At its core, Drums, Girls, and Dangerous Pie is a novel about confronting difficult circumstances and persevering in the face of adversity. Steven and his parents are forced to watch five-year-old Jeffrey become seriously ill and go through chemotherapy all while grappling with the possibility that he may never recover. Furthermore, they become burdened with extensive medical debt. Rather than being destroyed by these challenges, however, the Alper family ultimately learns to come together to support Jeffrey. When the family leaves the concert for the ER all together, they are a considerably stronger family unit than in the early days of Jeffrey’s illness.

When Jeffrey first becomes sick, Steven is overwhelmed by negative thoughts and consumed by frustration and anxiety. At times, he even wonders if there is any point to playing the drums or preparing for the spring concert. Over time, however, he begins to recognize the power of resilience and learns to cope with challenges better. In particular, Mrs. Galley’s advice to focus on things he can change, rather than on things he can’t, helps Steven to learn to take control of his thoughts and focus on remaining hopeful while doing what he can to help his brother and parents.