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Drums, Girls & Dangerous Pie #2
After Ever After
Jeffrey isn't a little boy with cancer anymore. He's a teen who's in remission, but life still feels fragile. The aftereffects of treatment have left Jeffrey with an inability to be a great student, or to walk without limping. His parents still worry about him. His older brother, Steven, lost it and took off to Africa to be in a drumming circle and 'find himself'. Jeffrey has a little soul searching to do, too, which begins with his escalating anger at Steven, an old friend who is keeping something secret, and a girl who is way out of his league but who thinks he's cute.
272 pages, Hardcover
First published February 1, 2010
386 people are currently reading
6205 people want to read
About the author
Jordan Sonnenblick
31 books929 followersI am the author of seven books for children and young adults, including Drums, Girls & Dangerous Pie. So if youʼre looking for info about some other guy named Jordan Sonnenblick, youʼve got the wrong website.
Anyway, I know a lot of people are looking for stuff they can use in reports for school, so Iʼll just get this out of the way right up front:
My favorite color is blue.
I have a wife and two kids.
The best pet I ever had was a garter snake I caught when I was eight by a lake in Pennsylvania. I named the snake Hector. Then it gave birth to 20 baby snakes, so I changed its name to Hectoria.
My all-time favorite band is the Beatles, although I like a ton of different music.
My hobbies are playing the drums, guitar, and bass; riding my bicycle at least 50 miles a week; hanging out with my wife and kids; and reading.
Speaking of reading, I read a lot of different genres. As a kid, though, I mostly read fantasy, science fiction, and comic books. When I was in fourth grade, a fantasy novel called The Dark is Rising inspired me to become a novelist someday.
My favorite baseball team is the New York Yankees. When I was a kid, my best friend and I used to go to Yankees games and throw open ketchup packets off the upper deck. Donʼt try that at home, kids!
Anyway, I know a lot of people are looking for stuff they can use in reports for school, so Iʼll just get this out of the way right up front:
My favorite color is blue.
I have a wife and two kids.
The best pet I ever had was a garter snake I caught when I was eight by a lake in Pennsylvania. I named the snake Hector. Then it gave birth to 20 baby snakes, so I changed its name to Hectoria.
My all-time favorite band is the Beatles, although I like a ton of different music.
My hobbies are playing the drums, guitar, and bass; riding my bicycle at least 50 miles a week; hanging out with my wife and kids; and reading.
Speaking of reading, I read a lot of different genres. As a kid, though, I mostly read fantasy, science fiction, and comic books. When I was in fourth grade, a fantasy novel called The Dark is Rising inspired me to become a novelist someday.
My favorite baseball team is the New York Yankees. When I was a kid, my best friend and I used to go to Yankees games and throw open ketchup packets off the upper deck. Donʼt try that at home, kids!
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,475 reviews
August 17, 2017
A wonderful after ever after bike ride with my awesome GR friend,
Eilonwy
for our second BR! I loved our first BR for Drums, Girls & Dangerous Pie, and it was great to BR the sequel together as Steve and his little bro, Jeffy won my heart. I’m probably getting too melodramatic lately as it’s the fourth book this year, which really got me crying. Damn it, how can I turn into a hardcore Godzilla again?! Jk
I expected a lot from "After Ever After", and I must admit, it didn’t disappoint. It was a fun, heart-warming, heart-breaking and interesting ride with Steven’s little bro. Both books mainly started the same, main characters being in the 8th grade, so it was interesting to compare Steven’s and Jeffy’s POVs during that period. Why is Jeffy special? Well he survived cancer, duh. But despite that, I met a flawed, kind-hearted teen, who grew up from a sick cute kid and now tries to deal with his problems himself, having time to fall in love. Also he uses humor to mask his insecurities.
Sometimes it's hard to know whether I should curl up in a ball and die of embarrassment, or give myself a hearty high five.
The people around us might get all flipped out about it, but pretty much any illness I get isn’t a big deal compared to what I’ve already been through. That’s why I was calm, even when the fever and shakes started at around nine. Mom, on the other hand, was about as calm as Bambi after the forest fire.
I loved Tad, another special character in this book, too. He's hot-tempered, distrustful, and difficult to understand. Maybe that’s why he and Jeff became BFF.
As soon as the teacher begins telling us about our next social studies assignment, I lean over and whisper,
“Hi, I’m Jeffrey. I had cancer, too.”
He looks at me like I’m a particularly loathsome slice of school-lunch meat loaf and says,
“Wow, congratulations! What do you want, a medal?”
That’s how I meet my best friend.
I thinks the charm of this series is there, voice of such ordinary but at the same special kids. Oh and the teachers, too. How couldn’t I adore such a charming colleague? :D
“And let me tell you, when I was a kid, we didn’t have any of this Nintendo, Sega Genesis, Wii, three-D GameCube stuff. Our three-D game platform was called a park. Our Nin-ten-do virtual reality war game was called hide-and-seek. And Wii was the sound we made when we jumped fifteen feet from a tire swing.”
To hells, I have a teen son myself, who’s crazy about his bike and basketball and who sometimes has a tough period dealing with his teenage emotional issues as well as meeting girls. It was really great to read this series and spend some memorable hours diving into teen’s world and tasting some desserts as well as some sour candies. Highly recommended ;)
P.S.
I expected a lot from "After Ever After", and I must admit, it didn’t disappoint. It was a fun, heart-warming, heart-breaking and interesting ride with Steven’s little bro. Both books mainly started the same, main characters being in the 8th grade, so it was interesting to compare Steven’s and Jeffy’s POVs during that period. Why is Jeffy special? Well he survived cancer, duh. But despite that, I met a flawed, kind-hearted teen, who grew up from a sick cute kid and now tries to deal with his problems himself, having time to fall in love. Also he uses humor to mask his insecurities.
Sometimes it's hard to know whether I should curl up in a ball and die of embarrassment, or give myself a hearty high five.
The people around us might get all flipped out about it, but pretty much any illness I get isn’t a big deal compared to what I’ve already been through. That’s why I was calm, even when the fever and shakes started at around nine. Mom, on the other hand, was about as calm as Bambi after the forest fire.
I loved Tad, another special character in this book, too. He's hot-tempered, distrustful, and difficult to understand. Maybe that’s why he and Jeff became BFF.
As soon as the teacher begins telling us about our next social studies assignment, I lean over and whisper,
“Hi, I’m Jeffrey. I had cancer, too.”
He looks at me like I’m a particularly loathsome slice of school-lunch meat loaf and says,
“Wow, congratulations! What do you want, a medal?”
That’s how I meet my best friend.
I thinks the charm of this series is there, voice of such ordinary but at the same special kids. Oh and the teachers, too. How couldn’t I adore such a charming colleague? :D
“And let me tell you, when I was a kid, we didn’t have any of this Nintendo, Sega Genesis, Wii, three-D GameCube stuff. Our three-D game platform was called a park. Our Nin-ten-do virtual reality war game was called hide-and-seek. And Wii was the sound we made when we jumped fifteen feet from a tire swing.”
To hells, I have a teen son myself, who’s crazy about his bike and basketball and who sometimes has a tough period dealing with his teenage emotional issues as well as meeting girls. It was really great to read this series and spend some memorable hours diving into teen’s world and tasting some desserts as well as some sour candies. Highly recommended ;)
P.S.
March 24, 2018
Posted at Shelf Inflicted
In Drums, Girls & Dangerous Pie, Jeffrey Alper was a child recovering from cancer. Now he is in eighth grade and while the cancer is now behind him, the chemotherapy treatments left him with a limp and caused some problems with thinking and memory, making it difficult to keep up with his classmates.
Jeffrey’s older brother, Steven, who was a major source of support for Jeffrey needs to “find himself” and is off banging drums in Africa. While Jeffrey’s parents continue to worry about him, he has the typical issues an eighth-grade boy must deal with, like a best friend hatching a secret plot, the new girl from California who’s totally hot, and the standardized state-wide exams every student must pass in order to enter high school.
I was hoping to find an audio version of this book, since I so enjoyed Joel Johnstone’s narration of the first story, but had to settle for the book, which I devoured in one day. Again, some of the situations were predictable, but I laughed and cried, and loved every moment with Jeffrey, his family, and his friends.
In Drums, Girls & Dangerous Pie, Jeffrey Alper was a child recovering from cancer. Now he is in eighth grade and while the cancer is now behind him, the chemotherapy treatments left him with a limp and caused some problems with thinking and memory, making it difficult to keep up with his classmates.
Jeffrey’s older brother, Steven, who was a major source of support for Jeffrey needs to “find himself” and is off banging drums in Africa. While Jeffrey’s parents continue to worry about him, he has the typical issues an eighth-grade boy must deal with, like a best friend hatching a secret plot, the new girl from California who’s totally hot, and the standardized state-wide exams every student must pass in order to enter high school.
I was hoping to find an audio version of this book, since I so enjoyed Joel Johnstone’s narration of the first story, but had to settle for the book, which I devoured in one day. Again, some of the situations were predictable, but I laughed and cried, and loved every moment with Jeffrey, his family, and his friends.
August 27, 2018
I love everything about this book. I love how funny it is, how real it feels. I love the characters. I love that the arc of eighth grade is given the weight of drama that feels accurate. I, as a reader, get this feeling for the sensitivity that it takes to treat the little dramas of eighth grade as if they matter and change lives and affect everything. Which is normal high praise that I give to the best middle grade books. But then I realize that that praise doesn't actually relate to this book. The stakes are actually high in this book. People are life-and-death sick. Jeffrey might not be able to go to high school because he can't pass eighth grade. But the sensitivity to contextualize these kinds of real problems inside and around the dramas of "my friends are keeping a secret from me" and "this girl is sooo pretty and i act like an idiot when she's around" and "my gym teacher is a little nuts" where they all feel like they belong in the same story and are being dealt with by the same boy with the same brain. That takes skill. And sensitivity. And an absolutely amazing grasp of voice. Oh Sonnenblick, your characters have such voice.
Jeffrey is such a sweetie and such a snarkfest and I love him dearly. I love Steven so much, and I love Jeffrey just as much, bless their tiny hearts.
I also love how fast this book is. The design matches the tone wonderfully. I'm just the kind of sucker who gets a surge of comfort just from the shape and the margins and the font of a well-loved series or book. All my AoGG paperbacks look the same and I get much the same sense of "yes" that I get when I open a Sonnenblick book and see that cute little sans-serif font, the widely spaced lines, the wide margins. And honestly, it evens out to not very many words on a page, so these books go Super fast. I read this whole one just today, sitting at the kitchen table, without even getting restless and needing to switch locations until I was in the last 30 pages.
I also must say that I love that most Sonnenblick books have protagonists and journeys that use music and love of music as a central component, and I love that, but I also love how this one is different, the closest we get to how Steven feels about the drums is how Jeffrey feels about biking, which I enjoyed also. He's not a one-trick-pony, that Sonnenblick, and I love reccommending his books to people. I guess I do technically recc this one slightly less often than Drums or Notes, but that's just because, like, you should read Drums first before this one. (You don't have too, though, you wouldn't be lost or anything, if you have this one already just go for it, don't worry about getting Drums.)
Anyway I love this book dearly. I love that it's so short and sweet and unassuming that I forget how often I've reread it (Three? really? wow!) because it's just a small little detour between bigger books that take more than one day to read. Bless this book.
And I can't wait to give it to eighth graders who want to laugh and laugh and laugh and then also cry a little bit.
...............20 October 2012.......................
Awww. I was laughing through my tears. Or crying through my guffaws. It went both ways. This book is so good.
..........November 26th, 2011...........
wow. I love this author. Here this kid is, dealing with every kind of issue, and I am laughing my head off. Seriously, Hilarious. And great messages, too. I didn't know cancer had those kinds of after-effects from the treatment. And Tad was so sarcastic it was amazing. Plus, I am a sucker for a well-rounded, healthy relationship that started out as a head-over-heels, my-world-just-stopped crush. It's just so cute.
Jeffrey is such a sweetie and such a snarkfest and I love him dearly. I love Steven so much, and I love Jeffrey just as much, bless their tiny hearts.
I also love how fast this book is. The design matches the tone wonderfully. I'm just the kind of sucker who gets a surge of comfort just from the shape and the margins and the font of a well-loved series or book. All my AoGG paperbacks look the same and I get much the same sense of "yes" that I get when I open a Sonnenblick book and see that cute little sans-serif font, the widely spaced lines, the wide margins. And honestly, it evens out to not very many words on a page, so these books go Super fast. I read this whole one just today, sitting at the kitchen table, without even getting restless and needing to switch locations until I was in the last 30 pages.
I also must say that I love that most Sonnenblick books have protagonists and journeys that use music and love of music as a central component, and I love that, but I also love how this one is different, the closest we get to how Steven feels about the drums is how Jeffrey feels about biking, which I enjoyed also. He's not a one-trick-pony, that Sonnenblick, and I love reccommending his books to people. I guess I do technically recc this one slightly less often than Drums or Notes, but that's just because, like, you should read Drums first before this one. (You don't have too, though, you wouldn't be lost or anything, if you have this one already just go for it, don't worry about getting Drums.)
Anyway I love this book dearly. I love that it's so short and sweet and unassuming that I forget how often I've reread it (Three? really? wow!) because it's just a small little detour between bigger books that take more than one day to read. Bless this book.
And I can't wait to give it to eighth graders who want to laugh and laugh and laugh and then also cry a little bit.
...............20 October 2012.......................
Awww. I was laughing through my tears. Or crying through my guffaws. It went both ways. This book is so good.
..........November 26th, 2011...........
wow. I love this author. Here this kid is, dealing with every kind of issue, and I am laughing my head off. Seriously, Hilarious. And great messages, too. I didn't know cancer had those kinds of after-effects from the treatment. And Tad was so sarcastic it was amazing. Plus, I am a sucker for a well-rounded, healthy relationship that started out as a head-over-heels, my-world-just-stopped crush. It's just so cute.
August 25, 2017
WARNING: This review is a spoiler for the first book in this duology. If you want to read Girls, Drums & Dangerous Pie without knowing the ending, stop right here and now!
This book maintains Jordan Sonnenblick's pitch-perfect sense of middle school humor. But it's a more somber story overall than the first book, as it very honestly illustrates the problems Jeffrey and his best friend Tad face as cancer survivors. Most of us like to think, "Okay, the cancer is gone, the person is now back to normal!", but realistically, that just isn't always so. Jeffrey limps and can't grasp math because of how his brain was affected by chemotherapy. Tad uses a wheelchair and has to get testosterone shots. Neither of them is ever going to be "normal."
And yet they both do all the normal young teen stuff: Jeffrey is a serious cyclist, Tad likes to lift weights, they both like to play video games, they both have their eyes on girls they'd like to know better. They're sweet, silly, snarky, sarcastic 13-year-olds through and through.
I loved this book, but it was a tough read for me. Steven's innocence of bad things kept the first book fairly light even when things were at their worst. Jeffrey is a wiser, sadder kid than his big brother, due to his experiences. This story has a poignancy that tugged at me the whole way through.
And then
Thanks to my Awesome Buddy Reader Orient, because knowing we were reading this together made it bearable. Check out her fabulous review which is much better than this one.
Again, recommended if you can handle cancer-oriented stories.
This book maintains Jordan Sonnenblick's pitch-perfect sense of middle school humor. But it's a more somber story overall than the first book, as it very honestly illustrates the problems Jeffrey and his best friend Tad face as cancer survivors. Most of us like to think, "Okay, the cancer is gone, the person is now back to normal!", but realistically, that just isn't always so. Jeffrey limps and can't grasp math because of how his brain was affected by chemotherapy. Tad uses a wheelchair and has to get testosterone shots. Neither of them is ever going to be "normal."
And yet they both do all the normal young teen stuff: Jeffrey is a serious cyclist, Tad likes to lift weights, they both like to play video games, they both have their eyes on girls they'd like to know better. They're sweet, silly, snarky, sarcastic 13-year-olds through and through.
I loved this book, but it was a tough read for me. Steven's innocence of bad things kept the first book fairly light even when things were at their worst. Jeffrey is a wiser, sadder kid than his big brother, due to his experiences. This story has a poignancy that tugged at me the whole way through.
And then
Thanks to my Awesome Buddy Reader Orient, because knowing we were reading this together made it bearable. Check out her fabulous review which is much better than this one.
Again, recommended if you can handle cancer-oriented stories.
August 19, 2014
SPOILER ALERT = Don't read any further if you don't want to know what happened.
Great middle school book about two kids who had cancer when they were in elementary school and what it's like to fit that label in Grade 8 as they struggle with hormones, dating, and the ever looming spectre of "what if it returns". I love the kids' voices, but every now and then I can hear the author through Tad's voice especially. No kid is going to wise-ass comment to his friend "thats' a tortured metaphor"... it only happened about three times, but each time felt like a Portkey yanking me out of the story and into an analysis of why a kid wouldn't use vocabulary like that. Highly annoying.
Here's the alert. I picked it up because it 1) it was a Schneider Family Book Award (aka A Circle Book) and 2) because my friend's son is best friends with a boy who could have been one of these characters. Even had the same type of leukemia. Recurrent. Wise-ass and sarcastic. Then, he (Tad a character) dies. So, I'm thinking my friend probably doesn't want to give it to her son to read - just a little too close to home and real life. I don't know. I'll follow up on this. But it did give me a lot of insight to what Matthew must be going through.
Great middle school book about two kids who had cancer when they were in elementary school and what it's like to fit that label in Grade 8 as they struggle with hormones, dating, and the ever looming spectre of "what if it returns". I love the kids' voices, but every now and then I can hear the author through Tad's voice especially. No kid is going to wise-ass comment to his friend "thats' a tortured metaphor"... it only happened about three times, but each time felt like a Portkey yanking me out of the story and into an analysis of why a kid wouldn't use vocabulary like that. Highly annoying.
Here's the alert. I picked it up because it 1) it was a Schneider Family Book Award (aka A Circle Book) and 2) because my friend's son is best friends with a boy who could have been one of these characters. Even had the same type of leukemia. Recurrent. Wise-ass and sarcastic. Then, he (Tad a character) dies. So, I'm thinking my friend probably doesn't want to give it to her son to read - just a little too close to home and real life. I don't know. I'll follow up on this. But it did give me a lot of insight to what Matthew must be going through.
January 31, 2014
This was a heartwrenching story about two middle schoolers who have and are facing the evil disease called Cancer. I read this book to my 7th grade classes, three times. They all seemed to really enjoy the story and empathized with the characters.
December 9, 2015
So this one was a fresh start from THE POV of the little brother Jeffrey. The one with the cancer!! And yes!! He has the touch of his brother's brilliant humor too. Its just wonderful how John kept the sequel separate from tge previous book. And the writing is again just brilliant. All the new characters were briliant too. :)
I think i might have found another of my favourite authors(or why else i would read TWO of his books back to back , in the midst of my finals week) . :D recommended for everyone.
I think i might have found another of my favourite authors(or why else i would read TWO of his books back to back , in the midst of my finals week) . :D recommended for everyone.
November 17, 2018
This book is about an 8th grader named Jeff, who's a cancer survivor. His bestfriend, Tad is a cancer survivor too. They help each other with their concerns at school/homework and girls until that one dreadful incident. A beautiful book about friendship. This surely will tug at your heartstrings.
"How am I supposed to figure out my future if I can't even think on my own for one single day?"
"It's amazing how life works. Sometimes a day feels like three months, but other times fly by without you even really noticing."
"And at least for a moment, I know that the purpose is to keep moving forward. To stick with the people you love, even when they push you away. Even when they're hurting, and especially when you're hurting."
Soundtrack: Iridescent by Linkin Park
"How am I supposed to figure out my future if I can't even think on my own for one single day?"
"It's amazing how life works. Sometimes a day feels like three months, but other times fly by without you even really noticing."
"And at least for a moment, I know that the purpose is to keep moving forward. To stick with the people you love, even when they push you away. Even when they're hurting, and especially when you're hurting."
Soundtrack: Iridescent by Linkin Park
March 28, 2010
“But most of my earliest memories are of spinal taps, throwing up for two hours straight on my birthday, watching my own hair fall out while my friends were worried about learning how to write their names in crayon. And I guess Steven has lot of those shocks, too, through being my brother. But that’s still not the same as being me.”
Calling all teachers, parents and educators: Jordan Sonnenblick might just be the most important young adult author on the market! This man has found a niche that millions of teenagers have been desperately waiting to be filled. In a delicate way that blends good humor with tough reality, his books address critical issues related to family, friendship, school, life and death. Sonnenblick obviously understands what kids are going through and knows how to help them feel more comfortable with their daily challenges and goals through wholesome literature. I wish more authors would write with such purpose and passion to spread meaningful messages to young readers.
In “Drums, Girls and Dangerous Pie,” Jeffrey was fighting cancer as his older brother, then 8th-grader Steven, threw his whole life into providing the necessary support for his sick brother. Now, in this sequel to “Drums, Girls and Dangerous Pie,” Jeffrey is in remission. In the aftermath of his sickness, a lot has changed besides his health status. Jeffrey’s older brother has gone on hiatus to Africa to escape the responsibilities that he couldn’t avoid when he was playing second fiddle to his sibling's cancer battle. Their parents continue to worry about finances and state testing requirements following the imposing learning disabilities cancer treatments and medications have handed their young son. Jeffrey’s best friend, Tad, also has his share of challenges to worry about. Together, they face the mystic challenges of deciphering the baffling words and actions of girls, setting seemingly unreachable goals, and clearing up the cloudy meaning of life.
This book hit home for me in many ways. One example is that it reminded me of my 10th grade year, when my older brother – my best friend, idol and mentor throughout my grade school years – joined the Marine Corps and moved overseas to Japan. This person I’d counted on for so long was suddenly nowhere to be found. I remember how hard it was for me to deal with the void he’d left behind. I’m sure a lot of people can relate to similar feelings of loss and abandonment.
“I wish I could remember now what I was thinking during those next two hours, because they were the last good hours I was going to have for a long time. But nobody ever tells you in advance when you should concentrate on the good times — that’s why you’re supposed to try to do it every day.”
Be sure to read “After Ever After” sooner rather than later! Books don’t get much better than this one!
Calling all teachers, parents and educators: Jordan Sonnenblick might just be the most important young adult author on the market! This man has found a niche that millions of teenagers have been desperately waiting to be filled. In a delicate way that blends good humor with tough reality, his books address critical issues related to family, friendship, school, life and death. Sonnenblick obviously understands what kids are going through and knows how to help them feel more comfortable with their daily challenges and goals through wholesome literature. I wish more authors would write with such purpose and passion to spread meaningful messages to young readers.
In “Drums, Girls and Dangerous Pie,” Jeffrey was fighting cancer as his older brother, then 8th-grader Steven, threw his whole life into providing the necessary support for his sick brother. Now, in this sequel to “Drums, Girls and Dangerous Pie,” Jeffrey is in remission. In the aftermath of his sickness, a lot has changed besides his health status. Jeffrey’s older brother has gone on hiatus to Africa to escape the responsibilities that he couldn’t avoid when he was playing second fiddle to his sibling's cancer battle. Their parents continue to worry about finances and state testing requirements following the imposing learning disabilities cancer treatments and medications have handed their young son. Jeffrey’s best friend, Tad, also has his share of challenges to worry about. Together, they face the mystic challenges of deciphering the baffling words and actions of girls, setting seemingly unreachable goals, and clearing up the cloudy meaning of life.
This book hit home for me in many ways. One example is that it reminded me of my 10th grade year, when my older brother – my best friend, idol and mentor throughout my grade school years – joined the Marine Corps and moved overseas to Japan. This person I’d counted on for so long was suddenly nowhere to be found. I remember how hard it was for me to deal with the void he’d left behind. I’m sure a lot of people can relate to similar feelings of loss and abandonment.
“I wish I could remember now what I was thinking during those next two hours, because they were the last good hours I was going to have for a long time. But nobody ever tells you in advance when you should concentrate on the good times — that’s why you’re supposed to try to do it every day.”
Be sure to read “After Ever After” sooner rather than later! Books don’t get much better than this one!
January 25, 2017
After Ever After by Jordan Sonnenblick, it was published in 2013 and the genre is realistic fiction It's a sequels to Drums, Girls and Dangerous Pie so that means you have to read the first book first. But it's about this little boy named Jeffery Alper and it starts 8 years after he found out he had leukemia. Now he is in 8th grade and he is cancer free for about 5 years.
But it goes on to say his whole life gets changed by a little letter home from the school. He was not able to move over to the next grade without passing a test that they had to take at the end of the year. But Jeffery is not good in math so he knows that he wont pass the test and he tries to hide the letter from his parents but the guidance counselor tells his parents about it. So he goes to Tads house and Tad tutors him so he could be ready but he meets this girl named Lindsey. Ever thing changes when he starts skipping school and goes and sees Lindsey . He couldn't see her because he was grounded cause of the not passing math. Well he was messing around his friend Tad got his cancer back and he didn't find out 'till Tads mom told him about the treatments. But at the end Tad dies and Jeffery rides his bike 50 miles for the cancer.
I recommend this book for young adults because the is a little bit of swearing in it.
But it goes on to say his whole life gets changed by a little letter home from the school. He was not able to move over to the next grade without passing a test that they had to take at the end of the year. But Jeffery is not good in math so he knows that he wont pass the test and he tries to hide the letter from his parents but the guidance counselor tells his parents about it. So he goes to Tads house and Tad tutors him so he could be ready but he meets this girl named Lindsey. Ever thing changes when he starts skipping school and goes and sees Lindsey . He couldn't see her because he was grounded cause of the not passing math. Well he was messing around his friend Tad got his cancer back and he didn't find out 'till Tads mom told him about the treatments. But at the end Tad dies and Jeffery rides his bike 50 miles for the cancer.
I recommend this book for young adults because the is a little bit of swearing in it.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 17, 2010
I am so blown away by this book, I don’t even know where to begin. This is the sequel to Sonneblick’s Drums, Girls and Dangerous Pie, which was a fabulous book in it’s own right. It picks up the story about Jeff, an eight grader, who also happens to be a cancer survivor. Though he has been a survive for more than five years, he still lives with the effects of his cancer and it’s treatment. He has a limp, he sometimes has trouble focusing and he just can’t wrap his brain around math. The story is not just about Jeff’s struggles with math and a new state mandated standardized test he must pass in order to graduate 8th grade, but it also centers around his best friend, Tad – the other half of the cancer twins. I’ll stop here with the summary so as not to give anything away.
This is another one of those books where the author’s words jump right off the page and grab the reader by the collar and pull him right into the story. You can’t read this book without becoming attached to the characters. It is truly a moving story. If you liked Drums, Girls, and Dangerous Pie, even just a little, you must read this book.
This is another one of those books where the author’s words jump right off the page and grab the reader by the collar and pull him right into the story. You can’t read this book without becoming attached to the characters. It is truly a moving story. If you liked Drums, Girls, and Dangerous Pie, even just a little, you must read this book.
May 4, 2013
I am currently reading the book After Ever After, the sequel to Drums Girls and Dangerous Pie.
This book sequel is from Jeffrey, the cancer survivor’s, point of view. Jeffrey meets a friend in his 8th grade class named Tad who also had cancer. My favorite part of the book so far is when Tad and Jeffrey make a deal. The deal is that Tad will tutor Jeffrey in math, and Jeffrey will teach Tad how to walk. Of coarse Jeffrey had a limp, but Tad has a wheel chair. He plans to walk across the stage at 8th grade graduation. A mean girl used to tease Tad about his limp long before he had a wheel chair. I think it was mean to tease him about his cancer, but the author did a really good job on describing every emotion he wanted the reader to feel. I felt like I was in the room when it happened.
I usually don’t enjoy reading unless I have to for school work. However, this book really got me interested in finding out what would happen in the story. I think that anyone who likes a funny, very descriptive, and even the smallest little bit of romance, should read this.
This book sequel is from Jeffrey, the cancer survivor’s, point of view. Jeffrey meets a friend in his 8th grade class named Tad who also had cancer. My favorite part of the book so far is when Tad and Jeffrey make a deal. The deal is that Tad will tutor Jeffrey in math, and Jeffrey will teach Tad how to walk. Of coarse Jeffrey had a limp, but Tad has a wheel chair. He plans to walk across the stage at 8th grade graduation. A mean girl used to tease Tad about his limp long before he had a wheel chair. I think it was mean to tease him about his cancer, but the author did a really good job on describing every emotion he wanted the reader to feel. I felt like I was in the room when it happened.
I usually don’t enjoy reading unless I have to for school work. However, this book really got me interested in finding out what would happen in the story. I think that anyone who likes a funny, very descriptive, and even the smallest little bit of romance, should read this.
October 20, 2020
4.25 stars
Really enjoyed the characters and seeing what Jeff was like in his 8th grade year since we saw Steven’s 8th grade year the previous book. Oddly, enough Steven was the main reason why I didn’t enjoy this book as much as the first book. I was expecting this big blow up between Jeff and Steven where Jeff expresses how hurt he was by his older brother’s words and action of cutting off contact with him. There was a mention of a talk but that’s it. There was a resolution but it lacked any depth or emotional pull. I kind of wish Steven stayed away as he didn’t add anything to the story when he showed up as much as he did away. Things could have been resolved over email or a phone call.
Really enjoyed the characters and seeing what Jeff was like in his 8th grade year since we saw Steven’s 8th grade year the previous book. Oddly, enough Steven was the main reason why I didn’t enjoy this book as much as the first book. I was expecting this big blow up between Jeff and Steven where Jeff expresses how hurt he was by his older brother’s words and action of cutting off contact with him. There was a mention of a talk but that’s it. There was a resolution but it lacked any depth or emotional pull. I kind of wish Steven stayed away as he didn’t add anything to the story when he showed up as much as he did away. Things could have been resolved over email or a phone call.
April 18, 2014
After Ever After is a masterpiece! A must read!!! (After you read Drums, Girls, and Dangerous Pie AND Notes From the Midnight Driver, that is). It invoked (I think that's the right word) so many emotions, but mostly you just fall in love with Jeffrey, the main character, and his best friend, Tad (short for Thaddeus). I don't want to give anything away, trust me, you wouldn't want me to. It's one of those types of books that becomes so undescribable, because the feelings it gives you are so strong and... Just read it..I guarantee you would not regret it unless you're one of those people. (You know who you are...)
May 14, 2012
This book was an exceptional disappointment. I would go as far to say that Jordan Sonnenblick was irresponsible in writing this book--more on that later.
This is sort-of a sequel to Drums, Girls, and Dangerous Pie. I say sort-of because this book's main character is Jeffrey, Steven's little brother from the first book. This time we get Jeffrey's story as an eighth grader.
The book follows a similar recipe as the first one. Unfortunately, it's not as humorous and in some ways seems to be a bit of a reinvention of the first.
Jeffrey has beat cancer and now deals with the realities of life as a former cancer patient. This is the part of the book that I really liked. It seems obvious now, but I never thought that much about what the effects of the drugs could be on patients, especially young kids. You just don't go from having fought cancer to being "normal." Jeffrey has a bit of a math disability from the "intrathecal methotrexate" that he was given to get rid of the cancer cells when he was younger. His brain just doesn't seem to function as well as it should. Jeffrey also has a bit of a physical disability from the treatment.
Jeffrey's best friend in this book is named Tad. He actually has beat cancer twice in his life. I really did not like Tad as a character. His nickname for Jeffrey was "D.A.", which was for "Dumb A--". I also thought the continual insults that Jeffrey and Tad traded regarding each other's mom were stupid and not funny. Yeah, some teenage boys behave this way. It is not cute, it is not funny, and it is insulting to girls and women.
I was really disappointed in the main problem and resolution. My concern lies in the fact that Jordan Sonnenblick really involved middle school students into a discussion in the education profession that they do not need to be involved in.
Jeffrey's school district decides to institute a new policy that prevents students from passing if they do not pass the state standardized test. Jeffrey is terrified because his math disability prevents him from being able to obtain mastery on the math content. Throughout the book the authorities are portrayed as unbending and uncooperative on the matter with Jeffrey's mom who tries to get an exemption made for him.
As a solution to this problem Jeffrey's girlfriend and best friend Tad decide to organize a walk-out protest when the students actually have to take the test. All of the kids, led by Tad, get up out of their seats at the start of the first testing session and walk-out. The behavior is excused as an expression of free speech and portrayed as heroic in the book. It's not heroic and it's not how heroic people act. It is childish.
I was really angry about this. Mr. Sonnenblick really should not be dragging thirteen and fourteen year-old kids into the political debate surrounding standardized testing. Furthermore, if he is going to do it, he probably ought not construct a problem that is so exaggerated and unrealistic. To my knowledge, no school district in America has yet to propose completely holding students back for failing to pass a standardized test. I know Texas used to withhold diplomas from students who couldn't pass their high school state test. I don't know if that is still the case. Even if it is, it is significantly different. Whereas middle school is followed by four more years of high school, high school is the exit into adulthood. This requirement might seem more justifiable when we are turning people out into society. Also, I'm not sure how special education law would affect this issue. If I remember right, Jeffrey has a 504 plan in the book. Last time I checked, my seventh and eighth graders weren't experts on special education law, either!
Don't get me wrong, I think young teens ought to be encouraged to have more understanding of issues in our society and to think critically. The place for this is a well written non-fiction book that portrays both sides of a discussion. It should not be done in a fiction book that portrays a bias on the topic and is marketed to readers who are at a quite impressionable age. The question is, how will kids perceive this topic and what biases will develop as a result? I don't know, but it shouldn't be something I have to worry about when I am suggesting a book to a middle school student.
What is most disappointing is there is a significant human story that runs parallel to all the testing nonsense in the book. In the last chapter Sonnenblick really tapped back into it and brought it home at the end. It's a shame he didn't focus more on that component, it could have been an exceptional read.
Sadly, this book was nominated for the Missouri Truman Award for next year. If you want to read a great Sonnenblick book, go pick up Drums, Girls, and Dangerous Pie. This one, yeah, not so much.
Realistic Fiction
Lexile: 820
This is sort-of a sequel to Drums, Girls, and Dangerous Pie. I say sort-of because this book's main character is Jeffrey, Steven's little brother from the first book. This time we get Jeffrey's story as an eighth grader.
The book follows a similar recipe as the first one. Unfortunately, it's not as humorous and in some ways seems to be a bit of a reinvention of the first.
Jeffrey has beat cancer and now deals with the realities of life as a former cancer patient. This is the part of the book that I really liked. It seems obvious now, but I never thought that much about what the effects of the drugs could be on patients, especially young kids. You just don't go from having fought cancer to being "normal." Jeffrey has a bit of a math disability from the "intrathecal methotrexate" that he was given to get rid of the cancer cells when he was younger. His brain just doesn't seem to function as well as it should. Jeffrey also has a bit of a physical disability from the treatment.
Jeffrey's best friend in this book is named Tad. He actually has beat cancer twice in his life. I really did not like Tad as a character. His nickname for Jeffrey was "D.A.", which was for "Dumb A--". I also thought the continual insults that Jeffrey and Tad traded regarding each other's mom were stupid and not funny. Yeah, some teenage boys behave this way. It is not cute, it is not funny, and it is insulting to girls and women.
I was really disappointed in the main problem and resolution. My concern lies in the fact that Jordan Sonnenblick really involved middle school students into a discussion in the education profession that they do not need to be involved in.
Jeffrey's school district decides to institute a new policy that prevents students from passing if they do not pass the state standardized test. Jeffrey is terrified because his math disability prevents him from being able to obtain mastery on the math content. Throughout the book the authorities are portrayed as unbending and uncooperative on the matter with Jeffrey's mom who tries to get an exemption made for him.
As a solution to this problem Jeffrey's girlfriend and best friend Tad decide to organize a walk-out protest when the students actually have to take the test. All of the kids, led by Tad, get up out of their seats at the start of the first testing session and walk-out. The behavior is excused as an expression of free speech and portrayed as heroic in the book. It's not heroic and it's not how heroic people act. It is childish.
I was really angry about this. Mr. Sonnenblick really should not be dragging thirteen and fourteen year-old kids into the political debate surrounding standardized testing. Furthermore, if he is going to do it, he probably ought not construct a problem that is so exaggerated and unrealistic. To my knowledge, no school district in America has yet to propose completely holding students back for failing to pass a standardized test. I know Texas used to withhold diplomas from students who couldn't pass their high school state test. I don't know if that is still the case. Even if it is, it is significantly different. Whereas middle school is followed by four more years of high school, high school is the exit into adulthood. This requirement might seem more justifiable when we are turning people out into society. Also, I'm not sure how special education law would affect this issue. If I remember right, Jeffrey has a 504 plan in the book. Last time I checked, my seventh and eighth graders weren't experts on special education law, either!
Don't get me wrong, I think young teens ought to be encouraged to have more understanding of issues in our society and to think critically. The place for this is a well written non-fiction book that portrays both sides of a discussion. It should not be done in a fiction book that portrays a bias on the topic and is marketed to readers who are at a quite impressionable age. The question is, how will kids perceive this topic and what biases will develop as a result? I don't know, but it shouldn't be something I have to worry about when I am suggesting a book to a middle school student.
What is most disappointing is there is a significant human story that runs parallel to all the testing nonsense in the book. In the last chapter Sonnenblick really tapped back into it and brought it home at the end. It's a shame he didn't focus more on that component, it could have been an exceptional read.
Sadly, this book was nominated for the Missouri Truman Award for next year. If you want to read a great Sonnenblick book, go pick up Drums, Girls, and Dangerous Pie. This one, yeah, not so much.
Realistic Fiction
Lexile: 820
Read
July 27, 2011Magnificent. Heartbreaking. Hopeful. I didn't think I could possibly like Jordan Sonnenblick as an author more than I already did, but I do. After Ever After is a worthy follow-up to Drums, Girls, & Dangerous Pie. Jeff is the main character in AEA--he was the kid-brother with cancer in Drums. Jeff is now a cancer survivor--5 years in remission--and in 8th grade. He and his best friend Tad bonded in 4th grade because they were both "cancer kids." In middle school they are both trying to be normal middle school boys in spite of the late effects of their cancer treatments--Jeff has mild brain damage from the chemo and Tad is in a wheelchair, mostly because he refuses to walk. The two boys are so genuine in their discussion of girls and school--even math, as well as their pent-up feelings about cancer and how people treat them with kid gloves or totally avoid them. Jeff is also dealing with abandonment issues--his brother Steven (main character in Drums, Girls, & Dangerous Pie), who had been Jeff's rock during his cancer treatments run away to Africa to find himself. Jeff is handling life pretty well with Tad and without Steven; he even captures the heart of the hot new girl from California, but Jeff's world is unhinged by the school district's new testing policy--every student must pass the standardized test in order to matriculate to high school. For Jeff, math is his mortal enemy--chemo has seemingly wiped out any understanding of math. Passing the 8th grade math test becomes an obsession of all those around Jeff, until the big "C" rears its ugly head again. This book is a must read. It is not so much about kids with cancer; it is about middle school boys trying to find their way.
April 1, 2017
Where to start? I finished this on the plane home from AZ spring break 2017. I am pretty sure the lady next to me and her "middleschoolish" daughter thought I was crazy as I wiped the tears that flowed freely from my eyes as I neared the resolution of the story. I just wanted to gift this book to her and scream, you must read, get off your phone, get off Netflix and read. First just know that I was not crying because we lost Jeffrey who is the protagonist in the first book, "Drums, Girls & Dangerous Pie". HE DID NOT DIE. This is a story about friendship. About how as people, we have a duty to keep moving forward, to stick with people you love even though they may push you away. I learned so much about the fear people live in who have very serious illnesses and the emotional stamina it takes to just get through the day. This story also has the true Sonnenblick humor we have been used to. Tad who is Jeff's sidekick is hilarious with his sometimes ill timed jokes. This is a must read and is a very quick one. I can't wait to get back to school to book talk this with students.
April 9, 2011
This is a book about a boy named Jeffrey and how his life is continuing on when he is cancer-free. Jeffrey's brother Steven has gone to Africa to play the drums, and he is enjoying life. He also makes a friend who also had cancer, Tad. When he goes to school he meets a girl that he starts to like, named Lindsey, and they eventually go out. His life starts to fall apart when he learns he has to pass a test to move on into high school. This is a problem for Jeffrey, because his chemotherapy has caused him to have trouble learning. To help him pass he makes a deal with Tad that if Tad tutors him in math, Jeffrey will make him able to walk across the stage at graduation, because he is in a wheelchair. Jeffrey ends up passing the test, including the math section. Jeffrey also does a cancer bike ride for Tad, who went into relapse. Tad sadly ends up dying, which causes Jeffrey to be extremely sad. he gets through this though. My copy of the book was 260 pages.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 13, 2020
After Ever After by Jordan Sonnenblick is such a great book. The book starts by introducing the main character, Jeffery. Jeffery had cancer, but his cancer left him with a "scrambled up brain" as he says. With that, he is struggling in school. He needs to get a tutor so he lets his best friend Tad, who also had cancer, tutor him. When Tad stops coming to school and stops communicating with Jeffery, he gets upset and worried. What I really like about this book is that there is such a climax to the story, and it leaves me with suspicion every time I stop reading. Something I don't like about it is how sad the ending is. The book ends on a cliffhanger, and that makes me really upset. Overall, Jordan Sonnenblick is a great author and I enjoyed this book a lot.
June 12, 2020
This book "After Ever After" is about a boy named Jeffery Alper and his life as a Cancer survivor. His Cancer journey started when he was four, the treatment lasted for three long years. When he recovered, everyone was happy for him but he didn't feel the same way, like his mother. Apart from having Cancer, his life was not that different from others. He had a best friend, had a crush, the normal things an eighth-grader would have.
Even though I haven't finished reading the whole story, the book seems genuinely like what an eighth-grader would write, there are sometimes things that are unusual from a book made by an adult(e.g. text messages, lists). Secondly, after reading this, I am starting to sympathize more with Cancer survivors. There was one passage that struck me"They tell you how lucky you are to be cured, like you escaped a death sentence. But being a cancer survivor can be a life sentence all on its own."
All in all it is a amazing book
Even though I haven't finished reading the whole story, the book seems genuinely like what an eighth-grader would write, there are sometimes things that are unusual from a book made by an adult(e.g. text messages, lists). Secondly, after reading this, I am starting to sympathize more with Cancer survivors. There was one passage that struck me"They tell you how lucky you are to be cured, like you escaped a death sentence. But being a cancer survivor can be a life sentence all on its own."
All in all it is a amazing book
Read
February 10, 2021I remember reading it 3-4 years back and it was good. Maybe I'll reread it soon
April 26, 2024
i don't even know why i read this
February 26, 2017
I had read the first book in this series last year and absolutely loved it. I'm very intrigued with child cancer books and other books like that. I love reading about how these kids persevere and continually fight for their lives. Jeffery now is growing up and fully understands what he has gone through and how it is going to affect him and his future. His cancer makes everything so hard for him.
January 13, 2011
Sonnenblick brings readers back to the familiar community in which most of his books are set. This time he has chosen Jeffrey Alper, the younger brother of the star of Drams, Girls & Dangerous Pie to be the narrator. Jeff is in the 8th grade, and ready to take on all the usual challenges of those his age.
Jeffrey is not the typical 8th grader, though. He is a cancer survivor, having taken on leukemia when he was younger. He has been in remission for a few years, but the treatment left him with a limp and a brain impairment that is a learning disability. He struggles with staying focused and keeping things in order, which as you can imagine, is a major problem when it comes to math. Everyone around him tries to help, particularly in light of the fact that the state has decided that all of the 8th graders must be judged proficient in core subjects in order to graduate on to high school. This could be quite the problem for our protagonist.
Jeffrey's best friend Tad is definitely stepping to do what he can by helping. Jeffrey and Tad have been friends for years. Like Jefrey, Tad is a cancer survivor, though he fought off two rounds of brain cancer. His treatments kept him a live, but they greatly messed with his body. The result is a need to use a wheelchair to get around. They make a deal ... if Tad helps Jeffrey pass the exam, Jeffrey will help him train up so he can walk across the stage at graduation to get his diploma.
Besides taking on his course work, Jeffrey is exploring middle school love. On the first day of class, he bumps into California-import Lindsey, who is as sweet as pie and cute to boot. He impresses her by helping her pick up all of her school stuff which she has dropped during passing time. She ends up joining Jeffrey and Tad in a triumvirate of friendship that will define their whole school year.
As with most of Sonnenblick's work, humor and drama are masterfully balanced in a way that makes the story on feel that much more real. There are more than a few laugh-out-loud moments, and they nicely offset the really difficult and sad moments that are tied to the cancer so greatly affects both Tad and Jeffrey and those around them.
This is one of those book that I just didn't want to put down. The characters are interesting and really represent the age group of their peers nicely. They seemed perfectly poised to present the difficult challenges of living with cancer and surviving middle school itself.
The discussions surrounding standardized testing are also reflecting of a modern discussion that is redefining the American education system. It explores the issues from both sides and does a nice job of presenting how the system can affect students with learning disabilities and special needs.
One suggestion .... just have a box of tissues at the ready. You are probably going to need them!
Jeffrey is not the typical 8th grader, though. He is a cancer survivor, having taken on leukemia when he was younger. He has been in remission for a few years, but the treatment left him with a limp and a brain impairment that is a learning disability. He struggles with staying focused and keeping things in order, which as you can imagine, is a major problem when it comes to math. Everyone around him tries to help, particularly in light of the fact that the state has decided that all of the 8th graders must be judged proficient in core subjects in order to graduate on to high school. This could be quite the problem for our protagonist.
Jeffrey's best friend Tad is definitely stepping to do what he can by helping. Jeffrey and Tad have been friends for years. Like Jefrey, Tad is a cancer survivor, though he fought off two rounds of brain cancer. His treatments kept him a live, but they greatly messed with his body. The result is a need to use a wheelchair to get around. They make a deal ... if Tad helps Jeffrey pass the exam, Jeffrey will help him train up so he can walk across the stage at graduation to get his diploma.
Besides taking on his course work, Jeffrey is exploring middle school love. On the first day of class, he bumps into California-import Lindsey, who is as sweet as pie and cute to boot. He impresses her by helping her pick up all of her school stuff which she has dropped during passing time. She ends up joining Jeffrey and Tad in a triumvirate of friendship that will define their whole school year.
As with most of Sonnenblick's work, humor and drama are masterfully balanced in a way that makes the story on feel that much more real. There are more than a few laugh-out-loud moments, and they nicely offset the really difficult and sad moments that are tied to the cancer so greatly affects both Tad and Jeffrey and those around them.
This is one of those book that I just didn't want to put down. The characters are interesting and really represent the age group of their peers nicely. They seemed perfectly poised to present the difficult challenges of living with cancer and surviving middle school itself.
The discussions surrounding standardized testing are also reflecting of a modern discussion that is redefining the American education system. It explores the issues from both sides and does a nice job of presenting how the system can affect students with learning disabilities and special needs.
One suggestion .... just have a box of tissues at the ready. You are probably going to need them!
July 9, 2010
Though this is a more of a middle school read because of the age and innocence of the characters, and I am an adult who works with high school students, I thought this was a stellar book! "After Ever After" moved me to laugh out loud, to weep silently, and to think deeply. I highly recommend this book to all readers.
Jeffrey Alper is a cancer survivor. His best friend, Tad Ibsen, is also a cancer survivor. Together they show us the after effects of having survived cancer, chemotherapy, and years of missing school on themselves, their families, their friends, and their communities. They do this with humor, sarcasm, heartfelt truth, anger - all of it. The characters are multi-dimensional, real, and believable - with all of their positive qualities and with all of their flaws. We invest ourselves in not only them but their friends, their teachers, and their family members. In a previous book, "Drums, Girls, and Dangerous Pie," author Jordan Sonnenblick focuses on Jeffrey's older brother, Steven's, eighth grade year and how he copes with Jeffrey's cancer. Here we see Jeffrey's eighth grade year and how he copes with what comes after the cancer.
In a recent issue of the Star Tribune an eight year old was featured in an article entitled "There's a New Sherrif in Town; He's 8 and Ticked." It seems that little Logan Fisher's home was broken into and his wallet, among other things, was stolen. Logan was very angry about this crime against his family, so his mother told him to use his anger in a positive way. He decided to speak to the city council about how crime in his community could be prevented. I marveled at the picture of this little boy standing on a stool so that he could reach the microphone and deliver his eloquent, if a bit naive, speech to the council. As I was reading "After Ever After" I thought of this article many times. As the students in Jeffrey's class are reading "Cyrano de Bergerac," the teacher talks to them about making a "beau geste," a big gesture that will leave an impact on the world. What a great topic for thought and discussion for teens! In addition, educators will love Sonnenblick's exploration of the controversial subject of high stakes testing and its impact on students in special situations and those with special needs. The devastating toll that a serious childhood illness can have on so many is also a unique and worthy thematic strain in both of these books.
All in all, a fast, terrific, uplifting read. Highly recommended for all readers - a possible Maude Hart Lovelace contender?
Jeffrey Alper is a cancer survivor. His best friend, Tad Ibsen, is also a cancer survivor. Together they show us the after effects of having survived cancer, chemotherapy, and years of missing school on themselves, their families, their friends, and their communities. They do this with humor, sarcasm, heartfelt truth, anger - all of it. The characters are multi-dimensional, real, and believable - with all of their positive qualities and with all of their flaws. We invest ourselves in not only them but their friends, their teachers, and their family members. In a previous book, "Drums, Girls, and Dangerous Pie," author Jordan Sonnenblick focuses on Jeffrey's older brother, Steven's, eighth grade year and how he copes with Jeffrey's cancer. Here we see Jeffrey's eighth grade year and how he copes with what comes after the cancer.
In a recent issue of the Star Tribune an eight year old was featured in an article entitled "There's a New Sherrif in Town; He's 8 and Ticked." It seems that little Logan Fisher's home was broken into and his wallet, among other things, was stolen. Logan was very angry about this crime against his family, so his mother told him to use his anger in a positive way. He decided to speak to the city council about how crime in his community could be prevented. I marveled at the picture of this little boy standing on a stool so that he could reach the microphone and deliver his eloquent, if a bit naive, speech to the council. As I was reading "After Ever After" I thought of this article many times. As the students in Jeffrey's class are reading "Cyrano de Bergerac," the teacher talks to them about making a "beau geste," a big gesture that will leave an impact on the world. What a great topic for thought and discussion for teens! In addition, educators will love Sonnenblick's exploration of the controversial subject of high stakes testing and its impact on students in special situations and those with special needs. The devastating toll that a serious childhood illness can have on so many is also a unique and worthy thematic strain in both of these books.
All in all, a fast, terrific, uplifting read. Highly recommended for all readers - a possible Maude Hart Lovelace contender?
July 18, 2011
Before I started this book, I thought it was a continuation of Steven's story in Drums, Girls, and Dangerous Pie. I was disappointed when I realized this story is told through the younger brother, Jeffrey's, eyes and now HE is the 8th grader. Both boys have a fun way of thinking and speaking though, so I liked hearing about things from Jeff's point of view too. While Steven is less of a character in this book, I could understand and relate to both brother's point of views of the good and bad things that happen when you live in a family with a cancer patient. There is no such thing as only the individual being effected. This is definitely a family affair!
I read this book in 1 day and was sad to get to the end (even though it was my fault that I got there so quickly). I want to keep reading about life from an 8th graders point of view forever, I guess. : ) Who knew!? Sonnenblick's writing style is very easy for me to read and be interested in. I like the crap talk that friends do to each other and the stress over girls. I liked how each character was unique in their own way and each had things they were struggling with. None of the main characters are "perfect" and everyone seemed very real. I liked the lessons learned of working hard for stuff, being a survivor, never giving up, etc.
Learning about all the negative side effects from cancer treatments was disturbing for me. Some I already knew about of course, but this book brought it more home for me because it was affecting "people I knew" (Yes, I get into my books a bit when I read) instead of just an in-general list.
This story is full of humor and laugh out loud at times, yet their is plenty of sadness and soberness also. While I was drawn to the story and hated to have to stop reading it, there were a lot of serious questions brought up from the story. I found myself wondering at times if fighting childhood cancer is a good thing. Cancer itself is such a tragedy that it just seemed only more so to read of how the negative side effects changes your life forever. Even 5 years after "beating it" you still have things that are wrong with you because of it.
I just want everyone to be happy!
So, while this book is a quick read, it is much deeper then "fluff". I wouldn't call it light-hearted, but I wouldn't hesitate to read it again. It is a really good story of really real people dealing with really tough stuff in just this game of life. I think there is lots we can all learn from this book and the 1st one--Drums, Girls, and Dangerous Pie.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 1, 2010
Jeffrey Alper has learned to live with cancer. He has passed the 5 year critical mark and now must face the challenges of being a normal 8th grader. Whatever that means? Jeffrey, Lindsey, the new girl in class from California, and Tad, also a cancer survivor, are friends that learn to work together for a common goal. Through their adventures, they learn to stand up for themselves as well as the ones they love. Together they learn to survive and start living again.
After Ever After by Jordan Sonneblick is a delightful book about 8th grader, Jeffrey Alper, a cancer survivor of 5 years, who now must face the challenges of being a normal 8th grader, a new girl in class from California who thinks he is cute and is a big distraction in science class, and a best friend, also a cancer survivor, who is plotting how to help Jeffrey pass the state standardized tests and graduate. Together they keep the reader turning pages to see what kind of mischief they will get into next.
The story is told from the point of view of Jeffrey who is not sure he is up to the challenges of 8th grade. Jeffrey’s older brother, Steven, was important to him as he was going through the challenges of fighting cancer but now has now moved to Africa, to ‘find’ himself. Jeffery often wishes he was around so he could talk to him.
The characters of this story become real as you get into the book. I felt the frustration Jeffrey feels when he has difficulty passing the state standardized tests. I wanted to help him study. However, it was a PE teacher who saw that he had the capability to get the job done that inspired him to keep trying along with his two friends, Lindsey and Tad. Both friends in their own way set out to help Jeffrey pass the state tests.
I enjoyed this book immensely! I would highly recommend it to everyone, young and old. I did not realize until after I had read the book that it is a sequel to Drums, Girls and Dangerous Pie. The characters were realistic, loveable and unpredictable. The ending was not what I expected but it was very appropriate for the book. It could not have ended any other way after I thought about it. For a tender and funny story about the challenges of being 8th graders and dealing with friendship, this book is a great read.
Pat Heinig, Guest Reviewer
After Ever After by Jordan Sonneblick is a delightful book about 8th grader, Jeffrey Alper, a cancer survivor of 5 years, who now must face the challenges of being a normal 8th grader, a new girl in class from California who thinks he is cute and is a big distraction in science class, and a best friend, also a cancer survivor, who is plotting how to help Jeffrey pass the state standardized tests and graduate. Together they keep the reader turning pages to see what kind of mischief they will get into next.
The story is told from the point of view of Jeffrey who is not sure he is up to the challenges of 8th grade. Jeffrey’s older brother, Steven, was important to him as he was going through the challenges of fighting cancer but now has now moved to Africa, to ‘find’ himself. Jeffery often wishes he was around so he could talk to him.
The characters of this story become real as you get into the book. I felt the frustration Jeffrey feels when he has difficulty passing the state standardized tests. I wanted to help him study. However, it was a PE teacher who saw that he had the capability to get the job done that inspired him to keep trying along with his two friends, Lindsey and Tad. Both friends in their own way set out to help Jeffrey pass the state tests.
I enjoyed this book immensely! I would highly recommend it to everyone, young and old. I did not realize until after I had read the book that it is a sequel to Drums, Girls and Dangerous Pie. The characters were realistic, loveable and unpredictable. The ending was not what I expected but it was very appropriate for the book. It could not have ended any other way after I thought about it. For a tender and funny story about the challenges of being 8th graders and dealing with friendship, this book is a great read.
Pat Heinig, Guest Reviewer
September 16, 2011
This is the sequel to Drums, Girls, and Dangerous Pie. Which I never actually got around to reading. Oops. This sequel also features a POV shift. The first book was from the perspective of Steven, who watched his little brother struggle with cancer. This book is from the perspective of Jeffrey, that same little brother, now cancer-free and the same age Steven was when he was first diagnosed. Steven has run off to Africa to "find himself" and so doesn't play a real part in this book.
The main plot is really about how cancer and chemo have left a long-term affect on Jeffrey, and his friend and fellow cancer survivor Tad. Both of them have suffered various degrees of physical and mental damage: Tad is in a wheelchair and Jeffrey walks with a limp. Here's the (paraphrased) example Jeffrey gives: put your foot flat on the floor. Now lift your toes off the floor without picking up your leg. This is something Jeffrey can't do.
For Jeffrey, it's the mental damage that's showcased here. He has a lot of trouble concentrating and can't hold numbers in his head. This becomes important when his state very suddenly decides that any eighth grader who can't pass a certain standardized test will be unable to move on to high school. The only exceptions are for students who have developmental disabilities. Students like Jeffrey, whose mental problems aren't genetic, are out of luck. Even simple accommodations like extra time and testing in a separate, quiet room (accommodations that would be required in every other circumstance by federal law) are forbidden. This is absolutely, stunningly realistic. As is the fallout.
But that's only a part of the book. It's really all about interactions between people. And I loved that. The last book I read didn't have great characterization, and the interactions didn't often feel true. Completely opposite here. It also sort of reminded me of Notes from the Dog, which also dealt with cancer and with a similar tone and deftness. Both fantastic books .
The main plot is really about how cancer and chemo have left a long-term affect on Jeffrey, and his friend and fellow cancer survivor Tad. Both of them have suffered various degrees of physical and mental damage: Tad is in a wheelchair and Jeffrey walks with a limp. Here's the (paraphrased) example Jeffrey gives: put your foot flat on the floor. Now lift your toes off the floor without picking up your leg. This is something Jeffrey can't do.
For Jeffrey, it's the mental damage that's showcased here. He has a lot of trouble concentrating and can't hold numbers in his head. This becomes important when his state very suddenly decides that any eighth grader who can't pass a certain standardized test will be unable to move on to high school. The only exceptions are for students who have developmental disabilities. Students like Jeffrey, whose mental problems aren't genetic, are out of luck. Even simple accommodations like extra time and testing in a separate, quiet room (accommodations that would be required in every other circumstance by federal law) are forbidden. This is absolutely, stunningly realistic. As is the fallout.
But that's only a part of the book. It's really all about interactions between people. And I loved that. The last book I read didn't have great characterization, and the interactions didn't often feel true. Completely opposite here. It also sort of reminded me of Notes from the Dog, which also dealt with cancer and with a similar tone and deftness. Both fantastic books .
August 8, 2010
Jordan Sonnenblick tackles tough issues with grace and humor. In After Ever After, readers pick up on Jeffrey's story as he is now in 8th grade. While Jeffrey is now in remission, he must deal with the aftermath of years of chemotherapy and surgeries. He struggles with physical and mental disabilities as a result of his cancer. Yet, he is like every other 8th grade boy who struggles with his family issues, bad math grades (and a standardized test he has to pass), and a crush on a hot girl. While Jeffrey's storyline is a tough topic, Sonnenblick balances it out with Tad, whose rough exterior provides sarcastic comic relief to a serious topic. Both Jeffrey and Tad must decide to overcome the obstacles cancer brought their way and begin to really live.
A twist at the end provides the readers a glimpse of the harsh reality of cancer along with the hope that exists for a better life.
As always, Jordan Sonnenblick wrote an amazing book that will allow readers to laugh while discussing tough issues such as cancer, social acceptance, learning disabilities, and even the standardized testing. Each year, I use Drums, Girls, and Dangerous Pie and Notes from a Midnight Driver as literature circle books. My students always enjoy them. I can't wait to add this book to the rotation!
Parents can trust that this is a book their child should read and will enjoy. There are few comments that reflect normal 8th grade boys' infatuation with cute girls, but the book is appropriate for a younger audience.
www.laurathebookworm.blogspot.com
A twist at the end provides the readers a glimpse of the harsh reality of cancer along with the hope that exists for a better life.
As always, Jordan Sonnenblick wrote an amazing book that will allow readers to laugh while discussing tough issues such as cancer, social acceptance, learning disabilities, and even the standardized testing. Each year, I use Drums, Girls, and Dangerous Pie and Notes from a Midnight Driver as literature circle books. My students always enjoy them. I can't wait to add this book to the rotation!
Parents can trust that this is a book their child should read and will enjoy. There are few comments that reflect normal 8th grade boys' infatuation with cute girls, but the book is appropriate for a younger audience.
www.laurathebookworm.blogspot.com
May 18, 2017
The book that I read was called “After Ever After” written by Jordan Sonnenblick. After Ever After is a sequel to the book “Drums, Girls, and Dangerous Pie”. “Drums Girls and Dangerous Pie”, which was from the point of view of Jeffrey’s brother Steven, who was in the 8th grade when his brother Jeffrey was diagnosed with Leukemia. After Ever After has the same characters as Drums, Girls, and Dangerous Pie, although it occurs 8 years later. After Ever After is from the point of view of 13 year old cancer survivor, Jeffrey Alper, who is in the 8th grade. After Jeffrey’s brother, Steven, graduated, he dropped everything and left for Africa. Jeffery is left to fend for himself. Lindsey Abraham, a new attractive girl, thinks Jeffery is cute, which definitely freaks him out. Jeffery’s best friend, Tad, was also a cancer survivor and can barely walk. While helping Tad learn to walk again and getting tutored in math, 8th grade is harder than ever. With Jeffery’s fear of his and his best friend’s cancer returning, he wishes his brother was home more than ever. I would definitely recommend this book to anyone who enjoys hilarious and emotional books. After Ever After is one of my favorite books, right after Drums, Girls, and Dangerous Pie. This book definitely made me sit on the edge of my seat, laugh out loud, and cry at the same time. The book taught me not to take everything for granted because you never know what could happen tomorrow. I think this book is great for any young adults and teens.
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