By Anna Sortino
Coming July 2, 2024
(4 / 5)
Ellie has been attending a school for the Deaf, but when it shuts down before her senior year, she needs to switch to living at home full time and attending a mainstream school. There she meets Jackson, a soccer player that is dealing with some concerning symptoms that affect his ability to participate in the sport.
On the Bright Side was a quick read that I enjoyed. Through Ellie, it dives into Deaf culture and the frustrations a Deaf person faces in an ableist world. Ellie is independent and maybe a little stubborn, but her frustrations with unsupportive parents and classmates were understandable. She has to make some tough choices along the way but shows a lot of strength through it. Jackson was a very likeable character, and I loved how he made the effort to connect with Ellie when other classmates just wanted to gossip and assume. Jackson is faced with his own unexpected and scary diagnosis, and it was interesting to share his journey that portrayed his fears and frustrations while still providing optimism about the future. I think an important takeaway from this story is understanding how not all disabilities are obvious, and anyone can become disabled at any time, so it goes a long way to show compassion to others.
Thank you to PENGUIN GROUP Penguin Young Readers Group | G.P. Putnam’s Sons Books for Young Readers and NetGalley for the free review copy of On the Bright Side! All opinions expressed are completely my own.
