- A young woman is suffering from diabetes mellitus. Her disease has taken over her life and affects her relationship with her loved ones, including her mother. Even her boyfriend, Shane, has trouble dealing with her extreme mood swings brought about by her illness. As her biological clock ticks toward complete shutdown, the young woman's heartbreaking tale of trying to cope with her deadly disease while maintaining some semblance of a normal life is gut-wrenching to say the least.
- Ed Devlin has problems. His parents haven't gotten along since Ed's uncle died. His father drinks too much and his mother has all but given up on her spouse. Ed's best friend has no time for him because he's too busy chasing a girl more likely to end up in jail than at graduation. And on top of all that, Ed is beginning to realize something is wrong with his body. Ed's life is going to change, but not in any way he imagines. It's going to get a whole lot worse before it gets any better. Just like all the rest, he'll find his health problem is beyond his control. It will overwhelm him and force him to find a way through. Forcing him to become someone new.
Needles: A Memoir Of Growing Up With Diabetes by Anne Dominick
- As the title suggests, the author is graphically frank about the medical necessities of living with juvenile-onset diabetes, and squeamish readers may find her memoir harrowing. In its essence, however, this is a story of emotional growth and healing. Her deliberately plain prose and gritty candor render her struggle accessible and real. The story is not a pretty one, but it does illustrate the control one has over some of life's seemingly uncontrollable situations.
The Fight to Survive: A Young Girl, Diabetes, and the Discovery of Insulin by Caroline Cox
- Elizabeth Hughes's is a small story, filled with the optimism of a 14-year-old with unbounded dreams. But there was nothing small about the discovery of insulin and the trials in August 1922 that saved Hughes and revolutionized the treatment of diabetes. Alternating the teen's painful, isolated childhood with the struggle of researchers hoping to save patients diagnosed with a then fatal disease, Cox weaves a compelling tale of commitment and discovery. Here is both a remarkable medical history and an inspiring lesson in hope.
- The author traces a vampire-obsessed 16-year-old diabetic's steep slide downward as she is intellectually seduced by a middle-aged cybervamp via the Internet. The exotic theme coupled with the heroine's highly recognizable feelings of oddity and isolation make for a tantalizing read. This book should appeal to a wide range of interests, from those looking for another good vampire book to those touched by the illness.
is a story about Randy, 15, and his outdoorsy cousin, Mark, canoe into the Boundary Waters of Northern Minnesota. They are the third generation in their family to take this coming-of-age journey, and each boy harbors doubts. Mark feels completely inadequate compared to his older brother, and he isn't sure the girl he has been seeing will wait 10 days for him. Randy's parents seem to be just going through the motions of staying together; his diabetes may be the only glue holding them together.
Do you have a favorite book that should be reviewed here? Send your recommendation to: diabetickidsbooks@att.net
