Sortino, Anna. On the Bright Side. G.P. Putnum’s Sons, 2024. 978-0-593-69786-3. 320 p. $19.99. 7-10.

When her deaf boarding school abruptly closes, Ellie is forced back to a place that does not feel like home and is not supportive of her needs. Her parents and her new high school peers do not understand what it means to navigate the world with a disability. But then Jackson, a star soccer player dealing with his own new feelings of isolation, enters her world. When he is faced with a life altering diagnosis, he and Ellie have to reckon with what it means to be vulnerable and communicative, even when that’s difficult for both physical and emotional reasons.

THOUGHTS: This is a sweetly told romance that also just happens to illustrate the challenges and joys of life with a disability. A teeny tiny bit didactic, this will resonate more for younger YA readers. But overall this story about inclusivity and disability rights is very, very welcome.

Romance