A raw, honest, pure and innocent picture book narrated and illustrated by the author, "A Story About Cancer with a Happy Ending" is a feel-good book about the author's journey with cancer. She was 10 when diagnosed with leukemia, and the author has been in remission since she turned 15.

More than two decades later, the author lives a full, happy life with a successful career (not in the book but I goggled her.) While not every cancer patient has a happy ending, but this book gives hope to someone who is battling with the sickness. Her pure voice brings joy, compassion and hope to those who are affected by cancer. The illustrations are done superbly by conveying the worries, despair, frustration and later relief to the readers effectively. A warm fuzzy book with a happy ending, who possibly could resist a book with positive vibe? I highly recommend!

Calling this a story might be a bit of a stretch. I'd call it more of a reflection. It's considering the full affect cancer has on a life. A picture book but aimed more at teens.

Before I give it a go give with my mini-review for this illustrated children's book about cancer, I want to say thank you to NetGalley for approving my request to read this book via digital copy sent to my email.

This is an illustrated book that narrates the story of a cancer patient who, for fifteen years, have been battling the toughest battles anyone can ever imagine - a battle for life. The illustrations were astonishing and the story screams positivity and just like what the title implies, this one has a happy ending.

In the end, this book is strongly recommended for people who knows someone who also trudges the same way as the main character in the story did for this book sparks joy and positivity amid the reality of pain and pessimism.

A graphic 'novel' about cancer treatments for YA readers

Dark, subdued colors and distorted bodies reflect the trauma of a teen with cancer. The long 'snaky' arms freak me out a bit, as did the dots (hairiness - of some arms.)

Text was concise and Honest. Real fears and emotions are represented here. Waiting - and treatment rooms and waiting and more waiting - the shadowed family by the window screamed with a word.

I think teens, their friends and families facing cancer and the waiting game would relate to the book and possibly share some new feelings.

Okay, okay... I get it... This was probably not a book that would have got my attention, nor is it a book I probably should have picked up, but when I saw it on Netgalley, I just had to give it a chance.
You know when you see people talk about how the book represented them in a way they'd never seen before, this is essentially the same kind of thing for me. I'm not black, Asian, Lithuanian, Latino, etc... I'm not gay/bi/queer/transgender or any other thing you can think of, so even though I read books about those characters, I don't feel represented and I can't relate to them, because I haven't lived life through their eyes. But this, this gave me a taste of that.



If I asked anyone if they could recommend me a book that involves cancer, most would point me in the direction of The Fault in Our Stars or My Sisters Keeper. And yes, I guess for those unaffected by it, it provides some form of insight into a horrible disease. But when I think of those books now, I don't see something that represents me. I'm not living a whirlwind romance that was brought about when I met a fellow cancer patient. My brother didn't have to sacrifice himself for me because I'd die without the help he'd provide. They just don't feel real anymore.

This book? It felt more real in it's 48 pages than anything else I've seen/read on the topic for a very long time.
We see things from the patients perspective, and experience the thoughts and feelings she does in such a little amount of words. And believe me, the thoughts are incredibly close to the ones you have in real life.
We see the story unravel in both words and pictures, and the illustrations are beautiful and captivating. The style may not be for everyone, but it added to the story in a unique way, and fit the theme extremely well.
I definitely enjoyed the 'plot', and I really liked that we knew the ending before heading into it otherwise I may never have picked it up. The only problem I had was that it was way too short for my liking. I understand why, and for a quick, meaningful read, this certainly suffices, but for such a 'taboo' subject I feel like we need to see more of this in YA and even Middle Grade literature.
If you want a story that ends well, is beautiful, and means something, I highly recommend this one. I just wish we had more.

As much as we have to face life and its ~real realities, I love that the title spoils readers about the story’s Happy Ending. With everything that’s going on in the world, we need all the happiness we can get, right?

But (by India Desjardins, illustrated by Marianne Ferrer and translated into English from French by Solange Ouellet; first published in 2012) isn’t a happy book for most part. It follows a 15-year-old girl diagnosed with cancer, and how it has affected her and everybody and everything else.

It’s heart-pinching—and a kind of scary read—because I don’t think anybody wants to live through (or relive) this kind of painful and emotionally charged situation, BUT the story actually nails it on reminding you to ponder on what it means to hold on in spite of.

My favorite part, of course, is the love that centers this story. Unconditional love from family, friendship and teen romance with Victooor 🎵

The ‘dreariness’ of the art is, in my opinion, also perfection. The colors capture the tone, and the minimalist take allows the text to shine.

A sweet, quick illustrated YA read, A Story About Cancer With a Happy Ending by India Desjardins and illustrated by Marianne Ferrer is about enduring, hoping and accepting. Highly recommended!

Thank you to Netgalley for providing me with an ARC of A Story About Cancer With a Happy Ending by India Desjardins. I've read and reviewed this copy. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

This is a story about cancer with a happy ending and it'll hit you in the guts. So real and moving. It really gives a painful but also beautiful insight to someone dealing with cancer. Stories like this are so very important. Just to give a thoughtful perspective and an understanding (especially to a younger audience) about having cancer and one's possible feelings and emotions concerning and dealing with this illness.

The artwork is beautifully done and compliments the story in a great way. This is a must read!

Adorable, enjoyable and beautifully illustrated.
I had a really good time reading this. It was quick to get through and was a good representation of this girls battle with cancer.

This was a wonderfully well-illustrated (by Ferrer) and written (by Desjardins) short story about a fifteen-year-old girl who is diagnosed with leukemia. I was unable to discover if this is a true story or not, but in a more meta sense, it must be, because there are remarkable recovery stories, and this was one of them.

The story begins with the girl heading into the hospital with her parents to learn the verdict on her latest round of tests, and she is preparing herself to be told when she will die. As she walks the uninviting hallways of the building, she recalls episodes from her life that have taken place since she was first diagnosed.

She remembers her best friend, and her boyfriend, and her parents behavior and reactions. And of course, there's a happy ending! I thought it was beautifully done and gorgeously illustrated, and I commend it as a great story (even if not strictly true). It's honest and positive, and perhaps would make a sweet gift to a young someone who is going through a similar experience.

This story was so cute and it really did end with a happy ending! I'm also pretty curious to see what happens with the main character and Victor after the end of the story. Even thought there isn't a whole lot to this story, the simplicity of it really makes you want to know more.
I also have to say, the illustrations are absolutely stunning!

Such a cute illustrated book! Despite the happy ending the story was heart aching. It's amazing how this book can make you feel even with just a few simple lines. Really happy that I got the chance to read it.

This is an amazing, beautifully written book. It is touching without being too depressing. There is a lot of wisdom and clear images of what someone experiences with cancer. This book is a perfect way to explain and share with a young person what someone with cancer might feel.

The illustrations are perfection. They are so expressive and the simple use of color truly captures the tone of the words on each page.

The only negative I found was that the ending is so quickly handled.

Because of the nature of the book, I'd highly recommend finishing it in one sitting. Especially when reading it with a young child.

I received a copy from the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I absolutely loved the artwork. It was simple but there was more to it than just drawing what was there. I felt the art and the story flowed together really well. Even though the happy ending is in the title, the reader is still taken on the excruciating journey of experiencing chronic illness and mortality. It was genuine and I think that this book would be perfect to reassure young adults (or anyone) going through the same thing.

This was a beautiful story about someone going through cancer.
The feelings they have during treatments, and how people react when they see someone has cancer.
I thought the illustrations fit perfectly with the story.
I loved the tones from the colours as they go from dark to light.
All in all it was a good read

A sad but also happy story about a teen girl with cancer. This would be good for someone who is struggling in the same situation or who has a loved one in the same situation.

I received from NetGallery in exchange for an honest review

When I request it I have not idea that this was such a short book, in this digital edition it has no more than 50 pages, but despite of this, in each of them the autor presents us a moving story that isn't only touching, almost a pleasure to read.

In this short story, we go to the hand of a 15-year-old girl, diagnosed with leukemia, while she and her parents go to an important consultation: it will be the day they say if she will live or their hopes are over. The thing with this is than even if it does not go deep, the words are the indicated to show a bit of the reality that so many people live in the world, suffering from this type of diseases, and everything that is on the way, especially from the perspective of someone young.

The illustrations are the highlights in the book, they are delicate and truly taken care of in the details, I am really delighted with the work of Marianne Ferrer, especially when I found out with greater enthusiasm that the illustrator is a Venezuelan than has grown up in Canada, I can assure you that the pride did not wait. I love who the colors of the images change as the story is going to the end and the pallete of this ones just start to be more bright, I'm completly delighted with the watercolor effect, please all the drawing in this book, deserves all.

I highly recommend it, it has really left me pleased, and in love with the "happy ending".

Review to be posted at all sources mentioned on my profile on 29th of January.

I received this book from Netgalley in exchange of an honest review.

Wow, I am so happy I have a chance to read this book. I just had to read this book, for personal reasons. I was steeling myself for the inevitable tears that would be falling from my eyes, whether it gets a happy ending or a sad ending both will make me cry. One because they survived, the other because they didn't. A life lost due to cancer. :(

I agree fully with her on hospitals and their colour schemes. Indeed, they are done to make people calm, but if I am sick at a hospital I would rather see happy colours. Colours that warm me. Colours that make me smile and maybe forget being sick for just a tiny bit of time.

We see how our MC was diagnosed for leukemia after being very tired and having headaches. We see her stuck to machines as she is being tested.

We read about how she felt throughout treatment, how people looked at her with sad eyes, how they tried to encourage her and tell her happy words, while all she wanted was to be treated normally. Yes, she is sick but she is still herself. It was quite nice how they illustrated this scene. You saw dark text bubbles coming out of people, and scribblies land on our MC's body. I do wonder why she thought that people would be disappointed in her if she didn't get better. Why do you think that? That is not how that works. Sorry. At least not for me, so I was kind of shocked that she thought that. :(

We read about the parents, how her mom tried to make her room so much more homely, how her dad tried to ward away the sadness by bad humour (and loved how she eventually understood her dad's bad humour was just a way to protect himself).

Wow, she didn't even recognise that she was in love with Victor, instead thinking she was just getting new symptoms. Oh my goodness. Well, that is a nice surprise for her. No you are not getting new symptoms, congrats this is your first love (at least I am guessing it is as otherwise she would have recognised the symptoms). I loved reading on how Victor and see got closer and closer, and then had a laugh that when he visited her in the hospital he saw her bum through the nightgown and is now bragging about it. :P

I did think the story was a bit all over the place. I am sure people will be angry I said this, but we jump so much around. Like how we went from hey meet Maxine to Maxine is dead to Maxine is still alive to oh now we are burying her and back to finding out what is going on with our MC (will she get better or not). Same goes for Victor, he was suddenly introduced and then we head over to other things and then back to Victor. At times it really threw me out of the story, and that is a shame.

The waiting, oh boy, I was almost chewing my nails, would she get good news or not? And then they are called and my nerves intensified. And yes, I cried at the moment she walked to the door with her parents, her family, Victor, Maxine behind her. How she said she would miss all those things and ended on Victor. :( Oh, man I was for sure she was sick due to how everything was said, but then that ending came, and yes, I was fully crying. OMG, congrats! That is fantastic news.

The art was really pretty, and I love the style, it captures everything, the emotions, perfectly.

All in all, even with the story kind of jumbled, I still loved reading it, and as I predicted, it made me cry. I would recommend this one.

Although this is incredibly short, it packs a punch. Got a lot of feelings right now and I’m gonna try my best to make sense of them.

Synopsis: A teenage girl who was diagnosed with cancer is about to find out if she has been cured. Along the way, we find out how it is to live with cancer and how it is to love with cancer.

I’m gonna start off by saying that the art style is absolutely incredible. It’s immersive and beautiful in a way that words can’t even begin to [Mild spoiler alert] The end where she sheds off her gray clothes? Iconic.

This is a very short book. This is important because it makes you have a certain kind of expectation. Go into it like that. It makes it so much better. I thought this was gonna be a cute lil’ love story with a guaranteed happy end. It was so much more than that. For one, even though the happy end is literally in the title, I found myself doubting, found myself hoping and wishing for a happy end.

And as for the cute lil’ love story aspect? That’s definitely there but it’s not really the focus. So don’t worry, you can still enjoy this book if you don’t care about love stories.

A Story About Cancer With a Happy Ending is so much darker than I’d expected. That isn’t to say it’s not a hopeful book, if anything even more so. I don’t have cancer. But I could still relate to the emotions the main character was feeling. And for me, that’s what really makes a great book. The ability to make a situation interesting and relatable by focusing on the aspect of human emotion.

I would highly recommend this book to anyone, no matter your usual preferred genre. And even if you only do it for the art, do yourself a favor and read this book.

I was a bit dubious about reading this so soon as I lost my Nan to cancer in September. However, this was so beautiful! I haven't read, in fact I don't think I've ever seen a book quite like this. It's definitely something that should be talked about more. It created a lot of emotions while reading it as it brought back a lot of memories, but I still thoroughly enjoyed it! And reading the last page... wow. Goosebumps all over and a big smile on my face! It's a feelgood story (although, of course, along the way, there is a great deal of sadness to be felt). The author provided a true and honest story of how someone going through this would feel (I imagine). The artwork was absolutely stunning!

Cute little quick read to tell the story of a cancer patient who has a happy ending.
This would be a good book for young cancer patients to show that there can be light at the end of the tunnel.