About this item
Sometimes lifes greatest accomplishments take place off the field.Theres nothing All Star pitcher Peter Friedman loves more than baseball. He breathes it, dreams it, and works his tail off to be great. Most kids are nervous about starting high school, but when youre the star athlete, girls, popularity, and all-around stud status are sure to follow.Then a pitching accident over the summer ruins Petes arm. If he cant play baseball in high school, what is he supposed to do? If he isnt the star pitcher, then who is he? To make matters more complicated, theres something going on with Petes grampa -- hes acting weird and keeps forgetting important things.The only person Pete can confide in is Angelika, the amazingly cute girl in his photography class who might like Pete as much as he likes her . . . Only, Angie doesnt know if she can date someone who cant be honest with himself, or with the people hes closest to.
About the Author
Here's my bio from the paperback version of _Drums, Girls & Dangerous Pie_:
"Jordan Sonnenblick attended amazing schools in New York City. Then he went to an incredible Ivy League university and studied very, very hard there. However, due to his careful and well-planned course selection strategies, he emerged in 1991 with a fancy-looking diploma and a breathtaking lack of real-world skills or employability.
Thank goodness for Teach for America, a program which takes new college graduates, puts them through 'teacher boot camp', and places them in teaching positions at schools in teacher shortage areas around the country. Through TFA, Mr. Sonnenblick found his place in the grown-up world, teaching adolescents about the wonders and joys, the truth and beauty, of literature.
Mr. Sonnenblick always wanted to be a writer, too, so one day in 2003 he started in on the book that became Drums, Girls & Dangerous Pie. This book was inspired by several aspects of the author's real life: like Steven, the main character in the novel, he really plays the drums, he really went through an incredibly awkward year when he was 13, and he really was completely spastic around girls until right around his 21st birthday. The made-up parts of the book are all reflections of the author's basic philosophy, which is that the world is a tough place, so you'd better be kind and laugh a lot.
Drums, Girls & Dangerous Pie was published by Scholastic Press in 2005 to great acclaim, and was named to several Best of 2005 lists, including the ALA's Teens' Top Ten.
In October 2006, Scholastic will release Mr. Sonnenblick's second novel, Notes from the Midnight Driver, which is about drunk driving, lawn gnomes, divorced parents, a unique old man, and a beautiful girl with deadly hobbies.
Mr. Sonnenblick lives in Bethlehem, PA with the most supportive wife and lovable children he could ever imagine. Plus a lot of drums and guitars in the basement."
I think that pretty much sums it up.
