On the Bright Side

Gr 8 Up–Sortino’s sophomore novel is a brilliantly honest romance with two teens learning how to handle surprising life changes. With budget cuts closing Ellie’s school for the Deaf, she is forced to enroll in her hometown’s public high school for senior year. Being the only Deaf student creates new struggles, the least of which is dealing with her school guide Jackson. Jackson is the all-around nice guy student athlete; however, he’s recently been thrown off-balance by unexplained health issues, and showing Ellie around school is an unanticipated addition to his daily schedule. Feeling a little lost and disconnected, Ellie and Jackson find understanding and community as connecting with each other leads to some very important discoveries. Sortino, who is Deaf and also lives with multiple sclerosis, positively translates Ellie and Jackson’s individual struggles and triumphs with each of their disabilities (Jackson is diagnosed with MS during the story). The candid internal struggles enrich the characters’ growth as readers see differing experiences within the vast disability community. The sweet romance between Ellie and Jackson is built on trust and healthy communication as their interactions open up a dialogue for readers who have been pushed aside or ignored in our often ableist society. Ellie and Jackson are cued white.