Notes Left Behind

by Brooke Desserich, Keith Desserich

“Elena has left behind a story of resilience, hope and most of all, love. We can’t help but take her into our hearts, and carry the best of her into our own lives.”





—Jeffrey Zaslow, coauthor of The Last Lecture







 



Notes Left Behind by Brooke and Keith Desserich began as a journal they kept after their five-year-old daughter Elena was diagnosed with brain cancer and given just 165 days to live. As poignant and inspiring as Randy Pausch’s The Last Lecture, it is the story of the courage of a truly remarkable little girl who accomplished so much in so little time—and of her parents’ love and dedication to their child and their family. New York Times bestselling author James Patterson was profoundly moved by Elena’s beautiful life and Notes Left Behind, calling it, “a stunning story that teaches us how precious children, family, and life are, and that the sacrifices we make are worth it. I won’t forget the Desserich family, and neither will you.”

Genres: Nonfiction, Biography, Memoir, Biography Memoir, Medical, Inspirational, Book Club

276 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 1, 2008

Reviews

[Petra · Rating 4 out of 5]

Anyone who has experienced cancer in the family can relate to the fear, confusion, hope, despair that the Desserich family experienced. This is a lovely tribute to their daughter and a journal of their journey through the medical world of cancer.
This is the story of one brave girl and one courageous family.
Hope lives on. I hope that one day, we can say that all cancers are treatable and curable.

[Kristyn · Rating 5 out of 5]

I picked this book up when I was at Border's one day... the cover caught my eyes, and then the synopsis pulled me in. I'm becoming a Child Life Specialist, a professional who will work with children in the hospital and help them, as well as their families, cope with their injury or illness using play. Therefore, I thought this book would give me a perspective of the parents, and how they feel as their child is diagnosed with something as big as cancer. And yet, Elena's story has taught me so much more. She has opened my eyes to how short life really is, and to spend each moment surrounding yourself with those you love.
I marked down a couple of quotes that really took hold of me while I was reading. I'd like to share a few -

"Do we ask our children, "What do you want to be when you grow up?" or should we ask them, What do you want to accomplish when you grow up?" And what is the total value of all the time we spend on diversions and distractions rather than the true purpose of living? Can one person change the world? Can one person cure cancer?" [Page 90]
"Still, what is faith? Is it faith that we will make the right decisions or faith that it is in God's hands?" [Page 136]
"Instead of talking about their lasts, we have to start talking about their firsts... It's a much better way to think about life, if you can do it. It only requires hope." [Page 144]
"Never look at a day and think it is a bad day, because this may be better than tomorrow, so just thank God that you have the day at all."[Page 177]
Story of Earl the Squirrel - [Page 181]

I absolutely fell in love with the part of the book when Elena asks her daddy to dance with her at her cousins wedding. I actually cried - it was so beautiful, and made me sad to think that her dad wouldn't be able to dance with her at her own wedding.. but then I thought, well they're dancing in that moment and that's all that should matter. Enjoy the moments you have with your children, whether they are small or big. Take pictures, and really listen to your kids. They won't be young forever, and you never know what tomorrow holds. So put away that business contract of yours, turn off your cell phone, and just be with your children.
There were many other pages that impacted me, but I'd like to leave you asking yourself with what pages affected you the most, when you are finished reading the book.

[Ellen Isabella · Rating 4 out of 5]

Elena, malaikat yang dikirimkan Tuhan untuk keluarga Desserich. Meskipun hidupnya hanya sampai 6 tahun, tapi dia mengajarkan dan meninggalkan pesan dan kesan yang sangat mendalam pada berjuta-juta orang. Saya sangat terkesan dengan betapa pintarnya Elena menarik perhatian dan rasa sayang dari semua orang. Anaknya kalem dan berpemikiran sangat dewasa. Orangtuanya pasti sangat bangga memiliki anak seperti Elena dan adiknya, Gracie. Keduanya sangat menggemaskan. Setelah membaca buku ini saya jadi pengen punya 2 anak perempuan. Hehe.. Elena yang pendiam, dewasa, penyayang dan Gracie yang ceria, lucu, mandiri. Duh, ga bisa dilukiskan dengan kata-kata deh kebahagiaan orangtuanya.

Meskipun sangat menderita dengan kanker yang dideritanya, Elena tetap berjuang dan tidak pernah mengeluh. Setiap harinya Elena senang menulis dan menggambar pesan buat orangtua dan adiknya di mana isinya menyatakan bahwa Elena sangat menyayangi mereka semua. Setelah Elena pergi pun, orantuanya masih sering menemukan puluhan catatan yang ditulis oleh Elena. Elena menyelipkannya di mana-mana, di tempat yang tersembunyi seperti di laci, di tas kerja ayahnya dan di berbagai tempat lainnya. And those notes she left behind, will surely be remembered forever...

[Joyce · Rating 2 out of 5]

It's really impossible to not be touched by this story, considering what it is about. But does that mean it is excellent literature? Not necessarily.

I entered to win this book knowing it would be either beautifully written or a little flat. I am not surprised to say it was the latter. While I was first reading this book, I found the writing style a little irritating. Compared to the books I usually read, it was too obviously cheesy and witty (that is, so witty that it's not actually witty). As I moved forward through the book, however, the Desserichs' feelings showed more and more. They became more vulnerable, and I felt that their writing, while still not filled with beautiful abstract emotions, became easier to relate to and feel.

To enjoy this book, you pretty much have to know what you're in for. You have to know that this is not really a book - it's more a journal or a blog that happened to be mass produced. If you realize that and are a sucker for sad, sad stories, then this is the book for you. For me, I guess not so much.

[Laura · Rating 4 out of 5]

Elena was a beautiful and sweet 6 year old with a brain tumor. She loved to write notes with hearts drawn on them. They often said, "I love Mom Dad Gracie." Elena's mom and dad wrote in a journal all through her diagnosis, treatment, and progression. They lovingly and unselfishly share their innermost thoughts, fears, desires, and emotions recorded in this journal, and they titled it "Notes Left Behind." I enjoyed getting to know Elena while reading this book, and I definitely admire the courage she had and the lessons she taught during her cancer battle. My kids have been getting extra hugs, kisses, and attention this week as I've been reading and thinking about Elena!

[Marci · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have a friend who lost a child to this terrible disease and ended up interviewing these parents, who actually started the charity that my friend's family supports. I read the book to get more context, and I learned a great deal about strength and how people survive and manage to live in the moment when all you know is no longer. The book is full of reminders to cherish the moments, but with the right amount of realism. It isn't sappy or overly poetic. Brooke and Keith manage to tell the horrors and how they exist within the moment, fearful and clinging to them. It is a sad book but a worthwhile read for anyone who is dealing with loss. There is truth and strength there.

[Jessica Welch · Rating 5 out of 5]

I appreciate the family's strength and courage to share their story. By putting this book out there they are giving Elena a voice to continue to make her mark on the world even though she is no longer here.

[Marianne Jay · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book left me with the myriad of emotions. My heart hurt, I was inspired beyond belief, and I was in awe of the parents of this lovely child Elaina.

This book was written in 1990. You could tell it was a different time. The citizens of their town were helpful, kind, extraordinarily generous. ~ something that we don’t see a lot of now.

It made me yearn for a different time. Read this book. My community picks a charity every year to sponsor, and I am going to vigorously fight for The Cure Starts Now

[Julie Cohen · Rating 5 out of 5]

How do you say goodbye to a child? The journal of this family walks us through the intimate experience of losing a child. The sudden onset of Elena's particular cancer and the fact that it was considered "incurable" from first diagnosis startles and upsets us, the readers. The Desserichs writing is so compelling that we want to know how each day will be completed. Elena's determination and her "notes left behind" remind all of us of the power of communication. The Desserichs journal also reminds us of the power of family, community and love.

We learn of the many bumps and obstacles that pop up along this difficult road. We learn that for families like the Desserichs, "good" must come from this "bad". The consequence of this outlook is this family's determination to wipe out cancer. They turn their grief into hope by establishing the Cure Starts Now organization.

The book is open and honest, thoughtful and thought provoking, heart wrenching and hopeful. It is a moving tribute to the life of a little girl and her remarkable family.

[♏ Gina☽ · Rating 5 out of 5]

Elena Desserich may only be 6 years old, but she is wiser by far than many adults. Diagnosed with a brain tumor, her parents face every parent's nightmare - an extremely sick child with a grim prognosis.

However, this book isn't about dying. It's about how little beautiful Elena taught everyone around her to appreciate life. When you read this book, you will find yourself rethinking what is truly important.

"Notes Left Behind" refers to the little notes Elena hid around the house for her loved ones to find after she was gone. Think about that. She is but 6. She knows she is dying. Yet she is thinking not about her own fate, but about leaving something that will bring joy to her loved ones after she is gone. I find that beyond amazing.

An inspirational, heart wrenching, and beautiful book, it is one that needs to be read slowly and treasured, just as Elena herself continues to be a treasure. We can only hope to be as brave as Elena.

[Dawn · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was a sad story about a family who discovered their six year old daughter had a rare brain cancer. The book was a journal written by her mom and dad and their difficult journey back and forth between when the tumor was progressing and Elena's motor skills would be affected and when the tumor was in remission. When she was in remission she would be back to almost normal. Not surprisingly, her parents went back and forth believing she could overcome this cancer. It is a touching and sad story and makes you realize how lucky you are if your children are healthy. Makes you realize that you cannot take good health for granted; or time with your family.

[Sharon · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is extremely sad but well written and makes you really take time to appreciate and spend time with the ones you love. Everyone should read this book. Be cautious though it is the first and only book I have ever cried while reading.

[Nelly · Rating 5 out of 5]

It's way too overwhelming to put my feelings in words. Really can't and don't want to put myself in the shoes of those parents. it's heart aching ; painful.

[Ale Sandoval Tress]

https://bibliobulimica.wordpress.com/...

[Haiiro · Rating 4 out of 5]

Đây không phải cuốn cẩm nang để hướng dẫn người ta vượt qua việc người nhà, mà đau lòng hơn là con cái bạn, bị bệnh ung thư kết án tử. Đọc nó không giúp bạn có thêm kiến thức gì về căn bệnh đáng sợ ấy, hay cho bạn biết phải làm gì trong suốt quãng thời gian con bạn chờ chết - ý tôi là về cả thể chất lẫn tinh thần. Chỉ thuần túy là những ghi chép để note lại mà thôi, đúng như cái tiêu đề của nó.

Thế nhưng, hình dung một em bé đang phải đối mặt với và ở bên bờ vực của cái chết, xem ảnh của em và thấy em suy yếu đi từng ngày, tôi thấy đau lòng chết đi được. Khó mà tưởng tượng bố mẹ em đã phải trải qua những ngày tháng chẳng biết trước tương lai ấy như thế nào nữa. Chỉ thế thôi mà, đã lâu lắm rồi tôi mới lại nức nở tưởng như không thể ngừng khóc giống như tối qua.

Có con rồi mới biết, con khỏe mạnh chính là niềm mong mỏi lớn nhất của người làm bố mẹ.

[Jo · Rating 3 out of 5]

(Warning: This review begins as an objective analysis of the reviewer's reactions to the book above, but ends as a fantastic example of mush-pots getting too much time to express their mushy feelings. If mushiness makes you uncomfortable, it is recommended that you turn your attention to a less mushy review.)

While I think this was supposed to be an uplifting tale about a little girl's courage in the face of a disease barely understood by her doctors, I found this to be a mope-inducing tale of death and loss. (For those of you who are unfamiliar with the Sadness Scale, "mope-inducing" is sadder than "saddening" but not as sad as "depressing.") Admittedly, there were parts where the book had me mentally yelling, "Take that, brain cancer!" But yesterday, most of the entries I read just induced moping.

For a while, I tried to do this weird "How long is X many days?" thing where I read each journal entry on the date it was originally written. (March 23 on March 23, May 9 on May 9, etc.) Since it's only March now and the book ends in August, I obviously gave up on this. I started this book on the way home from work at the beginning of the semester and I read two months' worth of entries that day. And I'd look at the count of days and realize that in the last 10 minutes, another week in the book had passed. One of those entries mentioned something about a day spent hamming it up for the camera, and I've always been camera-shy, so I thought I'd read one entry each day, and then try to apply that entry to my day. So, had I read the camera entry in the morning, I would then have spent the day making sure not to hide from any cameras I might have come across. (I might not have looked for cameras, but I wouldn't have run away from them, either.)

So for just over two months, I read an entry at breakfast if there was an entry for that day, and never came across another activity or mental outlook that I could apply to my day. Sure the Desseriches spent a week at a Disney theme park and went swimming with dolphins and spent another day at a local amusement park, but none of these activities are things that I can up and do when I'm in the middle of the spring semester and I have to go to class and my family has to go to work or their own classes. So, because the one-entry-at-a-time plan was not providing the meaningful food-for-thought I had thought it would, I decided to finish the book and move on.

That is not to say that the book has no food-for-thought fuel. The Desseriches journal of their reactions to and struggles with cancer is an excellent reminder that all those hours we spend at a crappy job and suffering through idiot bosses' asinine paperwork are for our family. What's the point if we can't enjoy our family, spend some quality time with them, make them happy and let them make us happy and live in a house full of happy? If you need proof of the importance of these priorities, and you won't walk around in a funk for days after finishing the journal, Notes Left Behind is an excellent work to help you reassert or rediscover what the truly important things in life are. If, however, you are like most of the folks in my family and reading a book where (spoiler alert) a six-year-old girl dies of a brain tumor will leave you wandering around in a daze and sleeping more than 10 hours a day until you move beyond that strange state of mourning a stranger's child, then skip the actual reading and take the book's message to heart: The people in your life are the important part of that life. Do not sacrifice your friends and family for a good car, a big house, a fancy tv, high-tech toys and gadgets, or top scores in your Facebook games. These things are not important. They may be helpful in some way, but they are not important. Friends and family are important.

(The fantastically mushy PSA that is this review is now concluded. The reviewer will do her best not to repeat said fantastic mush-pot-y-ness in the future.)

I received a free copy through FirstReads in exchange for an honest review.

[Dwór książek i słów · Rating 4 out of 5]

"Wiadomość z nieba" to smutna i wzruszająca książka przpełniona ciepłem i miłością. Pełno w niej wiary w lepsze jutro: "Nadzieja jest wieczną obietnicą". Pokazuje jak choroba może wpłynąć na życie rodziny i jak zmieniają się wtedy jej priorytety.

To dziennik pisany przez rodziców małej dziewczynki chorej na glejaka pnia mózgu. Brook i Keith Desserich rozpoczęli prowadzenie pamiętnika, gdy dowiedzieli się że ich córce zostało 135 dni życia. Opisują walkę Eleny z chorobą i codzienne zmagania rodziny, dla młodszej córki Grace - zbyt małej by pamiętała i rozumiała chorobę swojej siostry. Z czasem dziennik został upubliczniony w internecie i zyskał poparcie ludzi z całego świata. Nastepnie został wydany w postaci książki by trafić do jak największej liczby osób.

Elena pomimo choroby to pełna życia, mądra i radosna mała dziewczynka, kochająca kolor różowy i falbanki. W obliczu choroby nie poddaje się i walczy do ostatniej chwili. Troszczy się o rodzinę pomimo utraty glosu, paraliżu, braku zdolności połykania. Rak pozbawia ją dziecięcej niewinności przez co, staje się emocjonalnie dojrzała. Jest cały czas świadoma zbliżającego się końca, a mimo to uczy jak żyć i pokazuje co jest w życiu najważniejsze.

"Nauka Eleny nie odnosi się do śmierci i raka, dotyczy nadziei i życia. Pokazała nam jak żyć, kochać i jak się śmiać."u

Rodzice Eleny opisują to co przeżyli w czasie walki z chorobą. Na bieżąco informują czytelnika o leczeniu, przebiegu i walce z rakiem, a także mówią o uśmiechu Eleny i radości gdy jej stan na chwilę się poprawia. Mówią o nadziei, która daje im siłę w tym trudnym czasie. Wiedzą że nie są w stanie zatrzymać czasu, więc cieszą się każdą wspólną chwilą. Starają się wywołać uśmiech na twarzy córeczki po przez spełnianie jej marzeń: lody czekoladowe, różowe buty i kapelusz kowbojski, różowa sukienka. Chcą by była szczęśliwa, bo gdy ona jest szczęśliwa to i ich serca są pełne radości.

,,Wiadomość z nieba’’ niesie przesłanie by, zastanowić się: co jest w życiu najważniejsze. Zmienia spojrzenie na czas, który nam ucieka, a który moglibyśmy poświęcić bliskim. Mówi o miłości i wsparciu najbliższych, które pomaga w walce z chorobą. Powinniśmy cenić najdrobniejsze momenty życia spędzanie z rodziną.

,,Nigdy nie patrz na dzień, myśląc, że jest to zły dzień, ponieważ ten dzień może być lepszy od jutrzejszego, więc dziękuj Bogu za to, że w ogóle go masz’’.

[Swankivy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Two ordinary parents write their candid reactions to their daughter's journey through cancer. Specifically, an incurable, rare form of brain cancer called diffuse intrinsic pontine glioma (DIPG). Their elder daughter, Elena, was diagnosed with this disease, leaving them to grapple with the implications. They started a journal of their experiences for their younger daughter, Grace, hoping they could preserve some of Elena for her sister as well as document what they felt, but since they shared this on the Internet, it got a lot of attention. What's incredibly special is that since Elena's tumor affected her ability to speak, she turned to writing love notes for her family in order to communicate, and after they finally lost the battle with cancer, for months afterwards they were still finding these sweet notes that Elena hid all over the house for them to find after she couldn't be there anymore to say she loved them. The whole story and the parents' honest commentary was very touching, and the book itself was technically well-written but a bit difficult to read sometimes due to occasional lack of context. (Some of the scenes are very well orchestrated because Brooke and Keith Desserich took us into the experience, but then there'd be a skip and we'd have no idea what happened in between. Sometimes a personal journal is difficult to follow because of stuff like that.) The photographs interspersed throughout of Elena, the family, and Elena's love notes were heartwarming, and the parents did a very good job of exploring the hauntedness, terror, anger, and unconditional love that rises to the surface in situations like this. Their "seize the day" message is unfortunately not one that most people would be able to take to heart unless something like this happened to them, so I hope it's helped more parents hug their kids and more people pursue life to the fullest while they've got it.

[Eshusdaughter · Rating 4 out of 5]

Notes Left Behind is the compilation of a journal kept by Elena Desserich's parents during the months of her illness. At Six-years-old Elena was diagnosed with an advanced form of brain cancer which has only a 10% survival rate. From the beginning her parents were fighting a losing battle. With grace, courage, anger, frustration, love and acceptance, Elena's family fought for every day of her life. Their journal, started for Elena's younger sister Grace as a way to share Elena's life with her later, shares their hopes and heartaches and the things they learned along the way.

I cried as I read this book. I am sure most readers will. The thought of losing a child is terrible and magnifies all the injustices in life. Elena was feisty and loving. Her joy in life came across so strongly and the pictures of the notes she left hidden around the house for her parents is heartbreaking and heart-warming at the same time. I found myself underlining passages and marking pages to reread later. There are so many truths in this book. Sometimes it takes a tragedy to make us understand how precious life is.

My daughter has a serious, life-threatening disease. While her prognosis is far more hopeful than Elena's, so much of what Elena's parents said rang true. I understood their grief when Elena was diagnosed because it mirrored my own. I understand their anger and frustration because I've felt that as well. This story squeezed my heart into little bits because I can see reflections of our family in the pages and it made me think about decisions we may have to make some day - about the impact of decisions on treatments.

Notes Left Behind is more than just a maudlin peep show into a family's grief - it's an honest, earnest and loving tribute to a daughter whose time on earth was far too short and a reminder to not take a single minute for granted.

[Julie Decker · Rating 3 out of 5]

Elena Desserich was diagnosed with an incurable form of brain cancer at only five years old.

Her parents kept a journal online documenting her cancer treatment and how it affected her, her family, and everyone around her.

This depressing and terrifying but viciously hopefully and love-filled testament to Elena's will to love and love of her family is really quite riveting to read, despite the fact that sometimes the narrative just jumps and leaves us with blank spaces that never get answered or references to happenings that we are never informed about. It's still so special to get to know Elena and her little sister Grace, some of the small things she loved doing and saying, and what the diffuse tumor took from her and her family. Of course, the incredibly inspirational bit of this book surrounds Elena's loss of speech ability and subsequent turn to writing love notes, which she then hid all over the house and which her family began to find here and there long after she was dead.

The cancer and its treatments were terrifying and definitely made me emotional as a reader, but who wouldn't be moved by a family's heartfelt journey through losing their daughter? I loved getting to know Elena, and wish there had been a breakthrough for her treatment like there might have been in a fictional version of this. I think the scariest bit was after she'd had the lifetime maximum of radiation to shrink her tumors and she went back to normal for a short time, able to have her last hurrah on Earth but with her parents knowing it would progress again and they'd have to watch their daughter lose function, this time without another radiation dose to bring her back. So heart-wrenching and terrifying and sad. And what a gift to be able to have those beautiful notes from their child.

[jill · Rating 4 out of 5]

Living is about both the good and the bad. Living is about the present.

Rating:4/5

For me, one of the most painful things a parent can go through is seeing their child wither because of a disease. This book was the kind of book that I didn't finish in one sitting but I always made sure to read a few pages before sleeping. This is the journal written by parents that had two bright little girls, one was sick and one had to have something that would remind her of her sister's legacy and memories. It was sad to see how the writing changed from one entry to another. From one filled with hope, it ended with acceptance of their child's fate. And burying your daughter must have hurt so much, it's one thing I know all of us don't want to go through in the future. As I've said the writing is quite flat I guess it's understandable because it's a personal journal published into a book. That's why I also mentioned that it's a book I didn't finish in one sitting. But it was a good read, especially because most of the entries had lessons with them and when I wanted to stop I could easily do so.

The girls have my heart. It's heartbreaking to see young Elena go through what other young kids with pediatric brain cancer. It made me think twice about how I've been living my life. Maybe it's a bit overused but it is true that we only live once and we should not take life for granted. What we have now are things that most people want to have. The Desserich family wanted time which is something most of us take for granted. This book once again reminded me that we never know what will happen to us today or tomorrow.

[Beth · Rating 5 out of 5]

Inspirational

I have said to friends and in petitions to Congress that children's cancer research needs more than 4% of funds earmarked for cancer research. Children are the future and it stands to reason that finding a cure for cancers that affect them is a must. Hearing of the death of a child has to be one of the worst things ever but losing that child is absolutely the most devastating occurrence in a parent's lifetime. Please donate to Children's Cancer Research. Please contact your congressmen to demand more funds for childhood cancer research. Our future depends on it. Think of Elena and other children who faced death with unbelievable courage after enduring treatments that are unimaginable and help the fight for the cure in any way possible. Pray your child never faces a fight for his or her young life like little beautiful Elena fought and lost. My heart hurts for the entire Desserich family. God bless them.

[Brandon Lee · Rating 5 out of 5]

Reaction: a sad book cover, but makes the reader feel much more satisfied with knowing what such a young child should never receive so early in their life
Writing Style: diary perspective of the parents of a sick daughter
Plot: a six year old child is diagnosed with an aggressive and rare form of brain cancer, leading to her enrollment in trials, treatments, and everything in between, but loses this battle. The parents discover her written notes scattered in the house in the weeks after her passing, and shares her insight with the rest of the grieving world
Commendation: including the cute notes with deep pearls of wisdom gained over a lifetime lived within this young child
Critique: seeing that the cancer is a battle makes it seem that she lost, but really emphasize her resilience and including some of her diary entries would be nice too

[Ellie Grace · Rating 5 out of 5]

The first time I heard of Elena's story in 2014 was one of the first times I'd heard about this terminal brain cancer and her story captivated me

This is an emotionally raw, open, and heartbreaking book which consists of diary entries while Elena was going through treatment and when she passed away. We also see some of the notes and drawings Elena left for her family. All proceeds from the sale of this book goes to cancer research.

I honestly can't fault this book at all and the bravery and strength Brooke and Keith had to publish these deeply personal and emotional entries notes and pictures is amazing and it gives up a little glimpse into what an incredible girl Elena was and how her legacy still lives on as well as raising awareness of childhood cancer

[Kelly · Rating 3 out of 5]

Sweet, heartfelt, funny, heartbreaking. Felt the journal format unduly suppressed the impact the book could have had, if it had written as a story, not an endless a series of diary entries.

There were golden nuggets of wisdom buried in the blur of individual days. Would benefit from restructuring into content areas; e.g., the organization of books like, "God Never Blinks" or "Anyway: The Paradoxical Commandments," to teach parents what to expect and how to cope with their kids' cancer.

[Donna Taub · Rating 4 out of 5]

Isn’t it amazing that it is the youngest amongst us who can provide the most important reminders? This is a heartbreaking story told in the sweetest way through 6 year old Elena and her parents journal to her sister. Elena’s outlook and her enduring reminders of love are heartwarming while heartbreaking. Thanks for the reminder Elena that laundry can wait because life or even childhood is fleeting and you need to love each day to its fullest.

[Sherry · Rating 1 out of 5]

The name of the book is very disceiving. It leads you to believe that the book is going to be about what the daughter's notes said, but it is really a story about how the father coped with his little girls illness. It was a good book, but not what you except with you are reading it. It should have a different name I think.

[Kristine · Rating 5 out of 5]

Make sure to have some tissues. The book is all about the illness and passing of a little girl and the notes she left all over her home for her family to find after she was gone. As a parent, your heartbreaks to read this. At the same time, the thought that the little girl put into her family's grief and how to alleviate it, was what lifted the book from just sad to uplifting for me.

[Margaret · Rating 4 out of 5]

I picked up this book because I too lost a child to cancer. I thought the book would be more about the family coming across the notes she left for them before she died, but it was actually a day to day journal they kept during the time she was sick. It brought back a lot of memories for me of the 2 1/2 years my son was being treated for cancer before he died.

[Krystal · Rating 3 out of 5]

Books like this break my heart but renew my spirit. I would never wish a child death, but how certain parents handle it with grace is amazing. My take away from this book was, "read the longest book on the shelf". Our time here is limited. So limited. Hold your children tight and read the longest story on the shelf.