Characters: Ben, Cody, Coach Banks, Mr. Lambeer, Dallas, Hey-soos, Rudy, Dr. Maria
Themes: Death, Love, Family, Relationship
Summary:
Ben Wolf is your typical 18 year old, but on a yearly
physical he is diagnosed with a rare blood disease. He refuses treatment and
wants to spend his last year to the fullest.
He quits cross-country and joins football and pursues Dallas, a girl he
likes. Ben is good at football, playing along his taller, younger brother Cody.
Ben is taken aback when Dallas asked him to homecoming after the interview. Since he was diagnosed, Ben has been having
dreams about Hey-soos, a Christ-like figure. Ben befriends the town drunk, Rudy
McCoy. Rudy supports Ben when he wants to
create a project naming Malcolm X as a street.
At the end of the book, Ben tells his friends and family of his illness.
Dallas dumps him but Ben doesn’t feel sad about it. Ben dies at the end of the
book, but he does not regret any of his choices.
Teachers can have their student a writing prompt: “If you had
one year to live, what would you do?” The students could list their priorities,
adventures and goals they want to accomplish that year.
No comments:
Post a Comment