I Am Drums

Gr 4-6—Sixth grader Sam (never Samantha) has one obsession. It's not boys. It's not grades. It's the drums. Sam falls asleep hearing rhythms in her head. She wakes up with rhythms bursting out of her, ready to be played. Unfortunately, the only time Sam actually gets a chance to play a drum is at school, where she has to be satisfied with boring parts on a single drum in symphonic band. She can't even practice at home unless it's on a makeshift drum kit made out of books and magazines. Not only do her parents not understand her dream to really play but since her dad lost his job, there isn't any money to spend on a real kit or lessons. However, when Sam discovers that the school music program is going to be cut the following year, desperation takes over. She hatches a plan to earn money for lessons and decides to keep both the lessons and her lawn-mowing business a secret from her parents. Everything seems to be going great, until suddenly it isn't, and Sam is forced to face the music. Author Grosso is a musician and teacher, and his passion for music comes through in his writing. Readers will feel Sam's desire to play and sympathize with her decision to sneak around in order to pursue her dream.

Copyright 2016 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

"Readers will cheer for spunky Sam..."
—Booklist

"An appealing, goodhearted story for all young people yearning to march to the beat of their own drums. "
—Horn Book

"This is a worthy and entertaining read about how talent develops and what the potential consequences of pursuing it are: drumroll, please, for a fine homage to spirited single-mindedness."
—Kirkus

"A great read for middle graders with their own obsessions and dreams."
—School Library Journal

"Sweet and humorous with a main character you will root for like crazy."—Randy Ribay, author of An Infinite Number of Parallel Universes