Wink by Rob Harrell

I've been focusing on adding more middle-school friendly titles to our young adult area this year, and this was one that popped up on several lists, but also looked like something middle schoolers would actually read (these are two different things).

The opening chapter plunges the reader right into things as we join Ross in his first bout of radiation. With flashbacks and talks with friends, we slowly get into the picture - a sudden weird eye infection led to multiple tests which led to a diagnosis of a rare eye cancer. Ross is on a roller-coaster of emotions and changes on top of the craziness of middle school and he can't get off, no matter how much he wants to.

While he deals with losing his sight, then a chance that he will keep at least one eye, side-effects of radiation, and all the confusion and fear of a serious medical diagnosis, he's still in school. He's still got his life-long crush on queen bee Sarah, has to deal with bully Jimmy, the inexplicable loss of his best friend Isaac, and the additional shock of his other best friend, Abby, moving in a few short months.

It's a lot to handle and Ross doesn't always approach things perfectly; he's got moments when he just doesn't care anymore, he has fights with friends, and he struggles to make it through embarrassing moments, online bullying, and his medical challenges all at the same time. By the end of the story, Ross is a more mature character; he's learned to accept that people aren't always what they seem to be, that it's ok to show emotions, and give people, and himself, a second chance sometimes.

Verdict: Both funny and stomach-churningly realistic, this is sure to appeal to kids who are ready to move on from Diary of a Wimpy Kid and Dork Diaries and who are struggling to get through middle school, with or without additional challenges. Recommended for 5th grade and up.

ISBN: 9781984815149; Published March 2020 by Dial; Review copy provided by publisher; Purchased for the library