Wink

by Rob Harrell

A hilarious and heartwrenching story about surviving middle school--and an unthinkable diagnosis--while embracing life's weirdness.

Ross Maloy just wants to be a normal seventh grader. He doesn't want to lose his hair, or wear a weird hat, or deal with the disappearing friends who don't know what to say to "the cancer kid." But with his recent diagnosis of a rare eye cancer, blending in is off the table.

Based on Rob Harrell's real life experience, and packed with comic panels and spot art, this incredibly personal and poignant novel is an unforgettable, heartbreaking, hilarious, and uplifting story of survival and finding the music, magic, and laughter in life's weirdness.

Genres: Middle Grade, Realistic Fiction, Fiction, Humor, Friendship, Young Adult, Audiobook

320 pages, Kindle Edition

First published March 31, 2020

Reviews

[Mark Porton · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a wonderful work of Young-Adult fiction about a young lad called Ross who is unlucky enough to be diagnosed with a rare form of eye Cancer. He consequently needs to attend 8 weeks of radiation therapy, which is no small thing – physically and emotionally.

Wink by Rob Harrell is a solid 4-star effort.

The first thing I noticed was, the story is so incredibly accurate. To be sure, this can be achieved by interviewing oncology patients, medical professionals and the like. But this was written in a way that really conveyed what it is like, from a very personal view of having a disease such as this and undergoing the rigours of radiation therapy.

Some precise observations included the inter-patient camaraderie experienced in the radiation therapy waiting room and with the radiation therapists, even down to the fact of choosing the music to be played during treatment. This isn’t only good fun, it is often contentious!! Also, some of the waiting room distractions employed, such as fish tanks, really work. One thing that really hit home for me was how sad Ross was after his last treatment – it really is a sad moment, believe it or not.

A particularly poignant part of this story was how one of his close friends just ‘disappeared’, purely because his friend didn’t know how to handle his condition.

It was only after I finished reading this story that I discovered the author experienced Cancer first-hand as a young boy. In fact, he was diagnosed with the same Cancer as young Ross. There is an intangible ‘thing’ you get when talking to (or in this case reading the words of) a previous or current Cancer patient. It’s like being part of an exclusive club, with secret handshakes, there is something that is ‘understood’.

This story certainly isn’t all ‘doom and gloom’. Sure, Cancer is a shocking diagnosis but after the initial burn – other things happen. In Ross’s case he developed new friendships, adopted new hobbies and did some things he would not have even considered when he was healthy. This author doesn’t shy away from the bad stuff, so it’s not all beer and skittles – but he delivers a terrifically bright, realistic, believable and interesting narrative of Ross’s experience.

I also loved the way family and friends were so believably portrayed. Seeing the way each person reacts differently, all trying to do their best for Ross but often not hitting the mark. All with the best intentions of course.

4 Stars

[Betsy · Rating 4 out of 5]

They say, write what you know. And if what you know is how to lie on a steel table, your head screwed into place, a laser pointed at your face, that might be a good place to start. We live in dark times. How dark are they? SO dark that a book about a kid with a potentially deadly eye cancer is the bit of light-hearted levity we all need and crave. And don’t get me wrong. Wink is probably one of the funniest middle grades of 2020, thanks in large part to the fact that its hero (Ross) has a cancer that its author (Rob) actually had and lived through. So kick back, relax, and enjoy the world through the eye of a kid that goes the zero to hero route via some of the weirdest methods imaginable.

You find out you have an incredibly rare eye cancer. You’re a kid. What next? If you’re Ross Maloy, you have no friggin’ idea. You do know that when you tell your two best friends, one of them ditches you right there and then. You know that thanks to your newly immunocompromised body, now you have to wear a gigantic cowboy hat in school (the dream of every middle school student, har har). And you know that somebody is sending around some seriously messed up, downright nasty cartoons of you to everyone. But Ross has other things going for him. He’s discovering music. He’s finding out the school bully might have another side to him. And he’s coming to terms with the fact that if you want to survive something, do it your way. Who knows? You may yet master that friggin’ F chord yet.

To say that I’ve been waiting for the latest Rob Harrell book isn’t strictly accurate, but it’s not far off the mark. I happen to be a gargantuan fan of his graphic novel Monster on the Hill (a book that lingers in obscurity only because it came out in 2013, long before the current in explosion in children’s comics we’re seeing today). Oddly, I never put two and two together that the man behind that book was also responsible for that Life of Zarf series that followed in the intervening years. So when I saw his name on the top of Wink as far as I knew the man had been holed up in a cave somewhere for all this time. The interesting thing is that while I would certainly put this into the category of illustrated novel, it is not a comic or graphic novel. There are comic elements, like a longstanding gag of Rob’s Batpig series (nerd that I am, I wondered if this was a weird homage to Spider-Pig in any way). But I like the interstitial art that peppers the pages. It’ll be good for the kids making a crossover from comics to novels. Like I always figure, there’s nothing wrong with books with pictures. They just have to serve the story the right way.

Funny books are my first and last literary love. They are also incredibly hard to pull off. If your book is just fluff from page one onward, god help your soul. A person can only take so much before the sugar high crash (so to speak). But if you try to add a bit of levity to a serious subject, you run the extreme risk of driving the entire enterprise off the rails, coming across as flippant when you’re trying for “urbane”. Now here is one of those cases where I really feel that Harrell’s firsthand knowledge of his subject matter is giving him the home court advantage. Rob’s gotta be funny but also low-level (and sometimes high-level) freaked out about his current situation. So you’ve gotta be the sort of author that can include a line like, “I can shoot laser beams out of my butt,” at the top of a page and then “I feel like if I give this thing as little energy as I can, it’ll just … fade away,” at the bottom without giving the reader whiplash.

By the way, I wanna give some serious props to the supporting cast in this book. Now I know we all have our favorites. There’s probably already a fan club out there for Frank the technician, and Jimmy the bully has his moments, but I’m Team Abby all the way. She’s the kind of character who looks like you’ve seen her a million times before, and then you realize that there’s a bit more depth than at first glance. Initially, Abby is “the supportive friend” to Ross. She has almost no personality because insofar as the book seems to be concerned, she’s just there to provide the hero a sympathetic ear. So it was with great relief that I found a part in the middle of the book where Abby just explodes at Ross for not caring one jot about her own problems. It’s one of the most realistic fights between friends I’ve seen in a title for kids. On the one hand you’ve got a guy who genuinely has major problems. On the other, Abby, as she points out, bends over backwards for him and he doesn’t even thank her for it. She’s got her own life, and we’re just getting a tiny glimpse of it because we’re stuck in Ross’s head.

A friend of mine in college had her own rare form of cancer. One night she explained, in a no-nonsense way, that one of the problems with having cancer is that people come up to you, trying to understand, but their method is to talk about their own medical problems or the medical problems of people they’ve known. Ross has that exact moment early in the book when recounting stuff kids have said to him. “Another kid, an eighth grader named Billy Herrold, just came up and nodded – then told me his uncle died of cancer.” It’s this line, walking it right between the serious and the funny, where Harrell excels. It’s his gift. The kind of thing that gets the kids that only want funny, reading serious books and kids that only like serious books, getting a jolt of humor into their day. It has a lot of elements we’ve seen in other MG novels (the bully you befriend, the talent show, the nice person with a dark evil side) but the key is how they’re rendered and put together. Wink is both like and unlike so many books, but it is without a doubt an original. It sticks with you long after the pages close. Smart. Funny. Strange. The ultimate triumvirate.

For ages 9-12.

[Melanie Dulaney · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love a book that leaves me in a state that is a combination of tears, sighs of satisfaction and bit of laughter, too. Rob Harrell's semi-autobiographical middle grades novel takes the themes and heart of R. J. Palacio's Wonder and roughs it up a little with a heavier dose of very real middle school life. 7th grader Ross has a rare form of cancer and faces surgery and radical proton beam radiation therapy that may or may not save his vision or his life. His best friend Abby is hanging in there with him, but the third member of their friend group has gone silent and absent. Classmates are reacting to the news, Ross' gooey and squinty eye, and his hair loss in ways that range from avoidance to cruelty. Teachers are even unsure at how to respond to Ross and his grim situation. But Ross has a dad who has already faced down the loss of his wife/Ross' mom to cancer, a step mom who is doing all that she can to be supportive of both of the men in her life, a skilled team of radiation techs and doctors, plus his art and a budding passion for guitar.

Harrell's book is a must read for students in grades 5 and up who enjoyed Wonder and books from Lisa Graff, Jordan Sonnenblick, Cynthia Lord, and Barbara O'Connor. The harsh realities of cancer are absolutely the focal point of his work, but the humorous cartoon panels of hero BatPig and some great supporting characters keep the book from becoming oppressive. I highly recommend this one for libraries of all types, serving many age groups. The text is free from profanity and sexual content and the violence is held to a bare minimum and is critical to the main character as he reacts authentically to what is going on in his life. Note: Readers of Harrell's Zarf books should NOT expect to see that goofy and humorous style here.

Thanks for the dARC, Edelweiss.

[Deacon Tom (Feeling Better) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Marvelous

Absolutely fantastic!

This book was recommended because I have cancer and the person who recommended it thought that I would get some inside into how the young man deal with all of the problems.

It is emotionally touching for me as I saw my struggles in the struggles of the young boy. I’m also glad there were some comedic elements so it wasn’t as heavy as previous books about dealing with cancer were.

I absolutely 100% recommend this book

[Ms. B · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.75 stars; it's a survival guide to cancer and 7th grade. I imagine I would have rated it higher if I hadn't read as many similar titles in the past few years about cancer and/or facial deformities; (i.e. Mustaches for Maddie, Ugly, When Friendship Followed Me Home Halfway Normal, Wonder, A Home for Goddesses and Dogs).
What sets this one apart is the interspersed comics of Batpig (author Rob Harrell writes and draws Adam@Home, a daily comic) and that the story never lets our protagonist Ross feel too sorry for himself. Based on the author's own experiences of a rare eye cancer.

[Janssen]

I liked this (although I lost steam about 1/2 way through and finally got it on audio this weekend and blew through the second half in half a day).

[Bookread2day · Rating 5 out of 5]

The author Rob Harrell, in October 2005 was very sadly diagnosed with a cancer above his right eye. Brave Rob took his eye cancer ordeal and made It into a page turning fiction book, for young people to read and adults.

In Wink a character Ross suffers from eye cancer. The story is very educational as it takes readers through the steps of radioactive, where Ross has to wear a mesh mask with an eye hole and has to keep his eye on a Red Cross. I loved the little illustrations showing what the mesh mask looked like and the red cross.

Children can be quite inquisitive. We are taken through the question what school friends ask Ross and the ones that really care about Ross.

Wink is quite a heartbreaking read as Ross suffers from a puffy eye and surgery with a slot scar and hair loss. Just like the author went through, with his eye cancer.

By Doctors orders hats are an important part of life for Ross to keep the sun off his face which he has to wear inside and outside. Once again this fact why Ross had to wear hats became educational. The drawings of all types of hats were amazing.

I highly recommend Wink as it's a page turner fiction novel being, very educational. Everyone is talking about Wink. It's the perfect type of book you can sit and read your self what ever your age or read to your child. This is a perfect choice for schools and book club to talk about.

[Valleri · Rating 5 out of 5]

As Wink starts out, 12-year-old Ross is strapped to a steel table with a giant ray gun contraption aimed at his offending right eye. He has an extremely rare form of cancer that has attacked the gland located above and to the side of the eye. Without the eye's continuous fluid to cleanse and protect his eye, Ross is forced to wink his right eye and keep it filled with gross eye goop. In addition to that, he has to wear a hat (he's chosen a wide-brimmed cowboy hat) to further protect his eyes. AND, he's losing his hair where his head is being zapped with proton radiation. Great. So much for any hope of navigating seventh grade normally. (And, as we all can remember, NOTHING is worse than not being normal at the age of twelve.)

Ross's experience is loosely based on what actually happened to the author at the age of 36. At the time it was only the 25th reported case, ever!

Although Wink is aimed at middle-grade readers, it's a heartwarming and hilarious book that adults will appreciate, as well. I loved the illustrations, too!

[Rod Brown · Rating 3 out of 5]

I put this on my to-read list because I enjoyed reading Rob Harrell's Big Top comic strip back in the day. I was disappointed when it was canceled, and I never got into the generic family strip he was hired to take over afterward. I thought at first this book was an original graphic memoir by him, but it turns out to be a middle school novel full of words and fiction, though based on a true medical condition that Harrell had as an adult while producing Big Top. I remember there was a month that other comic strip artists filled for him, but I was not really aware of the reason at the time.

Here, Ross Maloy heads into seventh grade having just been diagnosed with a tumor behind his right eye. He grapples with the side effects of treatment, but even harder for him is dealing with the attention -- positive and negative -- from his classmates. There is some pat storytelling with friendship problems, bullying, and a school talent show, but Harrell keeps it moving along with humor and graphic but engrossing (and gross) details of the disease and treatment.

The book might hit a bit hard and heavy on its intended audience, but I found it pretty good window into coping with the unthinkable.

I would have enjoyed a few more spot illustrations and a few less of the redundant Batpig comic strips scattered throughout.

[Christine Indorf · Rating 5 out of 5]

A wonderful 4.5 star read!!
The story of Ross who is fighting eye cancer. You follow him from the beginning of his illness to how he battle through to come out on the other side. This book will make you laugh especially with Ross drawings to Ross battle with the illness. An eye opener for those who have never suffered from cancer or know anyone who has. I recommend this book for your middle grader or to the young at heart!!

[Sisters Three · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a pretty good book, cringed every time Ross opened a can of coke though and wanted to yell, "Don't drink that! Sugar feeds cancer!!!"
Was about three times I was like ehh, did you have to say that...but safe for 12 and up in my personal opinion.

[Mau (Maponto Lee) · Rating 3 out of 5]

Esta es una de esas novelas que logran ser conmovedoras, divertidas y profundamente humanas al mismo tiempo. Está basada en la experiencia personal del autor, quien a los 13 años fue diagnosticado con un raro tipo de cáncer ocular, y esa vivencia se filtra con delicadeza y autenticidad en cada página. La historia gira en torno a Ross Maloy, un chico que de un día para otro pasa de preocuparse por tareas y videojuegos a enfrentarse con un diagnóstico que lo sacude por completo: tiene un tumor en un ojo. Y con eso, todo su mundo cambia: su rutina, su cuerpo, sus amistades, la forma en la que se ve a sí mismo… y en la que los demás lo ven.

Ross es un protagonista entrañable, lleno de matices. No es un héroe valiente al estilo de los clichés narrativos, sino un adolescente que siente miedo, rabia, incomodidad y a veces incluso vergüenza de su nueva realidad. Pero también es creativo, tiene un sentido del humor ácido y una enorme capacidad de observación. Lo acompañamos en sus sesiones de radioterapia, en su lucha interna por no dejar que la enfermedad lo defina, y en su intento de aferrarse a la normalidad, aunque sea en pequeños gestos como seguir dibujando cómics o soñando con tocar la guitarra. Su evolución es sutil pero poderosa: lo vemos crecer, volverse más consciente de sí mismo y, sobre todo, más empático con los demás.

Los personajes secundarios son fundamentales para el desarrollo de la historia, y Harrell logra que todos tengan su propia voz y espacio, sin caer en caricaturas. Abby, su mejor amiga, es leal sin volverse condescendiente, y su relación con Ross es de esas que se sienten reales, con roces, ternura y silencios incómodos incluidos. Jimmy, el típico compañero molesto, sorprende al mostrar dimensiones inesperadas, y el Sr. Abbott, el excéntrico profesor de arte, es un recordatorio de lo importantes que pueden ser los adultos que tratan a los adolescentes como personas completas. Incluso los padres de Ross, aunque no tienen tanto protagonismo, están dibujados con un equilibrio justo entre preocupación genuina y torpeza emocional, lo que los hace más creíbles.

Uno de los temas más poderosos que trata la novela es la identidad: cómo se construye cuando el cuerpo cambia, cuando los otros te miran diferente, cuando algo que no elegiste empieza a definirte. También habla de la amistad, del poder del humor como refugio, de la inseguridad adolescente y de la importancia de encontrar algo (cualquier cosa) que te haga sentir fuerte y en control cuando todo a tu alrededor parece estar desmoronándose. El cómic que Ross dibuja a lo largo del libro (sobre BatPig, un cerdo superhéroe) no es solo un detalle simpático: es un símbolo de su deseo de transformación y su necesidad de imaginar una versión más fuerte de sí mismo. El ojo dañado, cubierto por un parche, se convierte en un motivo visual que remite a la vulnerabilidad, pero también a la mirada única que Ross desarrolla frente al mundo.

El estilo narrativo de Harrell es directo, con una voz que se siente genuinamente adolescente pero que no subestima al lector. El lenguaje es claro, con toques de humor autorreferencial y una ironía que equilibra los momentos más duros. Los capítulos cortos y las ilustraciones intercaladas (dibujadas por el propio autor) hacen que la lectura fluya con naturalidad.

Otro de los grandes aciertos es su honestidad. Harrell no edulcora la experiencia del cáncer, pero tampoco se regodea en el dolor. Hay espacio para la tristeza, pero también para la risa, la torpeza y los silencios incómodos que vienen con cualquier proceso difícil. Tal vez se podría haber explorado más a fondo la relación de Ross con su padre, que queda un poco desdibujada, o ciertos cambios en las dinámicas escolares que parecen resolverse con demasiada facilidad, pero son detalles menores dentro de un conjunto muy sólido.

Recomendaría Guiño especialmente a lectores jóvenes entre 11 y 15 años, aunque su sensibilidad puede resonar también en adultos. Es una lectura ideal para quienes estén atravesando alguna situación médica complicada, pero también para quienes desean entender mejor lo que significa ser diferente en la adolescencia, o para cualquiera que valore una historia bien contada sobre crecer en medio de lo inesperado. Saber que Harrell escribió esta novela como una forma de procesar su propia experiencia le da una profundidad que se percibe incluso sin conocer ese contexto de antemano.

[Fiebre Lectora · Rating 4 out of 5]

Guiño es un libro recomendadísimo para los pequeños de la casa, pero también para los que ya han crecido: una historia de superación, de esperanza, y de lucha por encontrar nuestro sitio en el mundo.
Reseña completa: http://fiebrelectora.blogspot.com/202...

[Brenda Kahn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Breaking my vow to not give star ratings to give this one five. People who know me know that I am very hard on cancer books. Most are written rather lazily and they all seem to be the same. Those few that are well done, stand out for what they do different. It's too easy to write the fierce warrior battling evil cancer. It takes guts to be honest, irreverent even.

This is one of the best cancer books I've read. Heartbreaking, hilarious and utterly honest and authentic. At several points, I found myself anticipating "the usual." Instead, I was delightfully wrong. I can't recommend this enough. Everyone should read Wink!

[Meg · Rating 5 out of 5]

I laughed a whole bunch, I cried a little bit and I looked up lots of songs on Spotify.
This book needs a playlist!
Highly recommend for MG readers

[Kris Patrick · Rating 5 out of 5]

I admit to skipping the pages with Batpig comics but I’m also not an eleven year old. Loved it!! Indiana author, Indiana setting. I would read a sequel.

[lily ✿ · Rating 5 out of 5]

[4.5 stars]

imagine two truly terrible things: getting diagnosed with a rare form of eye cancer, and middle school. now imagine both of them happening at the same time.

unfortunately, this is the truth for ross, whose one goal in life is to keep his head down and fit in during his adolescent years, a dream that continually falls out of his grasp as he has to deal with radiation treatments, sticky eye goop, and being forced to wear a wide-brimmed hat 24-7. in addition to fighting-cancer problems, he’s also faced with being-a-preteen problems: arguments with his best friends, having a crush on a girl in a different social sphere than him, and bullies.

he doesn’t exactly take on a ‘life is so precious and every moment should be appreciated and blah blah blah’ outlook, but a much more realistic and charming one. ross learns what it is to be a good friend, and the potential benefits of sticking out, and that music can be the best medicine of all. plus, he’s a self-labeled doodler, and funny little drawings and batpig comics are featured through the book! it’s fast paced, genuinely good writing, enjoyable not just for middle grade readers, but for people of all ages who love a good book.

[K. · Rating 4 out of 5]

Trigger warnings: cancer, death of a parent (in the past), eyeball trauma, medical treatment, hospitalisation, bullying

3.5 stars

I've put off reading this for ages because I have eyeball phobia and I was worried it would squick me out. And, like, it kind of did? But it was also a very heartfelt read about how cruel kids can be. It's inspired by the author's own experiences of a rare eye cancer, and the mood was often lightened by the inclusion of comic strips, which was nice.

That being said, as a grown ass adult who works in a school, I really struggled with the idea that someone was making caricatures of a kid going through what Ross is going through that were not only bullying him but also being all "LOL WON'T IT BE FUNNY IF ROSS DIES" and that the school were, to all intents and purposes, doing nothing. So. There's that.

[KJ · Rating 5 out of 5]

Stellar audiobook production! I knew Michael Crouch would be great, as always, but it was the Batpig Comic portions of the audio with music, sound effects, and the superhero voice of Marc Thompson that surprised and delighted me most. Also, a last line that is just perfect. And, yes I did listen to the Ramones as soon as I finished this book. Set in Indiana, Batpig is a Hoosier!

[Racheli Zusiman · Rating 4 out of 5]

רוב הוא נער בכיתה ז' שמתגלה אצלו סרטן נדיר ואלים בעין. בספר הוא מתאר מה עובר עליו - הטיפולים, היחסים עם החברים, היחס של תלמידי בית הספר, התחביבים שלו, ועוד. בין לבין משולבים ציורי קומיקס (כי רוב אוהב לצייר). ספר מקסים, מתוק ומומלץ לכיתות הגבוהות של בית הספר היסודי ומעלה. הספר מבוסס על סיפורו האמיתי של הסופר והמאייר רוב הארל (שאכן חלה בסרטן בעין, וחלק מהרופאים בספר קרויים על שם רופאים אמיתיים בטיפלו בו).

[Tracy · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is seriously way beyond awesome!!!! Should be required early middle school reading. I "love" that this is a rare and much more visible cancer. Kids especially are like "Where is it really? What's going on?" I mean you can see your classmate lose their hair, but it almost becomes cliched and normal in society. I don't mean that kids need to be exposed to very graphic things, but they need to see that there is more, and learn empathy and compassion from it. Ross and Abby have a wonderful relationship, and I think that Isaac's reaction is also completely normal and understandable, it's great that he works through it. Completely love the music ;) Rock on, my friends!

[Anita Vivirmilvidas · Rating 4 out of 5]

Se trata de una novela juvenil donde descubriremos a Ross, un chico al
que le detectan cáncer en el ojo derecho. No os vayáis a pensar que es
una novela triste para nada, es una historia donde destacarán momentos
claves de la adolescencia, con toques de humor y música de la buena.

Durante sus páginas iremos viviendo junto al protagonista el proceso
de la lucha que va a tener contra la enfermedad. Las sesiones de
radiología y su día a día en la escuela. Un día a día que puede llegar
a ser tan duro como tu quieres que sea, aunque a veces personas
externas intenten hacerte daño. Una historia de superación y como
afrontar la vida que te ha tocado.

Destacar los personajes secundarios como Abby, Jerry, Frank, Jimmy
entre otros que son espectaculares. Son gente que aportan luz a la vida de Ross y debería haber más así en el mundo.

Además iremos viendo a un superhéroe, el BATICERDO, que se nos presentará en formato cómic y que os invito a conocer para sacar alguna carcajada.

Y ya por último comentar que esta novela está basada en hechos reales, es la misma enfermedad que tuvo el autor y nos la explica a través de estas páginas.

Os recomiendo mucho leerla y la aconsejaría también para los colegios.

[Julie Suzanne · Rating 5 out of 5]

I totally didn't expect to like this, but I cried 3 times, laughed even more than that, the qualities of a worthwhile read. I sometime wonder how much better I would have fared mentally if there were books like this in my life when I was 12. I cry just thinking about the lost opportunity.

Ross has an aggressive cancer at age 12, just at the time when his priority is being normal and fitting in. All of the social aspects of being a tween take center stage even though he's also going through a personal hell of treatments, prognoses, and disfigurement. Ross is a mentally healthy 12-year-old, though, with a strong support system of caring adults and peers to help him navigate these horrors that include cyberbullying, school day mortification, losing friends, and the daily garbage that is typical of middle school life. The author's humor and tone, Ross's occasional outlet of doodling his issues in a dramatic Ratpig comic, the discovery of music and punk make this coming of age, middle-grade realistic fiction stand out from the rest. I compare it to Insignificant Events in the Life of a Cactus without the cheesy mystery. I recommend this as a read-aloud, a class read, anything, to grades 5-7 because there's lots to talk about! I'm not sure if you or any student will cry like I did...the cancer stuff really struck a nerve with me, but I'm sure any reader will FEEL, a lot. I read both the print and listened to the audio, and the audio is particularly awesome with what they do with the little Ratpig entries. So glad someone chose this for our Battle of the Books list!

[Helin Puksand · Rating 5 out of 5]

Vähk on tänapäeva maailmas üks enamlevinud haigusi ega jäta puutumata ka lapsi. Ross Maloyl avastatakse haruldane pahaloomuline kasvaja silmas. Kui üks arst ennustab täielikku pimedaks jäämist, siis teine leiab siiski leebema variandi - Ross kaotab nägemise vaid ühest silmast. Ravi on pikaajaline ja toob kaasa mitmeid probleeme. Lisaks tekivad probleemid koolis: keegi teeb Rossi kohta inetuid meeme.
Igal juhul toob raamat selgelt välja, et "sõpra tuntakse hädas" ja et "raamatu üle ei tasu otsustada tema kaane järgi". Kuigi raamatu üldmulje on positiivne, tuleb välja ka see, kui keeruline on tegelikult vähiga toime tulla nii haigel endal kui ka tema lähedastel. Õnneks paistab pilve tagant päike ja elu läheb edasi. Soovitan. :)

[Rebecca McPhedran · Rating 3 out of 5]

A Maine Student Book Award Selection for 2021/2022.

Ross is struggling. With 7th grade, AND a rare form of cancer. Each on their own is hard, but put them together, and it’s basically a dumpster fire.

When Ross learns to play the guitar to help deal with treatments, friends abandoning him, and some not so great memes going around social media-little does he know that his life is about to change completely.

Told with such heart, but also with a lot of humor. This is a fantastic book about embracing life-the good AND the bad.

[Karol (Libroteca El Gato de Cheshire) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Hemos leído este libro en el club de lectura de la Libroteca y todos #LosCazalibros han quedado encantados.
Es una historia de superación sobre un niño al que diagnostican cáncer, sí, pero también es una historia sobre lo difícil que es encontrar tu lugar, lo importante que es la amistad y sobre todo lo fantástico que es encontrar amigos donde menos te lo esperas.

Pronto haré reseña de este libro en el blog pero mientras tanto os puedo decir que está recomendadísimo :)

[Kate Adams · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was great! A quick read, engaging all the way through. About a 7th grader, but completely okay for an emotionally intelligent fourth grader. Interspersed with comics “created by” the main character. Even swear words only appear as symbols. Great for building empathy towards people suffering through illness and ongoing treatments, but not morbid o depressing. Recommend!

[Aleri · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ha sido una lectura hermosa, uno de mis libros favoritos de este año.

[Mehsi · Rating 5 out of 5]

A boy with pain in his eye finds out he has cancer. This book follows how he tries to have a normal life and how he goes through the treatments.


I was already quite eager to read this one, so I was delighted to finally spot it a one of my libraries.

In the end this was a good/great book about a boy with eye cancer and all he experiences as things progress. We see him undergo treatments (good thing he got that second opinion because OH MAN that doctor should have taken a course on how to say news like that I found her very rude and robotic), we see how he has to do all sorts of things to keep things OK/good, we see that things at school aren’t going well (those memes were just WHAT and then we find out who did them and my heart just broke), there is friendship (though I am still wondering what the hell is up with Isaac, is it just because he was afraid of things going wrong/couldn’t handle it), there is a band (though I wasn’t such a fan of those parts as the other boy was just… eh).

I quite liked our MC, though at times I found him a bit harsh. Yes, I get that you have cancer and that you have a ton of things piled upon them and you are not happy, BUT your best friend has to leave you, has to move, has to learn new people, plus she also worries about you and your cancer, she is also valid to have a shitty day, to feel like crap. You don’t have solo claim on that kind of day or feeling just because you have something terrible, and it would be nice if he understood that. He was also quite often quite rude towards his stepmom which just felt weird given how sweet and caring she was. Thankfully, he did know that he wasn’t acting always so nicely and he tried to make up for things.

The batpig comics… not my thing after 3 of them I just started skipping them. Nice idea, but not my kind of comic. I do appreciate that they were added though.

I would have to like more of an epilogue to see if everything is now good in his life. His treatment is over from what I saw, but is he clean? Is everything OK? I know that is a very important moment as well and I was looking forward to seeing it. For now I will just think that he is all better again!

All in all, a book I am happy I read. It was heartbreaking, quite well-written. And I am happy I had the chance to read it.

Review first posted at https://twirlingbookprincess.com/

[Sherry Guice · Rating 4 out of 5]

Though centered around the main character's battle with a rare form of eye cancer, the book has laugh out loud moments with terrific adults. Ross learns to cope with his problem with the help of friends including a "School of Rock" ending where he learns that he no longer cares what others may think...good middle school book and accessible for many age ranges.