DRUMS, GIRLS & DANGEROUS PIE by Jordan Sonnenblick

Realistic Fiction, Cancer, Family, School, Romance

From the PublisherThirteen-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 heart warming journey through a year in the life of a family in crisis.My CommentsA true favorite. This book can speak to a wide range of readers. A realistic fiction staple. Potential for a great class or small book group book discussion.

From the PublisherAn amazing sequel to the groundbreaking Drums, Girls, and Dangerous Pie.Jeffrey isn't a little boy with cancer anymore. He's a teen in remission. Even though the cancer should be far behind him, life still feels fragile. His parents still worry about him. His older brother, Steven, who has always been Jeffrey's main support system and confidant, lost it and took off to Africa to be in a drumming circle and "find himself." His best friend, Tad, is hatching some kind of secretive, crazy plan, which is driving him bonkers. And there is a girl who is way out of his league but who thinks he's cute.Profound, funny, and utterly original, After Ever After promises laughter and tears and characters who will live with readers long after the story is over.

My Comments

Just as good as Drums. It's rare to have a book you can recommend to so many different kinds of readers. 

CHILD SOLDIER: When Boys and Girls are Used in War by Jessica Dee Humphreys and Michel Chikwanine

Graphic Novel, Refugees, War, Africa, Memoir

47 pages.

From the Publisher

"Michel Chikwanine was five years old when he was abducted from his school-yard soccer game in the Democratic Republic of Congo and forced to become a soldier for a brutal rebel militia. Against the odds, Michel managed to escape and find his way back to his family, but he was never the same again. After immigrating to Canada, Michel was encouraged by a teacher to share what happened to him in order to raise awareness about child soldiers around the world, and this book is part of that effort. Told in the first person and presented in a graphic novel format, the gripping story of Michel's experience is moving and unsettling. But the humanity he exhibits in the telling, along with Claudia Davila's illustrations, which evoke rather than depict the violent elements of the story, makes the book accessible for this age group and, ultimately, reassuring and hopeful. The back matter contains further information, as well as suggestions for ways children can help. This is a perfect resource for engaging youngsters in social studies lessons on global awareness and social justice issues, and would easily spark classroom discussions about conflict, children's rights and even bullying. Michel's actions took enormous courage, but he makes clear that he was and still is an ordinary person, no different from his readers. He believes everyone can do something to make the world a better place, and so he shares what his father told him: ?If you ever think you are too small to make a difference, try sleeping in a room with a mosquito.'"

My Comments

Powerful storytelling. Extremely successful in portraying the tragedy and injustice of using children as soldiers - the cruelty, the evilness of this practice. Teachers and parents should read first to be aware of the contents, but the authors manage to be truthful in an age appropriate delivery. They offer valuable resources for more information and ideas for young people to take action. A valuable addition to the library collection.

There are not many middle school age appropriate books written on this extremely disturbing topic, but portions of A Long Way Gone by Ishmael Beal may be useful. Another memoir,  Facing the Lion: Growing Up Masaii in the African Savannah by Joseph Lemasolai Lekuton tells the inspiring story of how a village in Kenya supported a young boy in his quest for education.  

TROUBLE by Gary Schmidt

Horn Book (May/June, 2008)
" 'If you build your house far enough from Trouble, then Trouble will never find you.' Such is the credo of the fortunate Smith family of Blythbury-by-the-Sea, a (fictional) WASP-y outpost of Boston. But when Trouble arrives, it just keeps on coming. First, oldest son Franklin lies in a coma after being hit by a car; a young Cambodian immigrant is identified as the driver. Daughter Louisa, hugely distraught, retreats to her bedroom, and fourteen-year-old Henry is left on his own. With the newly adopted Black Dog, whom he's rescued from the sea, Henry sets off to climb Maine's Mt. Katahdin (as he and Franklin had planned to do together) and is joined by unexpected companions. Schmidt embarks on a road trip that limns the growing friendship of three unforgettable boys -- Henry; his honest, aggravating best friend Sanborn; and the accused Cambodian boy, Chay Chuan. A host of coincidences strains credulity at times but also allows for an extraordinary breadth, widening themes and resolving plot lines. Like Chaucer's pilgrims, Henry, Chay, and Louisa all have to find their way to grace. The accident that brings trouble to Henry and his family also brings self-realization and the uncomfortable knowledge that both Henry's idolized brother and the vaunted history of the Smith family are not what they seem. Along with the pivotal role played by the enthusiastic Black Dog, rich secondary characters enhance a 1970s-set story that adds much to the discussion of how tragedy and racism affect individuals, families, and whole communities.' (titlewave.com)

Many issues that would be excellent classroom discussion topics are raised in this book. Racism, immigration, honor, honesty, kindness, and courage are some of the themes running through this thoughtful book, which is lightened with humorous exchanges between friends. A slow beginning, but satisfying once the stage is set.