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No Matter the Distance
An unexpected animal companion helps a girl with cystic fibrosis learn to write her own story in this captivating novel in verse by award-winning author and disabled activist Cindy Baldwin. Penny Rooney has cystic fibrosis, which means she has to do breathing treatments to help her lungs work. Some days, it seems like her CF is the only thing Penny knows about herself for sure. From her point of view, everyone around her can make sense of their place in the world. So why can’t Penny even begin to write a poem about herself for school? Then during spring break Penny spots something impossible in the creek behind her a dolphin, far from its home. Penny names the dolphin Rose and feels an immediate bond, since the dolphin is also sick. But as Penny’s CF worsens, she realizes that Rose needs to return to her pod to get better. Will Penny be able to help guide Rose back to the ocean, even if it means losing her friend? This heartwarming story, which marks the first time an author with cystic fibrosis is writing a protagonist with CF, will transport readers into a world full of friendship, family, and powerful self-discovery.
368 pages, Paperback
First published February 21, 2023
33 people are currently reading
4051 people want to read
About the author
Cindy Baldwin
5 books348 followersCindy Baldwin the author of the critically acclaimed novels WHERE THE WATERMELONS GROW, BEGINNERS WELCOME, THE STARS OF WHISTLING RIDGE, and NO MATTER THE DISTANCE (2/2023). She lives just outside Portland, Oregon, with her husband and daughter.
(PS, Goodreads friends! I am no longer accepting friend requests on Goodreads.)
(PS, Goodreads friends! I am no longer accepting friend requests on Goodreads.)
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 155 reviews
April 1, 2024
Major book hangover after reading this beautiful book!
Cindy Baldwin has taken her own experiences of growing up with “65 Roses” and woven them into to an adventure tale that anyone would want to experience! Becoming friends with a wild dolphin! Kayaking miles down a river! For a person who has Cystic Fibrosis, such an experience would most likely not be possible. Through the eyes of young Penny, and the wonderful writing of the author, anyone who wants to can go on that journey with her, however!
Thank you, Cindy, for this wonderful story; for being the first person with C.F. to write a novel about it. I teared up when Penny was enduring her medical treatments, and cheered for her when her wishes were granted!
Highly recommended; this book should be in every classroom.
*I received a digital copy from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are strictly my own.* from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are strictly my own.*
Cindy Baldwin has taken her own experiences of growing up with “65 Roses” and woven them into to an adventure tale that anyone would want to experience! Becoming friends with a wild dolphin! Kayaking miles down a river! For a person who has Cystic Fibrosis, such an experience would most likely not be possible. Through the eyes of young Penny, and the wonderful writing of the author, anyone who wants to can go on that journey with her, however!
Thank you, Cindy, for this wonderful story; for being the first person with C.F. to write a novel about it. I teared up when Penny was enduring her medical treatments, and cheered for her when her wishes were granted!
Highly recommended; this book should be in every classroom.
*I received a digital copy from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are strictly my own.* from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are strictly my own.*
May 28, 2023
Ohhhh I loved this book! I often struggle to connect with novels in verse, but this one hooked me hard from the beginning and just swept me through with so much heart and resonance throughout.
Penny (like the author of this book) has cystic fibrosis, and that's a real, daily issue for her, but it doesn't define her. At just the moment that she's consciously trying to figure out how to define herself for a poetry competition, she's struck with two big changes in her world: her lifelong best friend is about to move four hours away from her AND a dolphin has gotten lost and ended up in her local creek...a sick dolphin (Rose) with the same kind of bacteria in her struggling lungs that makes Penny and other CFers so sick. As Penny bonds with Rose (shown really beautifully), she also prepares to let that second friendship go with the help of adult dolphin researchers planning an urgent rescue mission...a mission that will require Penny's wholehearted help and courage in order to succeed.
I loved everything about this book, which is so warm and nuanced and full of rich characterizations, wonderful relationships, and complicated issues, along with moments of what feel like real magic in Penny's relationship with Rose. I loved the nuances so carefully laid out as Penny tries to work out how she'd define herself - especially in her realization that in order to do that, she also has to finally start pushing back against the definitions pushed on her by others, like the doctors and nurses who want her to just focus on how 'lucky' she is (by comparison to some others with cystic fibrosis) even when she's going through the kind of intense pain and fear that no kid should have to face.
She's surrounded by family love and care, but I loved her realization that she's allowed to feel anger and fear about her physical circumstances anyway - that it's safe and allowed to let herself have those hard feelings, and that facing them head-on when she needs to is healthier than tamping them all down. Friendships can be joyful and important even when they don't last forever - and Penny can be a lucky/unlucky girl, both at once, as she bonds with a dolphin, lets her go, forms new friendships, and figures out just how strong she really is, no matter how her body might feel at any time.
Highly recommended! (And wow, is this book a tonic after the last book I read about a kid with cystic fibrosis, many years ago - written by a healthy, able-bodied author - which was just so awful and mean-spirited in its treatment of the subject.)
Penny (like the author of this book) has cystic fibrosis, and that's a real, daily issue for her, but it doesn't define her. At just the moment that she's consciously trying to figure out how to define herself for a poetry competition, she's struck with two big changes in her world: her lifelong best friend is about to move four hours away from her AND a dolphin has gotten lost and ended up in her local creek...a sick dolphin (Rose) with the same kind of bacteria in her struggling lungs that makes Penny and other CFers so sick. As Penny bonds with Rose (shown really beautifully), she also prepares to let that second friendship go with the help of adult dolphin researchers planning an urgent rescue mission...a mission that will require Penny's wholehearted help and courage in order to succeed.
I loved everything about this book, which is so warm and nuanced and full of rich characterizations, wonderful relationships, and complicated issues, along with moments of what feel like real magic in Penny's relationship with Rose. I loved the nuances so carefully laid out as Penny tries to work out how she'd define herself - especially in her realization that in order to do that, she also has to finally start pushing back against the definitions pushed on her by others, like the doctors and nurses who want her to just focus on how 'lucky' she is (by comparison to some others with cystic fibrosis) even when she's going through the kind of intense pain and fear that no kid should have to face.
She's surrounded by family love and care, but I loved her realization that she's allowed to feel anger and fear about her physical circumstances anyway - that it's safe and allowed to let herself have those hard feelings, and that facing them head-on when she needs to is healthier than tamping them all down. Friendships can be joyful and important even when they don't last forever - and Penny can be a lucky/unlucky girl, both at once, as she bonds with a dolphin, lets her go, forms new friendships, and figures out just how strong she really is, no matter how her body might feel at any time.
Highly recommended! (And wow, is this book a tonic after the last book I read about a kid with cystic fibrosis, many years ago - written by a healthy, able-bodied author - which was just so awful and mean-spirited in its treatment of the subject.)
July 7, 2023
4.5/5 stars
April 14, 2023
Penny is a young girl that has cystic fibrosis. But she tries not to let that define her. When her teacher announces there will be a poetry contest, she continues to wonder about the prompt: What makes Penny Penny? That answer is provided as Penny navigates her flare ups and dealing with being eleven.
Penny and her sister discover a dolphin in the lake behind their house. Penny forms an immediate bond with the dolphin and names her Rose. The dolphin shouldn't be in this water. She is alone and too far from the ocean. What happens over the next few weeks is Penny (with the help of her father and his marine biologist friend) attempts to save Rose and lead her home.
The information on cystic fibrosis and dealing with the symptoms is insightful. This is written in verse which makes it a quick read.
Penny and her sister discover a dolphin in the lake behind their house. Penny forms an immediate bond with the dolphin and names her Rose. The dolphin shouldn't be in this water. She is alone and too far from the ocean. What happens over the next few weeks is Penny (with the help of her father and his marine biologist friend) attempts to save Rose and lead her home.
The information on cystic fibrosis and dealing with the symptoms is insightful. This is written in verse which makes it a quick read.
May 24, 2023
No Matter the Distance is a beautiful middle grade verse novel about living with cystic fibrosis and finding belonging in community. Also starring an adorable dolphin and warm family dynamics, this book will appeal to kids who love animals, books about sisters, and stories about chronic illness and disability.
Full review: https://readingmiddlegrade.com/no-mat...
Full review: https://readingmiddlegrade.com/no-mat...
March 30, 2023
A fantastic verse novel full of positivity and perseverance about a girl living with Cystic Fibrosis and the dolphin that she shares a connection with. Great for Years 5-8.
July 19, 2023
Another fantastic #ownvoices Middle grade book featuring a young girl with cystic fibrosis. The author does such a great job describing the challenges of living with CF. I related to this story a lot as someone with a chronic breathing disability that is quite similar.
The animal friend story line was fun too and one that young readers are sure to enjoy. Perfect for fans of books like Song for a whale by Lynne Kelly or the graphic novel Ghosts by Raina Telgemeier. Good on audio as well narrated by Reena Dutt.
The animal friend story line was fun too and one that young readers are sure to enjoy. Perfect for fans of books like Song for a whale by Lynne Kelly or the graphic novel Ghosts by Raina Telgemeier. Good on audio as well narrated by Reena Dutt.
June 30, 2023
This beautiful novel in verse had my heart from the start. In it, we meet Penny, a sixth-grade girl with cystic fibrosis who’s dealing with a chronic illness and grappling with her best friend’s impending move across the country. Tasked with writing a poem about herself for a school contest, Penny struggles to define who she really is. One day, at the creek behind her house, she unexpectedly finds a stray dolphin, a dolphin she feels immediately connected to because she is sick too. Together, they fight back against their health issues to find out where they both truly belong. Get out the tissues for this one.
April 8, 2023
What a wonderful book. Adds a more personal touch to the experience for those with "sixty-five roses", that Five Feet Apart only scratches the surface.
March 24, 2023
"Goodbyes are hard," Daddy says, echoing my words back to me. "Endings hurt, no matter how right they are."
"No matter the distance, no matter the struggle. I am never alone"
This is a wonderfully written middle grade book in verse. It is filled with such hope and wonder while not being too sappy or surreal. The author's note is especially poignant and adds to the impact of the story. Highly recommend it!
Thanks to Netgalley for a chance to read it in exchange for my honest thoughts!
"No matter the distance, no matter the struggle. I am never alone"
This is a wonderfully written middle grade book in verse. It is filled with such hope and wonder while not being too sappy or surreal. The author's note is especially poignant and adds to the impact of the story. Highly recommend it!
Thanks to Netgalley for a chance to read it in exchange for my honest thoughts!
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February 14, 2024No Matter the Distance is Cindy Baldwin’s excellent middle-grade verse novel about Penny, a sixth grader with cystic fibrosis who bonds with Rose, a dolphin that has strayed from its saltwater habitat into a semi-saline creek near Penny’s home. Penny’s relationship with the wayward dolphin she names Rose is the kind of connection that will enthrall young animal lovers. Penny and Rose communicate through touch and sounds, but they also seem to have a telepathic ability to understand each other.
As a cystic fibrosis patient herself, Baldwin knows the emotional and medical complexities that accompany a youngster’s hospital visits and in-home health care. Because Penny’s cystic fibrosis is mostly manageable at home, she is considered by many to be “lucky,” a characterization that Penny has difficulty accepting. Readers who have experienced extensive medical treatments or hospitalizations will relate to how Baldwin authentically captures the details of those episodes.
Baldwin’s verse effectively uses enjambment and page space to give her poems a variety of different textures. She uses language that is slightly more elevated than what might be expected in a sixth-grader’s voice, but this works because Penny is more insightful and sensitive than most others her age.
No Matter the Distance is a solid choice for independent reading, lit circles, or whole-class study for middle grades and beyond.
As a cystic fibrosis patient herself, Baldwin knows the emotional and medical complexities that accompany a youngster’s hospital visits and in-home health care. Because Penny’s cystic fibrosis is mostly manageable at home, she is considered by many to be “lucky,” a characterization that Penny has difficulty accepting. Readers who have experienced extensive medical treatments or hospitalizations will relate to how Baldwin authentically captures the details of those episodes.
Baldwin’s verse effectively uses enjambment and page space to give her poems a variety of different textures. She uses language that is slightly more elevated than what might be expected in a sixth-grader’s voice, but this works because Penny is more insightful and sensitive than most others her age.
No Matter the Distance is a solid choice for independent reading, lit circles, or whole-class study for middle grades and beyond.
March 20, 2023
Wow, this is a really amazing book! I've loved this author's writing and all her books, but dare I say this one might be my favorite? Her prose is beautiful, but her poetry often made me stop for a moment just to let the beauty of what she had written sink in. When I was younger, one of my favorite books was A RING OF ENDLESS LIGHT. I haven't read it for years, and there's much I've forgotten about it. However, when I was reading NO MATTER THE DISTANCE, it evoked memories of it and the feelings I had back then.
This book will delight children, with a relatable main character who they can root for, and her special relationship she develops with a lost dolphin. Most importantly, I think this story can really help develop and foster children's empathy, something I feel this world is in dire need of. I'm so excited to have my sons read it now, too. I know they will love it.
This book will delight children, with a relatable main character who they can root for, and her special relationship she develops with a lost dolphin. Most importantly, I think this story can really help develop and foster children's empathy, something I feel this world is in dire need of. I'm so excited to have my sons read it now, too. I know they will love it.
March 14, 2023
4th book written by my friend! This is a lovely story written in verse. I have appreciated following Cindy as I've learned from her as a disabled activist and person with CF. Books give me an opportunity to better understand what other people experience. Pretty quick read focusing on the importance of connections.
March 7, 2023
I had a tough time putting this down! The more books I read in verse, the more I like them. This book has a beautiful cast of characters!! Excellent story, lovely setting. Gave me all the feels!!!! Eye-opening, heartbreaking info about CF.
May 12, 2024
I picked this one up because it was mentioned in another recent middle grade book I read. Really glad I did!
Penny has been assigned to write a “Who I Am” poem for the school’s poetry jam. Sure, she’s a daughter. Yes, she’s a sister. And also an awesome part of the “PennyandCricket” friendship duo. And even a kid living with cystic fibrosis. But when it comes time to put these things into a poem, Penny struggles to find the words to really show who she is.
Then one day while swimming in the creek behind her house, Penny discovers something unusual - a dolphin! Rose (as Penny names her), is sick - she’s also got bacteria in her lungs from brackish water that are making it hard for her to breathe.
Penny immediately bonds with the dolphin, but when her CF spirals out of control, she realizes that she needs to get Rose back where she belongs so she too can heal.
Author Cindy Baldwin has written a beautiful middle grade novel in verse full of friendship, family, and the power of self-discovery.
Penny has been assigned to write a “Who I Am” poem for the school’s poetry jam. Sure, she’s a daughter. Yes, she’s a sister. And also an awesome part of the “PennyandCricket” friendship duo. And even a kid living with cystic fibrosis. But when it comes time to put these things into a poem, Penny struggles to find the words to really show who she is.
Then one day while swimming in the creek behind her house, Penny discovers something unusual - a dolphin! Rose (as Penny names her), is sick - she’s also got bacteria in her lungs from brackish water that are making it hard for her to breathe.
Penny immediately bonds with the dolphin, but when her CF spirals out of control, she realizes that she needs to get Rose back where she belongs so she too can heal.
Author Cindy Baldwin has written a beautiful middle grade novel in verse full of friendship, family, and the power of self-discovery.
July 16, 2023
A sweet novel-in-verse about a young girl who has cystic fibrosis and who makes friends with a dolphin. A touch of fantasy with how she is communicating with the dolphin.
It showed the struggle of this chronic illness and the author did a good job conveying the message that even though you may look and feel okay a lot of days, you are still allowed to be angry and tired of the illness and to feel the exhaustion of keeping up appearances. My heart ached for this girl. She spends a lot of the book trying to understand who she is outside of her disease which defines so much of her life and identity.
When I was a kid, one of my best friend's sisters had CF, and at that time, I think the life expectancy was about 25 so it was an unspoken fact that she would just not be able to live a full and long life; something I couldn't fully comprehend at age 10. That was my only exposure for CF, until Six Feet Apart (which was a good book) and now this one!
CFers' life expectancy is now at 50! What encouraging news and progress on this disease.
It showed the struggle of this chronic illness and the author did a good job conveying the message that even though you may look and feel okay a lot of days, you are still allowed to be angry and tired of the illness and to feel the exhaustion of keeping up appearances. My heart ached for this girl. She spends a lot of the book trying to understand who she is outside of her disease which defines so much of her life and identity.
When I was a kid, one of my best friend's sisters had CF, and at that time, I think the life expectancy was about 25 so it was an unspoken fact that she would just not be able to live a full and long life; something I couldn't fully comprehend at age 10. That was my only exposure for CF, until Six Feet Apart (which was a good book) and now this one!
CFers' life expectancy is now at 50! What encouraging news and progress on this disease.
May 16, 2023
Cindy Baldwin has crafted a beautifully heart-wrenching yet hopeful story told in verse about what its like to grow up with a chronic illness and simultaneously not fully understand who you are outside of that diagnosis.
Not only does Baldwin have a nostalgic storytelling method that brought me right back to my own school vacation days but she also has an effortlessly inclusive and comforting writing style too. It was certainly a tear-jerking journey to watch Penny's growth as she came to terms with who she is outside of her illness and find happiness amongst an online community whilst enjoying smaller moments with the people that make life worth living.
I can't recommend this middle grade book enough and am confident readers across all generations can appreciate this story.
Not only does Baldwin have a nostalgic storytelling method that brought me right back to my own school vacation days but she also has an effortlessly inclusive and comforting writing style too. It was certainly a tear-jerking journey to watch Penny's growth as she came to terms with who she is outside of her illness and find happiness amongst an online community whilst enjoying smaller moments with the people that make life worth living.
I can't recommend this middle grade book enough and am confident readers across all generations can appreciate this story.
June 14, 2024
Middle school appropriate. Written in verse, this is the story of a girl with cystic fibrosis and a dolphin with pneumonia who is stranded in the river behind the girl’s house. The two have a magical realism connection. On the surface, that may sound kind of unrealistic and corny but it was so well written that it all was 100% believable. You feel for Penny so much. I was afraid for her and sad for her. I cried. But ultimately Penny is so wrapped up in the beauty and hope that surrounds her that even though the book covers some heavy topics related to chronic illness, it doesn’t feel like too much. The author’s note added a lot to my reading experience too.
February 26, 2024
This is a really lovely middle grade novel-in-verse about a tween with cystic fibrosis, based on the author's experiences with CF. Penny has several things complicating her life right now: her best friend is moving away, she needs to write a poem about herself for the school poetry contest, there's a dolphin stuck in the creek that runs through her back yard, and she's experiencing a bad CF flare. She and the dolphin bond, but she knows the dolphin needs to find her way back to her pod. Baldwin's writing is lovely and I now want to read her other novels!
August 1, 2024
I loved this book. A clear eyed look at cystic fibrosis and what one child's experience of what living with it is like for her, her older sister, her parents, her best friend and other people around her. I especially loved Penny's connection with a dolphin she names Rose, that seems unable to return to her pod. The story has a lovely balance of portraying real life uncertainties, a family that is doing its best to manage those uncertainties and support each other, the self-discovery of finding who we are, and the seemingly magical connection one can feel with a wild animal.
August 30, 2024
Beautifully told story in verse about Penny a young girl living with cystic fibrosis or CF. One day she spots a dolphin in the river behind her family’s house. She befriends the dolphin which she has named Rose and can sense when Rose is coming to visit her. Penny soon finds out that Rose is sick just like her and must be treated to become healthy to join her pod. An uplifting story that teaches us we are not alone in our journeys.
May 28, 2023
A short but powerful middle grade novel about living with cystic fibrosis. I especially appreciated the authors note at the end. Although I’ve never lived with CF I get being told “you’re lucky, it’s not as bad as…” Learning to live your truth and find joy in your life is important and essential.
April 25, 2023
This was a great novel to learn about cystic fibrosis and also a great in verse novel. Very cute
May 15, 2025
4.5 stars
Is this magical realism? I’m not sure. Typically I don’t like magical realism very well, but I enjoyed this. So it’s probably not.
Is this magical realism? I’m not sure. Typically I don’t like magical realism very well, but I enjoyed this. So it’s probably not.
September 21, 2025
Just such a great book.
Quick read- novel in verse.
This book would have been a dream come true if I’d gotten it when I was in middle school- the girl and dolphin story would have short wired my Life Frank obsessed brain.
Very cool to read a “disabled protagonist” story without disability being the only plot point!!
Quick read- novel in verse.
This book would have been a dream come true if I’d gotten it when I was in middle school- the girl and dolphin story would have short wired my Life Frank obsessed brain.
Very cool to read a “disabled protagonist” story without disability being the only plot point!!
November 18, 2023
I loved this book! It’s astounding how many people tell those that have invisible illnesses “you look great” “you are so lucky” “I know someone that has died from…”
Reading this book aloud would be great for discussions
Reading this book aloud would be great for discussions
February 22, 2023
Thank you to NetGalley, HarperCollins Children's Books, Quill Tree Books, and Cindy Baldwin for the opportunity to read No Matter the Distance in exchange for an honest review.
This book is a hi-lo novel written in verse, meaning it is high-interest for young readers with a lower readability level.
Penny has cystic fibrosis. It is something she has had her entire life. Living with CF means being in and out of the hospital and having home care consistently throughout her life. Having an older sister who is good at and praised for everything supplies even further discouragement for Penny.
When down by the river behind her house, Penny encounters something magical, something that can be fully her own that she doesn't necessarily have to share with anyone: a dolphin. Giving her the name Rose, a scientist is brought out to check on the dolphin. Because she needs salt water and lives currently in brackish water, her lungs aren't doing so well, and like Penny, Rose has her own lung struggles.
The connection between Rose and Penny is almost magical. Penny has something all her own, and builds a special connection with Rose. While spending the time she can with Rose, a spill into the water brings a horrific episode with a CF flare-up, causing Penny to miss school and not be able to spend time with her friend who is moving at the end of the school year.
This book is an excellent display of writing telling a story about the battle of living with cystic fibrosis, written by someone who actually has CF herself, bringing an authentic display of the experience (as opposed to other contemporary novels written about CF through author research and not personal experience).
This novel is fun, creative, and real, offering an excellent reading experience for a middle grade audience.
This book is a hi-lo novel written in verse, meaning it is high-interest for young readers with a lower readability level.
Penny has cystic fibrosis. It is something she has had her entire life. Living with CF means being in and out of the hospital and having home care consistently throughout her life. Having an older sister who is good at and praised for everything supplies even further discouragement for Penny.
When down by the river behind her house, Penny encounters something magical, something that can be fully her own that she doesn't necessarily have to share with anyone: a dolphin. Giving her the name Rose, a scientist is brought out to check on the dolphin. Because she needs salt water and lives currently in brackish water, her lungs aren't doing so well, and like Penny, Rose has her own lung struggles.
The connection between Rose and Penny is almost magical. Penny has something all her own, and builds a special connection with Rose. While spending the time she can with Rose, a spill into the water brings a horrific episode with a CF flare-up, causing Penny to miss school and not be able to spend time with her friend who is moving at the end of the school year.
This book is an excellent display of writing telling a story about the battle of living with cystic fibrosis, written by someone who actually has CF herself, bringing an authentic display of the experience (as opposed to other contemporary novels written about CF through author research and not personal experience).
This novel is fun, creative, and real, offering an excellent reading experience for a middle grade audience.
December 23, 2022
Beautiful heart-warming story ❤️
January 7, 2023
E ARC provided by Edelweiss Plus
In this novel in verse, we meet Penny Rooney, who lives with her parents, a school secretary and a respiratory therapist, and older sister Liana, who loves music and is very nice to her. Their house near Durham has a creek near it where the girls like to hang out. It's halfway through 6th grade for Penny, and she enjoys hanging out with her best friend, Cricket. She also has some challenges with cystic fibrosis, which leads to problems with food and nutrition, breathing issues, and more infections than most people have. Everyone says she's "lucky" in that she is generally healthy, but she doesn't feel that way. When she and Liana are swimming in the creek, they see a dolphin. At first, they can hardly believe it; they think they are hallucinating, but they see the animal again. When their parents find out, they call a scientist, Dr. Zhao, who comes to observe and test the dolphin, and tries to think of ways to get it back to the ocean. Penny feels a strong connection to the dolphin, whom she names Rose, and is conflicted about returning it to the sea, especially when she finds out that Cricket is going to move four hours away. Penny is also thinking a lot about a school project to write an identity poem for a poetry slam. She has a lot more time to think when she gets a cold that escalates into a bad infection. At first, she's on a course of antibiotics, but when she starts to cough up blood, it's time to go to the hospital. She doesn't want to spend time away from Rose and Cricket, since they will both be leaving soon, but the infection is hard to fight, and her health needs to take precedence. Rose has a similar infection, due to being inland and inhaling dirty water, and has to have treatment as well. When the dolphin is well enough to make the trip back to the sea, it seems unwilling to go. Dr. Zhao feels that perhaps Rose has made a connection to Penny, and suggests that Penny help the team convince Rose to return to her pod. Will Penny be well enough to make this happen?
Strengths: There are very few books about children with cystic fibrosis, and even if there are older titles, treatments and prognoses for patients with this disease are changing all the time. Baldwin, who has CF, has written several other titles, including Where the Watermelons Grow. It's great that she finally worked her personal experiences into a book. It's great that the book is more about rescuing the dolphin, preparing for the poetry slam, and dealing with Cricket's move than about the CF. That's certainly in the picture, but it's the backdrop against which the story plays out. It used to be that books like this were more about the conditions than the person, and I'm so glad this is not the case as much. Baldwin's poetry is every bit as good as her prose, the story moves along quickly, and there are good details about the health struggles that will enlighten readers who don't know what CF patients face.
Weaknesses: Novels in verse are great, but they also don't have the details that regular novels do. They are also a hard sell with the students in my school, although I know this is not necessarily the case elsewhere.
What I really think: If you have Ethridge's 1985 Toothpick, or Bennett's 1992 Goodbye, Best Friend, it's definitely time to weed them. Thirty years ago, CF was considered a terminal disease, but improvements in treatment have raised life expectancy a lot. I'm glad that there are books that depict children dealing with health issues that aren't in the Lurlene McDaniel school of "everybody dies in the end".
In this novel in verse, we meet Penny Rooney, who lives with her parents, a school secretary and a respiratory therapist, and older sister Liana, who loves music and is very nice to her. Their house near Durham has a creek near it where the girls like to hang out. It's halfway through 6th grade for Penny, and she enjoys hanging out with her best friend, Cricket. She also has some challenges with cystic fibrosis, which leads to problems with food and nutrition, breathing issues, and more infections than most people have. Everyone says she's "lucky" in that she is generally healthy, but she doesn't feel that way. When she and Liana are swimming in the creek, they see a dolphin. At first, they can hardly believe it; they think they are hallucinating, but they see the animal again. When their parents find out, they call a scientist, Dr. Zhao, who comes to observe and test the dolphin, and tries to think of ways to get it back to the ocean. Penny feels a strong connection to the dolphin, whom she names Rose, and is conflicted about returning it to the sea, especially when she finds out that Cricket is going to move four hours away. Penny is also thinking a lot about a school project to write an identity poem for a poetry slam. She has a lot more time to think when she gets a cold that escalates into a bad infection. At first, she's on a course of antibiotics, but when she starts to cough up blood, it's time to go to the hospital. She doesn't want to spend time away from Rose and Cricket, since they will both be leaving soon, but the infection is hard to fight, and her health needs to take precedence. Rose has a similar infection, due to being inland and inhaling dirty water, and has to have treatment as well. When the dolphin is well enough to make the trip back to the sea, it seems unwilling to go. Dr. Zhao feels that perhaps Rose has made a connection to Penny, and suggests that Penny help the team convince Rose to return to her pod. Will Penny be well enough to make this happen?
Strengths: There are very few books about children with cystic fibrosis, and even if there are older titles, treatments and prognoses for patients with this disease are changing all the time. Baldwin, who has CF, has written several other titles, including Where the Watermelons Grow. It's great that she finally worked her personal experiences into a book. It's great that the book is more about rescuing the dolphin, preparing for the poetry slam, and dealing with Cricket's move than about the CF. That's certainly in the picture, but it's the backdrop against which the story plays out. It used to be that books like this were more about the conditions than the person, and I'm so glad this is not the case as much. Baldwin's poetry is every bit as good as her prose, the story moves along quickly, and there are good details about the health struggles that will enlighten readers who don't know what CF patients face.
Weaknesses: Novels in verse are great, but they also don't have the details that regular novels do. They are also a hard sell with the students in my school, although I know this is not necessarily the case elsewhere.
What I really think: If you have Ethridge's 1985 Toothpick, or Bennett's 1992 Goodbye, Best Friend, it's definitely time to weed them. Thirty years ago, CF was considered a terminal disease, but improvements in treatment have raised life expectancy a lot. I'm glad that there are books that depict children dealing with health issues that aren't in the Lurlene McDaniel school of "everybody dies in the end".
August 29, 2025
Incredible book. Cindy has captured exactly what it was like growing up with CF. She manages to bring beauty and hope to the harsh realities of a childhood dealing with CF.
My 7 year old has also read this book. When asked what she thought about it she commented on the unique style of writing; that each chapter was written in a poem format. She also asked me if any of those things happened to me growing up (I also have CF) and it created a really great conversation about empathy.
Truly a work of written art.
My 7 year old has also read this book. When asked what she thought about it she commented on the unique style of writing; that each chapter was written in a poem format. She also asked me if any of those things happened to me growing up (I also have CF) and it created a really great conversation about empathy.
Truly a work of written art.
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