All the Ways the World Can End

Gr 9 Up—In this refreshingly light treatment of a dark subject, an eccentric narrator guides readers through the unthinkable: the imminent death of a parent. Eleanor Rosenthal-Hermann (aka Lenny) is a savvy Manhattan teenager who tends to overthink the serious and the absurd situations in her life. Lately, she is obsessed with mortality—on a personal and intellectual level—as her dad battles cancer. Her undependable mother is busy with her demanding career, so Lenny oversees her father's health care. She has her best friend Julian for support but only for the moment, as he may be moving across the country. Lenny is desperate to maintain her sanity while handling her father's illness, performing in the school's unorthodox theatrical tribute to Georgia O'Keeffe, and controlling the unexpected romantic feelings she has developed for the resident oncologist she meets at the hospital. Sher's worst-case-scenario glimpse into Lenny's mind and heart is tender, quirky, and believable. Some of the minor characters seem exaggerated, which makes the protagonist seem even more endearing by contrast. Chapter breaks on black pages include Lenny's academic yet tongue-in-cheek descriptions of the variety of ways the human race can be obliterated. The author humorously depicts the delicate, awkward interactions surrounding terminal illness and all of those affected by it.