Brendan has it all—captain of the basketball team, good friends, a beautiful girlfriend and a loving family—until he is diagnosed with leukemia.
Terrified and convinced that no one understands what he is going through, Brendan faces chemotherapy alone, until he meets Lark. She is also in treatment, although her condition is much worse, and yet she remains positive and hopeful. Brendan is torn between feeling sorry for himself and the love for life that Lark brings to even the simplest thing. Through Lark, he discovers the strength to go on, to fight for survival and to love.
This short novel is a high-interest, low-reading level book for teen readers who are building reading skills, want a quick read or say they don’t like to read!
"Genuinely moving."
– CM Magazine
"Has the ability to hook reluctant readers of both sexes as its main character struggles to accept his illness and the limitations it poses on his life, while offering hope for his survival physically and spiritually."
– Resource Links
"Schwartz captures the awkwardness and pain of those dealing with such a diagnosis, especially the patient...In this emotional entry in the Orca Soundings series, Lark's sweetness and wisdom spin out on a trajectory that readers just know will not end happily for her, even though Brendan knows she has touched his life mightily."
– Booklist
"This fast-moving book would be well-suited for reluctant readers at the high school level."
– Library Media Connection
"An excellent hi/lo portrayal of the physical and emotional effects of leukemia. The teen characters are believable and the writing is powerful."
– Tri-State YA Book Review Committee
"Schwartz packs a lot of intensity into this slim novel, touching on the reality of what having cancer is like for teens, physically and emotionally."
– School Library Journal
"A very powerful and emotional book...Schwartz does an amazing job capturing the fear and heartache Brendan, and his family, undergo as he battles cancer in hopes of survival. I highly recommend this novel as it puts everything in perspective and will make you count your blessings. Five stars."
– Bookvacations.wordpress.com
TriState Young Adult Book Review Committee Book of Note | 2011 | Commended
CCBC Best Books for Kids & Teens, starred selection | 2012 | Commended
