Drummond is the quintessential middle-schooler. He has a penchant for cold pizza and sleeping in. His grades are average on a good day and he tends to procrastinate on things that aren’t his passion. And more than anything, he just wants to find a place to fit in. A unique opportunity to join the high school marching band’s drumline offers Drummond a glimmer of something monumental. An unexceptional drummer up till now, Drummond starts taking private lessons, setting him on a path to become a true percussionist. But Drummond is jumping into a seasoned drumline that’s been together for a while. He’ll have to dedicate himself to his instrument if he wants to prove himself and be welcomed by his fellow bandmates. And this acceptance can’t come soon enough. With troubles at home and all the expected challenges that come with being a thirteen-year-old boy struggling to make his way in the world, Drummond needs all the support he can get. For a kid whose family life is crumbling, a spot in the marching band may be just the fostering family he needs.
Drummond: Learning to find himself in the music is a book I wish I had read during my impressionable marching band years. Able to capture with authenticity the growing passions of a tight-knit group of musicians, the author calls to mind a whole host of colorful musical memories. All those long, sweaty days of practice, the insecurities over potentially losing your hard-earned spot on the field, the emotional highs and lows of changing relationship dynamics, and most importantly, the amazing sense of belonging that is unique to marching as a cohesive unit. And this rhythmic and harmonious book is not exclusive to percussionists. Not only does Blakley remind musicians of some of the intricate nuances of drumming, but he gives us a compact overview of a fun range of different marching instruments as Drummond shuffles through different sections of the band before resettling on his true love, percussion. A little neurotic and a lot funny, Drummond: Learning to find himself in the music is a book that will have you marching to the beat of a whole new drum.
