Drums, Girls and Dangerous Pie

Cover Art Drums, Girls and Dangerous Pie

    This book was a really cool find for me because it is different from a lot of other books like this. Instead of being the normal sob (but understandable) cancer story, this book tells it from the older brother's point of view. Steven is a middle schooler that has a hard time telling anybody about his little brother's condition while trying to lead a normal life. I like how this story doesn't center completely around the cancer, but it symbolically shows Steven's struggle to get control of his life, trying to support his brother (Jeffery), but also working on his own things and social life. This story was narrated in the sarcastic tone of a 14 year old boy who earns a lot of wisdom over a span of one school year. 

    I was pleasantly impressed by Steven's compassion for his younger brother, he would do anything for him. The "conflict"  or "obstacle" of the story was not caused by Steven's lack of perception for Jeffery's condition, but because of an internal self- acceptance that he is forced to learn. 

I really loved this book, I would recommend it to readers of any age.