On the Bright Side

De: Anna Sortino

Narrado por: Jesse Inocalla, Elizabeth Robbins

A hopeful novel about love, disability, and the inevitability of change by the author of Give Me a Sign.

“Poignant, romantic, and deeply heartfelt.” —Amber Smith, New York Times bestselling author of The Way I Used to Be

Ellie’s Deaf boarding school just shut down, forcing her to leave the place she considered home and return to her hearing family. But being mainstreamed into public school isn't exactly easy. So her guidance counselor pairs her with Jackson, a student who’s supposed to help her adjust. Can the boy who tries to say the right things, and gets it all wrong, be the lifeline Ellie needs?

Jackson has been avoiding his teammates ever since some numbness in his legs cost them an important soccer match. With his senior year off to a lonely start, he’s intrigued when he’s asked to help the new girl, initially thinking it will be a commendable move on his part. Little does he know Ellie will soon be the person he wants most by his side when the strange symptoms he’s experiencing amount to a life-changing diagnosis.

Exploring what it means to build community, Anna Sortino pens a story about the fear of the unknown and the beauty of the unexpected, all wrapped up in a poignant romance that will break your heart and put it back together again.

"Tender, honest, and utterly human." —Adib Khorram, award-winning author of Darius the Great Is Not Okay

Reseñas de la Crítica

Praise for On the Bright Side
A Schneider Family Book Award honor book
A Best Book of the Year for Kirkus Reviews and School Library Journal
A NYPL Best Book of the Year
A Children’s Book Council Favorites Award selection


★ "A sweet, well-written romance with just a touch of drama for excitement. The book never feels preachy or lags narratively in the interest of didacticism, yet it also tells a meaningful story about ableism, audism, and self-determination....A skillfully executed, nuanced, and engaging book." —Kirkus Reviews, starred review

★ “A brilliantly honest romance…that strikes the perfect balance of hope and resilience while challenging readers to consider a world outside of their own.” —School Library Journal, starred review

★ "In a story that could have easily become didactic, Sortino instead brings depth and care to discussions around disability pride, the difficulty of a disability that is constantly in flux when others think you 'look' healthy, and the desire for a cure for painful and progressive illnesses." —The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books, starred review

“On the Bright Side is a poignant, romantic, and deeply heartfelt story of resilience in the face of life’s most challenging and unpredictable circumstances—and how love can be the thing that sees us through. You will be thinking about Ellie and Jackson long after you’ve turned the last page.”
—Amber Smith, New York Times bestselling author of The Way I Used to Be and The Way I Am Now

"Tender, honest, and utterly human, On the Bright Side is a sparkling story that reminds us to live life on our own terms, even when it throws us a curveball." —Adib Khorram, award-winning author of Darius the Great Is Not Okay

"[Ellie and Jackson’s] sweet courtship leans into missteps and aching human moments in this empathetic romance that intricately depicts Deaf and disabled experiences." —Publishers Weekly

WOW🔥🔥🔥

This is one of the best books I have read/listened to in a while!
I even shed a few tears.

AMAZING REPRESENTATION

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

SPOILER ALERT ‼️

I ABSOLUTELY LOVED THIS BOOK SO MUCH!! Ellie is Deaf and her family is hearing. Ellie went to Deaf boarding school called Brandview, which got shut down and now she has to go to a mainstream school. She met Jackson who is hearing at her new school. Ellie and Jackson had a rough time communicating in the beginning but then Jackson learned ASL. Ellie and Jackson had many ups and downs but they were always together. Jackson does get diagnosed with MS and he has to learn how to live with that and how to mentally be prepare.


The narrators Jesse Inocalla and Elizabeth Robbins did absolutely amazing! I absolutely loved them and they really brought this book to life.


FAVORITE QUOTES:
“Despite what people may think, disability isn’t a bad thing; it’s not an offensive word or something that needs to be skirted around. It’s straight to the point..”


“Curses are a tricky thing. Like, I don’t want a cure for my deafness. I don’t want to live in a world where the desire is to eliminate all disabilities. But at the same time, I don’t want people to have to live with pain or symptoms that could be improved.”

“I think where pride comes in is that, through it all, you accept yourself as you are,…”

“My resolution for next year is to take life as it comes at me, no matter what that entails. To go beyond my comfort zone.”