Deadline

Crutcher, C. (2007). Deadline. New York, NY: Greenwillow Books.

Ben is beginning his senior year of high school with a huge secret he keeps from his family and friends.  Ben has cancer and decides he is going to do and learn as much as possible his last year of life, including going out for football and asking out his crush, Dallas Suzuki.  He also decides to forgo treatment because he doesn't want to be sick his last days on Earth. But Ben also has another problem. His mother has manic depression and often locks herself in her room for days.  As time passes, Ben seems to be handling his secret illness and becomes the star of the football team.  He also begins talking to Jesus to figure out the problems in his life and those around him.   Ben also befriends the town drunk, Rudy, who discusses Malcolm X with him, and also reveals his own secret, that he's a child molester.  There are so many conflicting feelings Ben has throughout the book.  He feels guilty for not telling his brother and best friend Cody about his illness.   Dallas Suzuki and him begin dating, and he begins to have deep feelings for her.  He finally tells Dallas about his illness, and she is hurt and betrayed he did not tell her earlier.  Then Rudy commits suicide, and Ben continues to struggle with his feelings of guilt and confusion.  As his illness progresses, he finally tells his brother and parents about his illness.   After he tells his parents, he feels free from the secret he's been hiding for the last few months.  At the end of the book, Ben dies, but his brother Cody reads a letter at graduation Ben has written to them.  Throughout this experiment and year long journey, Ben learns that life is a gift to live to the fullest, to love and be truthful, and most of all, to live life like it's your last day on Earth.

This book deals with the subject of cancer and death in teens.  Another book that is along that subject is The Fault in Our Stars by John Green.  Both of the main characters deal with many of the same problems: cancer, young love, and losing people around you that you love.   

Connections for young adults: This book is written from a young man's point of view.  It discusses cancer, dying, first sexual encounters, and friendship.  It also can be used to discuss the moral issue of keeping secrets from loved ones, and is it o.k. to keep secrets from parents.