Stars: ****
In ‘Wink’ we meet Ross as he navigates his school life. He dreams of being normal and blending in with the crowd. But recently this has become hard to do…he has been diagnosed with a very rare form of eye cancer. He’s had an operation to remove the tumour and now is undergoing proton radiation to be cancer free.
At school, his best friend Isaac isn’t speaking to him anymore; he hasn’t since he found out about the cancer. Someone is making mean memes about Ross and he’s still worrying about girls, lessons and school life.
His best friend Abby is there for him, but she has her own struggles.
This is an honest look at what life might be like for a child with cancer at school. It’s something that unless you’ve been through it, you’ll struggle to understand. ‘Wink’ helps to build real empathy and allows children (and adults) to have a better idea of what they can do to help if they were ever to meet someone going though this.
Whilst being emotionally honest, it’s also full of the humour and nuances of teenagers which allows the book to have light relief alongside the deeper moments. The comic strips of Bat Pig are hilarious and enjoyable, reflecting the challenges that Ross faces in his own life.
*Review Copy 😊*
Teacher Bookworm 