Drums, Girls, and Dangerous Pie

Characters:
Steven Alper
Jeffrey (Steven's brother)
Mom & Dad
Mr. Watras
Mrs. Galley (counselor)
Mrs. Palma (Steven's teacher)
Renee Albert (hottest girl in school)
Annette Watson (math whiz)
Sam (cancer patient)

Exposition: Jeffrey is Steven's little brother. He is the blond haired, blue-eyed, adorable little angel that mother and father dote on, while Steven, the older brother, is in the awkward stages of adolescence. Like most brothers, Jeffrey & Steven get along sometimes, and sometimes they fight.

Setting: Near Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Plot: As Steven begins his 8th grade year, his brother, Jeffrey, is diagnosed with Leukemia. Steven's entire 8th grade year is very difficult because Jeffrey has to go back and forth to the hospital for treatments throughout the year. During this time, Steven is pretty much on his own while his father slips into a deep depression. You will find both humor and sadness in each chapter.

In the end, Steven learns that although brothers can be a big pain, he really loves his brother, Jeffrey. He also learns not to worry about the things you cannot change, but rather, to focus on the things that you can change. These are two important themes that author, Jordan Sonnenblick, develops in this heart-warming novel.

Point of View: The story is told from the first person point of view because Steven Alper tells us the story as he sees it through the eyes of a typical 8th grade American male. He places himself in the action and uses words like "I," "me," "we," and "us," so it is first person point of view.