A wrenching and hilarious story about embracing life's weirdness and surviving an unthinkable diagnosis, based on the author's own experience with a rare eye cancer.
Twelve-year-old Ross Maloy just wants to be normal. Not to have a rare eye cancer, not to lose his hair, not to have to wear a weird hat or have a goopy eye full of ointment. Just normal. But with a sudden and horrifying diagnosis, Ross can't help standing out. His new life is medical treatments that feel straight out of a video game, vision loss in one eye, disappearing friends who don't know what to say to "the cancer kid," cruel bullying, and ultimately, friendships new and old that rise above everything.
Just when Ross starts to feel like he's losing his footing, he discovers how music, art, and true friends can change everything. Filled with Rob Harrell's comic panels (Batpig for the win!) and spot art, this novel brings effortless humor and hope to an unforgettable, uplifting story of survival.
About Rob
Rob Harrell is the author of the middle grade novel Wink, the Life of Zarf series and the graphic novel Monster on the Hill, which was adapted into the animated film Rumble. In addition, Harrell created the comic strip Big Top and now writes and draws the daily strip Adam@Home. Harrell recently wrote and illustrated the graphic novels Batpig: When Pigs Fly, Batpig: Too Pig To Fail, and Batpig: Go Pig or Go Home. His latest middle grade novel, Popcorn, comes out September 3rd, 2024. Harrell lives in Zionsville, Indiana with his dog, Shepler.