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The One We Left Behind  By  cover art

The One We Left Behind

By: Sara Coven
Narrated by: Jake Spencer, Luke Azouri, Jill Koslen-Freireich, Andrew Gorell, Dahlia Fisher, Lexi Cowan
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Publisher's summary

The first day of junior high school is exciting, and a little scary. In The One We Left Behind, the day is ruined because of the weird, new kid in town. Due to food allergies, William and his family are forcing ridiculous food restrictions on the entire seventh grade. No more pizza. No more peanut butter. Not even a candy bar. It's completely unfair!

Evan, who already has enough to worry about - maintaining his "cool guy" status, his reputation as the best batter in his grade, and impressing the more intimidating students and teachers - is chosen first to sit alone in a room with this geek. What kind of kid can't sit in a school cafeteria? And why should it be Evan's problem?

William becomes the most taunted and teased boy at school. Yet in that first week, Evan realizes he doesn't actually hate being stuck with William. No kid has ever made Evan laugh so hard. William is also a whiz with baseball statistics, a fabulous prank puller, and a pretty good listener.

But when the week is over, will Evan risk everything to befriend the school loser? It's not his fault that William is so dorky, pale, and "different." Why should Evan help the "allergy kid" just because he was assigned to be his first "lunch buddy?" What is Evan supposed to do when the other kids pick on William, and the bullying starts to escalate?

The One We Left Behind explores unlikely friendships, the angst of growing up, and the desire to be accepted for who you are. It reminds listeners that decisions sometimes have consequences that can never be taken back.

©2022 Sara Coven (P)2023 Sara Coven

Critic reviews

"This story serves lighthearted and profound moments in equal measure all the way to the unforgettable ending." (Kirkus Reviews)

What listeners say about The One We Left Behind

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Great story and listen

I really enjoyed the story and performances. This is an important subject that isn’t commonly addressed in stories.

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An Important Read

I have food allergies. One of the worst parts is that other kids, even my friends, don't understand how hard and scary it is. This book does a great job of showing how difficult it can be. I hope everyone reads The One We Left Behind.

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An amazing listen

An incredibly written story and an even better listen. The actors did an amazing job portraying the characters in the book. This is a well written, heart wrenching and moving story that the actors were able to convey in this audio book.

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