Published by Quill Tree Books

Summary:  Will is passionate about his soccer team and enjoys an easy camaraderie with his teammates, despite his somewhat introverted nature.  Stomach issues and fatigue lead to a diagnosis of Crohn’s disease and being sidelined from soccer.  With more free time, Will starts hanging out with Griffin, a boy who’s been picked on by Will’s other friends for asking one of the boys, Will’s best friend Henry, to the school dance.  As he comes to terms with his chronic disease, the ways it impacts his life, and questions about his own sexuality, Will learns to ask for help when he needs it and to speak up when he sees injustice or bullying.  304 pages; grades 4-7.

Pros:  This is one of the best middle grade books I’ve read this year.  It’s based on the author’s own experiences with Crohn’s and questioning his sexuality, and Will’s voice is pitch perfect.  I’m happy to see so many boy protagonists in the middle-grade world this year.

Cons:  Getting Crohn’s disease in middle school seems like the worst.