Why Me? The Courage to Live

Why Me? #1

by Deborah Kent

A Stolen Life One minute Chloe Peterson was a happy, busy teen, going to school, working at a vet's office, and trying out for The Sound of Music. Then her world fell apart. It began with headaches, fever, and aching stiffness that left her weak and dizzy. Then Dad was laid off from his job. And Mom began working overtime, so they rarely saw her anymore. The doctor said Chloe's problem was stress. But the vitamins he recommended didn't work. There was never a right time to approach Mom or Dad...until she collapsed. Todd Bowers, the cute guy she met at the vet's, had seen it coming. He tried to help. She almost let herself believe they could be a couple. But when Chloe landed in the hospital, everything changed. Suddenly she was fighting for her life -- against the greatest enemy of all: herself. Who could help her now? Was Todd's feeling for her real -- or pity? Could she dare take the ultimate risk and believe that he really cares?

Genres: Young Adult

208 pages, Mass Market Paperback

Published January 30, 2001

About the author

Deborah Kent was born in Glen Ridge, New Jersey, and grew up in nearby Little Falls. She graduated from Oberlin College and received a master's degree from Smith College School for Social Work. For four years, she was a social worker at University Settlement House on New York's Lower East Side. In 1975, Ms. Kent moved to San Miguel de Allende, Mexico, where she wrote her first young-adult novel, Belonging. In San Miguel, Ms. Kent helped to found the Centro de Crecimiento, a school for children with disabilities. Ms. Kent is the author of numerous young-adult novels and nonfiction titles for children. She lives in Chicago with her husband, children's author R. Conrad Stein, and their daughter, Janna.

Reviews

[Sydney Haubold]

In the Why Me? Courage To Live book by Deborah Kent she writes about a girl named Chloe who has weird, funky feelings and ends up getting a autoimmune disease. Chloe is a brave, busy, excited, going to school, working at a vets office and trying out for the school musical teen. Then her world fell apart when she received some bad news from her doctor. It began with fevers, headaches, and aching stiffness that all lead to her feeling dizzy, and weak. "My brain fogged over what could be worse than this- my aching stiffness, my pounding head, my longing to lie down and shut everyone out." (Kent, 15). When Chloe ends up with Lupus she lands in the hospital fighting for her life. "The tests reveal that your daughter has systematic lupus erythematosus." (Kent, 99). The author does a very appealing job explaining what Lupus is. "Lupus is what we call an autoimmune disorder. It sees the body's tissue and thinks it's an enemy invader. We say "systematic" because lupus can attack any organ, any system of the body." (Kent, 100). At this point Chloe had no idea what to do. "I felt oddly conspicuous as I pushed through the heavy front door and walked into school the next morning." (Kent, 124). At this moment it took bravery to go back to school after finding you have Lupus and it will stick to you for the rest of your life. "How could I ever fit in again?" (Kent, 124). Your heart breaks in this point of the book, just because Chloe has Lupus she thinks she will never be able to fit in with the other kids at school ever again, but when she gets courageous it warms your heart. "I don't want to die," I said simply. "I want to live." (Kent, 190). She gets more brave towards the end of the book. "Then I walked back to the elevator and pressed the "down" button. It was time for me to go home." (Kent, 191).
I recommend this book because it courageous, inspirational, a good giving speech, interesting to see what will happen next, and warms your heart. This book is fiction, but it leaves you on the edge of your seat wanting to know what happens next. If anyone wants inspiration, or a well thoughted out book I would choose Why Me? The Courage To Live. It gives you a passion to keep going for what your getting to in life. This book is very warm hearted, involves bravery, intensity, and daring. Chloe wants to give up, but then she finds that nerve to stay strong and fight back.

[Ulysses · Rating 5 out of 5]

Along with the other Why Me books, I was introduced to unusual diseases I never heard before. In this novel, it was evident that romance and young adult complications were present. This was my second young adult novel that I've read, and as such, I was still trying to figure it all out. Reading books like these have given me lots of insight.

[April · Rating 3 out of 5]

I thought that it was really good. I'm going to read it again after i finish a couple more book.

[Valene · Rating 5 out of 5]

A book that welcomes every reader into different angles of life. I learned a lot that somehow invites me to create a turning point in life. *Thumbs up*

[Maryam · Rating 2 out of 5]

The writing is iffy, the plot is rushed and unengaging, the message is shallow—feels more like I’m reading the comic they gave her than a proper, emotional novel.

[Leslie]

Inoffensive tale about the angst of a teen who has lupus. Frankly, I'd out-angst this protagonist if I had a hangnail. And the romance? Bah. My diagnosis? Yawn, yawn and more yawn.

[Hpitcher]

good, a lot like a lurlene mcdaniel book . the same idea anyways.

[Danielle · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very good book about a little known medical disease and the moral dilemmas that come with it.