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One Last Wish #8
Please Don't Die
When Katie O'Roark receives an invitation from the One Last Wish Foundation to spend the summer at Jenny House, she eagerly says yes. Katie is ever grateful to the anonymous "JWC," the person who gave her the gift that allowed her to receive a heart transplant. Now Katie is asked to help others who, like herself, are facing medical odds against them.
Being a "Big Sister" to Amanda, an eleven-year-old victim of leukemia; Chelsea, a thirteen-year-old candidate for a heart transplant; and Lacey, a fifeen-year-old diabetic who refuses to face her problems, is a challenge. As the summer progresses, the girls form a bond of friendship as they behave "just like healthy kids."
When a crisis occurs and one of the girls does not get to fulfill her dreams, the friends are devastated. The girls vow to gather each summer, so long as one of them is alive, in honor of their dreams and of a friendship strong enough to endure beyond this life.
Being a "Big Sister" to Amanda, an eleven-year-old victim of leukemia; Chelsea, a thirteen-year-old candidate for a heart transplant; and Lacey, a fifeen-year-old diabetic who refuses to face her problems, is a challenge. As the summer progresses, the girls form a bond of friendship as they behave "just like healthy kids."
When a crisis occurs and one of the girls does not get to fulfill her dreams, the friends are devastated. The girls vow to gather each summer, so long as one of them is alive, in honor of their dreams and of a friendship strong enough to endure beyond this life.
192 pages, Paperback
First published February 1, 1993
About the author
Lurlene McDaniel
143 books2,765 followersLurlene McDaniel (born c. 1948) is an author who has written over 50 young adult books. She is well known for writing about characters struggling with chronic and terminal illnesses, such as cancer, diabetes, and organ failure.
Other places to find her are...
https://www.facebook.com/lurlenemcdan...
http://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/aut...
http://www.youtube.com/user/LurleneMc
Other places to find her are...
https://www.facebook.com/lurlenemcdan...
http://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/aut...
http://www.youtube.com/user/LurleneMc
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Displaying 1 - 29 of 29 reviews
January 20, 2024
It has been a long time since I read this, but I was iffy about it then and don't feel any better about it in hindsight.
Katie O'Roark (first introduced in Someone Dies, Someone Lives, but I think I first read about her here), aged 17 or so, is serving as a camp counselor or "Big Sister" at a camp for kids with critical illnesses, watching over Amanda (13), Chelsea (15), and Lacey (16). Their ages are given wrong in the book blurb, but I assure you these are correct. You might ask why Lacey is a camper despite being only a year younger than her counselor, and sure enough Chelsea serves as a counselor the next summer at 16. Lacey is definitely not mature enough for that role at this point in her story though. (Lacey is in fact pretty much a huge brat. She grows up a lot in the next book, All The Days Of Her Life.)
Spoilers from here on:
Jeff, one of the other counselors (he's a college student), starts a relationship with Lacey. The age difference is a bit questionable to begin with, but it might be passable, but also she is a camper, so overall this seems inappropriate. Amanda has a crush on Jeff, but she's way too young for him (she's 13, remember?). She's hurt when Jeff picks Lacey over her and upset with Lacey, who doesn't get/care why she's upset. This does seem realistic but it bothers me that nobody addresses the age/authority aspects in the text to any appreciable extent. The characters discuss the situation several times, with nobody pointing out that Jeff probably shouldn't be macking on campers (though Jeff is the only one who does point out that Amanda is "just a kid" when stating why he's interested in Lacey instead; everyone else acts like his age relative to Amanda's is in no way inappropriate and that the only obstacle to him being with Amanda is that he likes Lacey better) and that while it is pretty normal for Amanda to have a crush on this older guy, she really IS too young for him AND he's a counselor, so she should probably just swoon over him from afar and he should keep it at a professional level. By the end of the book, Amanda has suffered a relapse of her condition and is near death, and Jeff tells her that she's his special girl, though nothing physical happens between the two. Then Amanda tells Jeff and Lacey they should be together, and then she dies. Losing a friend is traumatic enough for everyone in the narrative without having this story that acts like it's normal for a 13 year old and a college student to be a potential romantic pair. And the people who run Jenny House should probably try to hire counselors who are appreciably older than their campers and/or provide some training to avoid this kind of situation. I do get that Jeff is trying to be sweet because she's about to die, which I think is sweet of him, but there's still weirdness surrounding the situation aside from that.
I do like these characters, as evidenced by the fact that I've read all the other books about them too, but this romantic plot bothers me and it's a huge part of this book.
Katie O'Roark (first introduced in Someone Dies, Someone Lives, but I think I first read about her here), aged 17 or so, is serving as a camp counselor or "Big Sister" at a camp for kids with critical illnesses, watching over Amanda (13), Chelsea (15), and Lacey (16). Their ages are given wrong in the book blurb, but I assure you these are correct. You might ask why Lacey is a camper despite being only a year younger than her counselor, and sure enough Chelsea serves as a counselor the next summer at 16. Lacey is definitely not mature enough for that role at this point in her story though. (Lacey is in fact pretty much a huge brat. She grows up a lot in the next book, All The Days Of Her Life.)
Spoilers from here on:
Jeff, one of the other counselors (he's a college student), starts a relationship with Lacey. The age difference is a bit questionable to begin with, but it might be passable, but also she is a camper, so overall this seems inappropriate. Amanda has a crush on Jeff, but she's way too young for him (she's 13, remember?). She's hurt when Jeff picks Lacey over her and upset with Lacey, who doesn't get/care why she's upset. This does seem realistic but it bothers me that nobody addresses the age/authority aspects in the text to any appreciable extent. The characters discuss the situation several times, with nobody pointing out that Jeff probably shouldn't be macking on campers (though Jeff is the only one who does point out that Amanda is "just a kid" when stating why he's interested in Lacey instead; everyone else acts like his age relative to Amanda's is in no way inappropriate and that the only obstacle to him being with Amanda is that he likes Lacey better) and that while it is pretty normal for Amanda to have a crush on this older guy, she really IS too young for him AND he's a counselor, so she should probably just swoon over him from afar and he should keep it at a professional level. By the end of the book, Amanda has suffered a relapse of her condition and is near death, and Jeff tells her that she's his special girl, though nothing physical happens between the two. Then Amanda tells Jeff and Lacey they should be together, and then she dies. Losing a friend is traumatic enough for everyone in the narrative without having this story that acts like it's normal for a 13 year old and a college student to be a potential romantic pair. And the people who run Jenny House should probably try to hire counselors who are appreciably older than their campers and/or provide some training to avoid this kind of situation. I do get that Jeff is trying to be sweet because she's about to die, which I think is sweet of him, but there's still weirdness surrounding the situation aside from that.
I do like these characters, as evidenced by the fact that I've read all the other books about them too, but this romantic plot bothers me and it's a huge part of this book.
November 13, 2016
My Actual Rating: 3.5
I was excited about this book because I absolutely loved the idea of Jenny House. I love what this "summer camp" has come to be and can see it having such a positive impact on so many people. I liked that there were a bunch of characters in this one and we got to explore different relationships, friendships, and illnesses.
These books go deep into the emotions involved in dying or someone you love dying. It was great to see these strangers become best friends and huddle together to lift each other up at their best times and at their worst times. I feel a connection with these characters and am interested to know what happens to them in the future.
Side note - I would like to know more about how the recipients of the OLW money were chosen.. It doesn't seem Lacy was ever at risk of dying so not sure why she was chosen (but glad she was!)
I was excited about this book because I absolutely loved the idea of Jenny House. I love what this "summer camp" has come to be and can see it having such a positive impact on so many people. I liked that there were a bunch of characters in this one and we got to explore different relationships, friendships, and illnesses.
These books go deep into the emotions involved in dying or someone you love dying. It was great to see these strangers become best friends and huddle together to lift each other up at their best times and at their worst times. I feel a connection with these characters and am interested to know what happens to them in the future.
Side note - I would like to know more about how the recipients of the OLW money were chosen.. It doesn't seem Lacy was ever at risk of dying so not sure why she was chosen (but glad she was!)
November 23, 2016
Lacey made a turn around by the end of the book, and I am so glad. She was horrible. I think the idea of camp is so great. Of course, I love all camps so... It was great of Josh to do what he could for Amanda even if she was just faking for them, which was super sweet of her considering she was the one dying.
I wish they would have focused more on the camp and less of the crush. It would be great if just one of these books didn't have a love interest.
May 21, 2013
Katie O'Connor has always had a bad heart. She receives a call that says they have a heart for her, and she got a heart transplant. A few days later, she gets one last wish; money with a note attached to it. About a year later she received an invitation to come to Jenny House where there will be other people who received one last wish money as well. She never imagined how much Jenny House would impact her life.
"Please Don't Die" was a really good book in my opinion. I honestly could not put this book down. I would recommend this book to middle school and up because it's an easy book to read and it's not that long either.
"Please Don't Die" was a really good book in my opinion. I honestly could not put this book down. I would recommend this book to middle school and up because it's an easy book to read and it's not that long either.
March 25, 2017
I thought this book was very heartwarming. I love the One Last Wish books. I loved the plot and characters of this one. Lurlene McDaniel does such a great job on her books.
February 8, 2018
The book Please Don't Die by Lurlene McDaniel is an outstanding book with twists and turns. The main characters are Katie, Chelsea, Lacey, and Amanda. In the beginning of the book they all go to a camp called JWC which is where sick kids go and find knew friends and have fun, but in a safe place. In the book, the four girls all end up being roommates. When Katie met them all she noticed they all had different personalities. Like Lacey, in the beginning of the book she did not want to come and hated everyone and everything in it. And Amanda, who is really enthusiastic and is mostly really happy. Then Chelsea, who is really shy and overprotected from her parents. The girls were all at camp having fun, learning more and more about each other until Amanda got sick with leukemia again and had to go to the hospital. While they were their, the girls were always their for her and they realized what true friends are. When Amanda died, their friendship went away until the last days of camp. This book was and outstanding book that was kind of realistic.
The book Please Don't Die is a on your toes book that keeps you interested. Whether it's the drama or a sickness, you always want to know what happens next. This book was really inspirational and made me feel grateful. Though it is about sicknesses, she either finds a way to make you laugh or cry. This book shows how you need your friends and they are their for you and to be grateful. This book is mostly about friendship and how your friends are always there and to stick together. In the book I could really picture it in my mind and at one point I felt like crying. Lurlene McDaniel really know how to write and that is her strong point. I have really enjoyed this book and hope others will to.
The book Please Don't Die would be a great book for teenagers. The book is a little about love but mostly about friendship, drama, and sicknesses. I think I would rate it a five out of five. Overall, I really enjoyed this book.
The book Please Don't Die is a on your toes book that keeps you interested. Whether it's the drama or a sickness, you always want to know what happens next. This book was really inspirational and made me feel grateful. Though it is about sicknesses, she either finds a way to make you laugh or cry. This book shows how you need your friends and they are their for you and to be grateful. This book is mostly about friendship and how your friends are always there and to stick together. In the book I could really picture it in my mind and at one point I felt like crying. Lurlene McDaniel really know how to write and that is her strong point. I have really enjoyed this book and hope others will to.
The book Please Don't Die would be a great book for teenagers. The book is a little about love but mostly about friendship, drama, and sicknesses. I think I would rate it a five out of five. Overall, I really enjoyed this book.
November 5, 2017
I throughly enjoyed reading this book. I read this one first of the series even though it was the eighth book. I didn't know that. My aunt did the same, but it does not spoil to much. Like you just know that oh! So and so didn't die or they ended up okay. Things like that. I also read one dies one lives, but I preferred this one to that one. Anyway, definitely recommend this series to anyone who is looking for a sad, good, interesting book to read!
August 25, 2018
Cruise read.
June 28, 2024
Still love this book after all these years
August 5, 2024
This was just a throwback to when I was obsessed with these books, lol
February 18, 2020
This is the introduction to Jenny House! Katie, the recipient of the heart transplant from a few books back, returns! This time as a "Big Sister" for a summer program for other sick teens at Jenny House. Katie meets Amanda who has cancer, Chelsea who also needs a heart, and Lacey who has diabetes. What a bunch with cool and mature Katie, scaredy cat Chelsea, and bright-eyed optimistic Amanda who all try to get Lacey to be ok with being "sick".
This was a reread so I knew which of the girls wasn't going to make it to the end. I also know Katie is in all but one of the remaining books so I thought it was interesting that she was the "chosen" one for the series. I like Katie just fine but her plot with Josh takes precedence as the story continues now that she's past her "rejection" stage of her heart transplant. I also found myself annoyed with Lacey; while I recognize diabetes shouldn't be taken lightly, it didn't seem as serious compared to cancer or needing a heart. And Lacey was a brat the whole time treating everyone like they were beneath her; hiding her hurt with sarcasm.
This book was sad because it's always sad when one of the young kids die but overall I think it was one of the better ones in the series especially because we follow Chelsea, Katie, and Lacey for the rest of the series.
This was a reread so I knew which of the girls wasn't going to make it to the end. I also know Katie is in all but one of the remaining books so I thought it was interesting that she was the "chosen" one for the series. I like Katie just fine but her plot with Josh takes precedence as the story continues now that she's past her "rejection" stage of her heart transplant. I also found myself annoyed with Lacey; while I recognize diabetes shouldn't be taken lightly, it didn't seem as serious compared to cancer or needing a heart. And Lacey was a brat the whole time treating everyone like they were beneath her; hiding her hurt with sarcasm.
This book was sad because it's always sad when one of the young kids die but overall I think it was one of the better ones in the series especially because we follow Chelsea, Katie, and Lacey for the rest of the series.
June 19, 2008
katie is really excited to go to this new camp thing organized by the one wish foundation were she well interact with kids that have strange desieses. thre she meets amanda(a victim of cancer), this other girl who has cancer,and this other girl who has the same disiese she had. they all create a frienship and deal with all the problems they have. it really a touching story. one of them dies.
October 9, 2008
A Friendship grows stronger when a friend is needed. This book just makes me think about how important a friendship should be to you and even though you have a disease you should never let it get in the way of your life. I love Lurlene use of words and how she really tries to get you to understand the charactor and their life.
December 28, 2009
Going back and reading the rest of the Lurlene McDaniel books is fun - in a teary sort of way. She is not as "great" of a writer as I once thought, but I give this book 5 stars because of the feelings she can evoke. I have cried in every Lurlene McDaniel book I have read. . . bringing emotions that close to the surface is definetly a talent.
July 25, 2011
My very first lurlene McDaniel book ever, when I was 8 or 9 years old. Probably the first book I ever re-read as well as the first book that ever made me cry. Live the friendship between the four girls! Read just about every book of hers I could even though the subject matter is pretty morbid. Just passed my collection on to my 12 year old niece. She's enjoying them now too :)
February 10, 2008
Not much to say... another great book dealing with typical teen angst, the stuff that affects all kids, even those who are also dealing with life-threatening illnesses and the deaths of their closest friends.
October 16, 2008
It was a very good book.
Read
November 5, 2008good series
November 17, 2008
Very good.
November 17, 2008
A book about the bonds between women, and the strenght these young woman have to face a life that will end before they are ready.
Read
April 9, 2010F McDA olw
August 9, 2013
Jenny House in it's first year running :-) beautiful story full of love and heartbreak. Lurlene McDaniel has a real talent for bringing you into the story and pulling at your heart stings.
June 11, 2012
2.5 stars actually
May 26, 2012
The true meaning of friendship...
May 14, 2021
Loved these books as a child
July 1, 2013
2 1/2 if I could
October 20, 2012
All I can say is that I am so upset about the ending, but I'm not surprised it happened like that.
December 23, 2014
Yet another super depressing title....
November 19, 2015
Had me almost crying
Displaying 1 - 29 of 29 reviews