The Beat I Drum

It turns out school isn't quite as bad as he expected. Connor forms a fast friendship with a girl who also has Tourette's and is welcomed into her accepting circle of friends. He also meets a special music teacher who encourages him to take up the drums to manage his stress, and maybe get a break from his tics. But Connor's world continues to be turned upside down by his father, who left the family a couple of years ago and is now trying to rekindle a relationship with them, and a school bully starts to escalate at school. All these problems--with family, with friends, and within himself--build and build until Connor feels ready to explode. Will a surprising revelation save him?

Endearing and authentic, THE BEAT I DRUM offers an empathetic look at a misunderstood syndrome, the power of music, and the value of forgiveness.