So Much to Live For

Dawn Rochelle #3

by Lurlene McDaniel

Book by McDaniel, Lurlene

Genres: Young Adult, Fiction, Teen, Contemporary, Childrens, Realistic Fiction, Middle Grade

Library Binding

First published January 1, 1991

About the author

Lurlene 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

Reviews

[Books Kids Like · Rating 4 out of 5]

Since her bone marrow transplant, Dawn Rochelle has been free of leukemia symptoms. It is summer, and she is off to cancer camp. Dawn had planned on working the whole summer with Rhonda in her uncle's ice cream parlor. She really wanted to put the whole idea of leukemia behind her, but Joan Clark talks her into becoming a counselor-in-training. Soon after she arrives she meets a vaguely familiar boy who is also a CIT. Dawn is not surprised when she finds out that he is Brent Chandler, Sandy's brother. Many of Dawn's carefully thought-out plans to make her girls welcome are destroyed by an angry young girl named Marlee. Dawn soon realizes that Marlee's anger hides fright and a lack of self-confidence. She and her cabin mates strive to make Marlee fit in; sometimes against great odds. They know they've accomplished something when Marlee decides to play this year's practical joke on Dr. Ben. After camp, Marlee goes back to the hospital. Dawn begins visiting her every day. She loans Marlee Mr. Ruggers to keep her company. By helping Marlee, Dawn can is a small way repay the help that Sandy gave her.

[Kimberlyn Schilke · Rating 5 out of 5]

I learned from this book is to be nice to everyone no matter how mean they are to you because they may have something wrong with them and you could give them hope.

[Mary]

I don't feel right rating this as an adult, even though I devoured these books as a kid. Some PC stuff doesn't age well, but this is so full of heart and hope that I understand why I loved them, as morbid as it seems to me now.

[Brandy · Rating 5 out of 5]

❤️❤️

[Rachel Yzenbaard · Rating 4 out of 5]

It has great story development from the beginning to the end. It just moved a little more slowly than the others so far in the series.

[Arielle · Rating 4 out of 5]

This had actual pathos and character development, and dealt with grief. Dare I say - with all the usual Lurlene caveats - that it was well done?

[Rita · Rating 4 out of 5]

So Much To Live For is the third book of the series of Dawn Rochelle by Lurlene McDaniel. Through out the series, you will find it’s more inspiring, exciting and touching.

The story is about Dawn, who is now fifteen years old and she survived cancer twice! It’s summer time and Dawn will attend the summer camp for those who have been or still touched by cancer. Only this time, she will be a Counselor In Training (CIT). She wasn’t sure to come back since she wanted to put anything related to cancer behind and also because it’s hard to readjust your life since the lost of her late-best friend Sandy. Almost two summers ago, she had attended to the same camp with Sandy and she is afraid to relive the memories of their past. Once arrived in the cancer camp, Dawn sees a familiar face at camp and recognize as Sandy’s brother, Brent, who is also a CIT. Dawn had prepared everything her cabin to welcome the girls who join the camp, but it was quickly destroyed by an spiteful girl named Marlee. Dawn will realise that behind Marlee’s anger hides a fright little girl and with a lack of self-esteem. Dawn and the girls struggle to make Marlee fit in, sometimes she would refuse at first but will slowly accept and fit in with the girls, especially with Dawn.

There is a lesson in this book and it also applies in real life: You have to show and be kind to everyone around you no matter how mean they are to you. Sometimes it’s because they struggle personally, and they don’t know how to express it the right way. By just showing kindness, they will learn to hope and show in return kindness! I know I keep saying it this but Lurlene McDaniel as a talent to write such inspiring and powerful stories about people who are living with diseases and how it affects them as patients and how they try to readjust themselves back into the normal life. Dawn is a very brave and kind person who lives in two different worlds, the normal life without cancer and the one with it. This was such a great simple and easy read!

Now I’m planning to read the last book of the series! I can’t wait to find out more!

[Delaney McIntyre · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is definitely one of the best in the Dawn Rochelle series. It is full of emotion. I couldn't put the book down. I would definitely recommend and I believe that there should more books in this series.
Book three of the Dawn Rochelle series is as powerful and exciting as all of the previous books. It adds a little twist by introducing a new friend into Dawn's life, Marlee. It all starts as Dawn becomes a CIT at the same cancer camp she had attended the previous summer. Dawn's campers were all so polite and friendly. But this new girl was mean and spiteful. She was angry with the world for the cancer it has given her and took it out on everyone around her. At first I thought this was out of place but as the story unfolded I could see how this was all part of the cancer story, or rather the life of those who had cancer. Of course Dawn and Marlee bumped heads in the beginning but all Marlee wanted was a friend. Maybe this sour child wasn't so sour after all.... Sadly Marlee passes away later. This "angry" little girl called Dawn and asked her to visit her in the hospital. Dawn thought she would get well after some chemo, but Dawn later found out that Marlee's type of cancer could not be treated and she would pass soon. Dawn then decided to visit Marlee everyday untill she died. It was very heartwarming. This is truly a wonderful book and should be required for all of us to read. This is really a very talented author.

[Lily Schirado · Rating 3 out of 5]

I thought the book was very good it had good characters and a good setting. I liked it because it was not your regular book it had twisted and turns and even some sad parts.

In this book, dawn is in remission so on her way to be free of cancer.Dawn was a camp counselor for the cancer camp, she met someone there she thought she would never see. The person she met was Brent, Sandys brother. She liked him because she felt like she had a piece of sandy with her. Also at cancer camp, she met a girl named marly. At first marly was just mean and disrespectful to dawn, but by the end, dawn was Marlys friend she even called dawn after camp. shortly after camp, marly called dawn and she said that she was in the hospital again. Dawn went to the oncology floor of the hospital for the first time in a long time It brought back many memories of when she was with Sandy. Dawn visited marly every day but one day marly passes away. dawn thought to herself that she had now lost 2 of her friends that went through the same thing as her. Dawn was very sad that she had lost such a good friend.

I think this book was good the way the author explained how Dawn felt when she went back to the hospital was so good you could feel how she was feeling, The author did this in most of the book.
I would highly recommend this book who like a twist on a story about a serious subject.

[Lakeesha Broughton · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was another amazing read just like book 1 and 2. In this story, Dawn returns back to camp and has some experiences with campers that was like she was her first time there. She thinks of her best friend often as she goes throughout camp, not having her at camp this year has made it hard for Dawn to return. She meets new people and creates new bonds at camp, but you have to read it to see what happens next. This story continues with families dealing with various types of cancer, and death, as well as survival. An easy read with characters that will pull at your heart strings and make you fall in love with the story even more. Great book, ready to ready book 4.

[Isabel · Rating 4 out of 5]

I wasn’t as happy with it as the others, it was still good but it just… however I did really love it. Marlee nearly broke my heart. The fact that Dawn was so sad she is the one “left behind” was really a powerful relatable…thing. I did enjoy it but it wasn’t as good as the others, but it did save me to win my challenge in the month of November so I’m not complaining!

[Rebecca · Rating 3 out of 5]

Dawn always had some drama going on in her life.

[Karen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another good book by this author. The end made me cry.

[Jenna Gragnani · Rating 3 out of 5]

The author changes some minor details throughout the 4 books but it was still a good fast read.

[Destiny Adore · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was an immaculate story! The characters are perfect, and the friendships I fell in love with. This was beautifully written just like the others. ❤️ Truly remarkable.

[char · Rating 3 out of 5]

as if this actually made me cry

characters are actually really great. nevertheless, the book is still racist and still godly. this book needs feminism

[*Weebles* · Rating 5 out of 5]

Omg! Tear jerker for sure

[carlareadssometimes · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rereading for the nostalgia

[Carrie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I had read Six Months To Live when I was a tween in the 1980’s. I didn’t know there were books in a series and decided to see where the story went, I tried to capture my young self and rate this as I would have then and believe I have done that. It’s definitely a sad story but has happy moments as well. I would recommend this to a tween or young teen.

[Frank · Rating 5 out of 5]

Book three of the Six Months to Live series is as powerful and exciting as "Six Months" to live. It takes a little different twist by introducing a new friend into Dawn's life but this new girl was mean and spiteful. She was angry with the world for the cancer it had given her and took it out on everyone around her. At first I thought this out of place but as the story unfolds I could see how this was all part of the cancer story, or rather the living life of those who had cancer. Her big wish was to be kissed before she died. So when you read it be sure you have a lot of Kleenex on hand. The author Lurlene McDaniel works her literary magic in helping us all to understand this strange world of young cancer patients; those who are survivors and those who succumb to the disease. She not only paves the way for those with debilitation diseases to live life to the full even beyond their limiting diseases; she shows healthy people how do deal with life too. This is truly a wonderful read and should be required reading for all of us. This is really a very talented author.

[Teaha · Rating 5 out of 5]

this book was really sad,well dawn rochelle had cancer 2 times and both times survived it. when she goes to this camp where kids who has cancer or who are in remission can go and have fun, well when dawn goes there this year she has to deal with meeting her friend brother brent and deal with the lost of his sister and her best friend (sandy) from cancer. dawn meets this girl marlee and at first she is a spolt brat but then she softens up a little when her and dawn starts a friendship, marlee hasto go back to the hosipital for tests and ends up she might not make it, can dawn deal with lossing marlee like she did with her best friend sandy who died, and feel like everyone is leaving her alone and somehow wish it was her instead of them or is she going to live with the thought that life is a gift and that she should be glad that she is still living. you need to read this book to find out.

[Morgan Lemke · Rating 5 out of 5]

this is the best book i have read by lurlen! this book is about a 15 year old girl who had cancer... her best friend died of cancer 2 years ago abd she cries everytime she even hears her name... she decides to be a counceler at a cancer camp for children... there she meets a brat named merlylee...merlylee has gone through a lot in her life including both of her parents dying, cancer, and a fake eye... merlylee gets cancer again and dawn (main character) is the only one there for her... merlylee ends up dying from cancer and dawn is upset because that is another one of her friends that has died from cancer...

[Megan S · Rating 5 out of 5]

I gave it five stars because I thought I could relate to what Dawn is thinking. She is fifteen years old Dawn has survived cancer not once, but twice. No one knows the battle better then she does. That’s why Dawn agrees to be a camp counselor for young kids with cancer the same thing that Dawn and her friend Sandy had attended when they were little. But now that Sandy is dead she can not live without her. What I didn’t like about it was it kept on dragging on so I just wanted to know what will happen next.

[Robin · Rating 3 out of 5]

Another good addition to Dawn's story. I really enjoyed this book, though again, it was heartbreaking. I think I liked the second one better than this one, just because it focused more on Dawn and the ending was so well written. This book was good as well, but I think it didn't keep my attention as much as the last book did. One thing I enjoy about Lurlene McDaniel's books is the fact that she doesn't just focus on the main person, Dawn, she spends some time telling the story of those around her, who also are affected by cancer, and how their lives and Dawn's affect each other.

[Molly · Rating 3 out of 5]

Dawn Rochelle is ready to put Leukemia behind her and spend the summer working in an ice cream parlor and hanging out with friends, but she is convinced to become a counselor-in-training at the camp for kids with cancer she has gone to in the past. While there, she makes new friends that will change her life.

I don't really have anything different to say about this one from the other books in the series, but readers will be satisfied.

[Maria · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was addicted to Lurlene McDaniel books when I was in the 4th-6th grade. This is the one that always made me cry so I figure I'll review it. These books are teen braincandy all about teens (mostly gals) with life-threatening/fatal diseases. I can't explain the morbid curiosity that I had for these novels but they were great at the time.

[Jaelyn O · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book so far is about a girl who has cancer and she goes to this camp where cancer kids go to in the summer. And she is a counsler there it is her first time being there because last time she was there her best friend was there too but she died of cancer so it is really hard for her and in her cabin there is a really mean girl her name is Marlee.

[Amanda · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a really sad book but it was also really good. I like this series so far and am hoping that it has a good ending. I think these books bother me because it's hard to think how come it wasn't me? Even thought these books are fiction this accually happens to kids thats why it's so heartbreaking.

[Corie · Rating 4 out of 5]

A wonderful book and I loved reading more about Dawn Rochelle's life and how cancer has effected her. If you are like me, and "Six Months to Live" and "I Want to Live" are books that were significant to you, "So Much to Live For" is definitely worth picking up. Even if you are almost 35 and carrying around a teen novel.

[Lisa Buccieri · Rating 5 out of 5]

Out of all the Dawn Rochelle books this one was defenitly the best..at least for me anyway. The ending was so sweet and sad and the whole story just made me want to cry, even though it was short it had so much dept and meaning and i lovvvvveddd it, go out and read this right now!!! You wont regret it (=