JUST DON'T FALL

In this adaptation of a memoir for adults, comedian and Paralympic skier Sundquist recounts how he learned to persevere after losing his leg to cancer.

Nine-year-old Josh is dismayed when Dad announces the whole family will be relocating from Virginia to Florida so Dad can attend seminary. But everything changes—including the move—when Josh is diagnosed with Ewing’s sarcoma, necessitating the amputation of his leg. An avid soccer player, Josh must now relearn to walk with crutches and a prosthesis. He wonders how he can play sports again; he keeps falling, even when he discovers a knack for skiing. But as he grows, he realizes that the most important thing is getting right back up. At 16, he sets his sights on making the 2006 Paralympic ski team, putting his determination to the test. Though his stream-of-consciousness narration is occasionally difficult to follow, pitch-perfect kid logic renders his discussions of such tough topics as hospitalization, chemotherapy, and death alternately humorous, poignant, and insightful. While Josh candidly expresses anger and frustration, his overall pragmatism is reassuring, especially for kids navigating similar circumstances. His Christianity also comforts him. His family’s support grounds the story as, in heartbreaking and heartwarming scenes, Josh details the impact of his cancer on his parents and younger brothers. However, he emphasizes, life goes on—a sentiment illustrated particularly vividly by his hilariously awkward transition from home schooling to public high school.

Witty, encouraging, and perceptive.