Drums, Girls, and Dangerous Pie

Discuss Steven’s style of narration in Drums, Girls, and Dangerous Pie. How do the first-person point of view and use of humor work in conjunction with the novel’s treatment of such a serious subject as childhood cancer?

Discuss the character of Samantha. What does she teach Steven, and what is her overall significance in the novel?

Compare Steven’s relationships with Renee and Annette. How do Steven’s feelings toward both girls evolve over the course of the novel, and what does this change suggest about Steven’s development as a character?

Discuss Drums, Girls, and Dangerous Pie as a coming-of-age story. How does Steven demonstrate increasing maturity and perspective over the course of his difficult 8th-grade year? 

Drums, Girls and Dangerous Pie contains many references to famous musicians and jazz pieces. What do these allusions contribute to the novel?

What role or roles do Steven’s teachers–namely, Miss Palma, Mrs. Galley, Mr. Stoll, and Mr. Watras–play in supporting him while Jeffrey has cancer? Choose two teachers and discuss their impact on Steven’s growth as a character. 

What is the significance of Jeffrey’s Matt Medic action figure in the novel? How can it be connected to his relationship with Steven?

Compare the characters of Steven’s parents. How do they respond to the challenges surrounding Jeffrey’s diagnosis with leukemia differently?