is pretty horrible for everyone, and some can relate to the struggles of having a family member who is fighting against cancer.

What I liked best about this book was the common theme of family. Even though the main protagonist has a dislike for his crazy little brother, Jeffery, he realizes how much a family can dramatically change when the word “cancer” is involved. My uncle got cancer just a few months ago (he's in remission now, thank God), but at the time I knew what Steven was going through. It's scary.

What makes this book stand out I think is its lack of traditional dialogue. While it is there, Sonnenblick instead made the dialogue italic instead of the usual quotation dialogue. It gives the novel a more reporter like voice, as if someone is retelling Steven's story in an interview. I thought that was very cool. Overall, this novel is very humorous and great for middle school readers. 

If you read and enjoy this book, then check out Sonnenblick's website and blog. There you can find out about his other seven books. 

Well that's it for this post. Next post will be up soon (I hope.)

Remember: The Book is Always Better