What It Is About: Mark is a young man trying to live his life. The major problem with this is that he has been battling cancer since he was a young boy. He and his family thought he was finally cancer free, but his latest test results say otherwise. This is a huge blog to his parents, but even bigger for Mark. He had dealt with all he can. Mark decides to "take-off" with his dog Beau and climb Mount Rainier. In a strange method, he has left this information with his best friend Jessie. She has to make some major decisions as to what to do with this information. As Mark sets out on his "quest", he deals with trying to sneak away unnoticed, dealing with muggers on the street, trying to deal with weather elements, and of course dealing with his poor health. All the while he manages this as best he can along with the help of his pal Beau.
What I Thought Of It: This is one of the most incredible books I've ever read. I began it on Saturday and couldn't stop reading it. This story is full of emotional punch. I absolutely loved the character of Mark and of course Beau was a favorite since I'm a complete dog lover. The structure of the novel was interesting because it went back and forth between Mark's story and Jessie's story. This was interesting because you got a sense of what was going on in both places. I must admit this is an emotional story and many tears were shed. I will be recommending it to all of my reader friends.
Who Should Read It: This is interesting to think about. I have seen this novel classified as a middle-grade novel. I have also seen it listed for young adult readers. After reading it for myself, I think this would be the perfect novel for readers in grades six, seven, or eight. I'm sure high school readers would also find it a perfect read. I'm also thinking adult readers should read it as well. The context is serious, but there is nothing questionable in this story. I've already passed the book on to a sixth grade teacher I work with and told her she should read it to her class. I know this novel will remain on my favorite reads list for many years to come. Happy Reading!
Rating: 5+ STARS out of 5 Stars
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