Drummers of Jericho

By Carolyn Meyer

Book Overview

Pazit Trujillo begins her freshman year at Jericho High School and quickly realizes that people in this small suburban town aren t used to Jewish girls with strange names. Despite the whispers and stares, Pazit wants to fit in and is determined to join the school s marching band. But when she learns they will be playing hymns and marching in the formation of a cross, she objects. Only one person in the town, drummer Billy Harper, stands up for her, and in the end both Billy and Pazit learn something about friendship and the importance of exercising one s rights. "

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0152001905
• ISBN13: 9780152001902
• Release Date: May 1995
• Publisher: Clarion Books
• Length: 320 Pages
• Weight: 0.50 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.8" x 4.2" x 6.9"
• Age Range: 12 years and up
• Grade Range: Grade 7 and higher

Customer Reviews

THis is a wounderful book:-)

This is an ausome book. i think the way they treated Pezit was not fair. If they didnt have anything nice to say they shouldnt have said anything at all. I think Billy was a very nice boy for being Zeeties friend. well g2g c ya l8er Toodles amanda

Drummers of Jericho

When Pazit Trujillo moves to Jericho to live with her father everything seems all right, but when she decides to join the high school band things start to go wrong. At first she meets a boy named Billy who seems to be a good guy. When she starts high school he ignores her completely, and goes of to join his popular friends. Pazit suddenly notices she is the only Jew in the school and that all the other students are Christian. Then when band practices start she has to play all Christian music and march in the shape of a cross! She imediately tells the band director that she can't do this and ends up on the sidelines playing her music. When her father gets involved things go wrong and the ACLU get involved. The band director quickly has to change his plans, and after all their hard work students start to turn vicious. They start mocking Pazit, calling her names, and sending her threatening messages. Billy starts to think that maybe his friends are responsible and joins Pazit's side of the arguement. He starts speaking up for her at meetings and on T.V., and he also finds out that his friends aren't really good friends at all. Billy also finds out he kind of likes Pazit and Pazit finds she feels the same.

My students loved it as did I.

Thanks, Carolyn Meyer, for telling us the real story behind this wonderful novel. I teach school in Utah and we all remember a similar situation a few years back with a Jewish student who has difficulty making her Mormon community understand why she didn't want to sing songs about Christ in December. I've used this book in literature partners with a great deal of success and I hope it has helped to bring down the barriers between religions in our small community.

A wonderful read, fast paced, and controversial

Rarely subjected to people of other religions besides Christianity, Jericho is surprised when Pazit Trujillo moves in with her father. Pazit is Jewish, has a weird name, and wears "different" clothes. With only one friend who does not associate with her at school, Billy, Pazit battles through her school days. At first the overall attitude towards Pazit is rude but not abnormal for a new kid. She finds herself getting strange looks, people making fun of her name and clothes, but not much else. After joining the school band, Pazit learns that the band marches in the shape of a cross and plays Christian hymns. Protesting on freedom of religion, Pazit must go through constant torture and humiliation in front of her peers, but learns the true meaning of friendship when Billy sticks up for her. This is a fast moving book, and isn't that hard to read. I am in 7th grade, and recommend it to anyone around my level.