ISBN: 9781471409141
Published by Hot Key Books
Main Review:
This book begins with a very serious note from the author himself explaining how he was diagnosed with cancer and how the book explores a lot of his own experiences. However, the story itself is not difficult to read, even if it is a challenging subject. It is written in the first person, enabling you to connect very quickly with the main character, Ross, who we meet when he is having his first cancer treatment. There are comic doodles all throughout the book (in the style of Diary of a Wimpy Kid) and short comic strips at the end of quite a few chapters. I love the style of the writing, which is very much like ‘Wonder’, with the kids eye view of the world and the churning thought processes that go with that: it’s a bit like a coming of age movie. And the fact that music and guitar playing is so important to both the author and the character really helps me to love this story. Genuinely, I gasped at the point in the story when Ross talks to the girl he really likes in the school canteen – if anything makes you want to read this book, it’s to find out what happens at that moment! This would be perfect for children in Years 5 upwards and would really help showing them how to deal with life when it is at its most difficult, but also the beauty of friends, practise and having a goal in life.
Short review:
Growing up is a challenge, growing up with cancer is a challenge, growing up to be a rock god…impossible! But, Ross is determined to survive it all.
Reviewed for:
Lovereading4kids
Kinkajousreadtoo 
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