Deadline by Chris Crutcher
I hadn't planned to read my required Crutcher book until after school had started, but this showed up on one of my kindle emails. Definitely a good call to get this one, as it really touched me.
Ben is getting his physical to run cross country during the summer before his senior year, but finds out that he has a terminal illness and only has about a year to live. He opts out of treatment, and because he is over eighteen the doctor can't tell his parents. Ben wants to have his time on Earth be as normal as possible. He plays football with his younger brother. He dates the girl of his dreams. He questions the education he is receiving in his civics class. He tries to help the town drunk. He tries to get a street in town named after Malcolm X. He doesn't tell anyone about his illness.
When reading this, you see that, despite his illness, there are people with worse problems than Ben's. I think that's what makes this story more real than most. And although you know what will ultimately happen, you still want to read. So many emotions reading this, but I feel like a better person for it.
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