The Death and Life of Benny Brooks

A BCCB Blue Ribbon Best Book of the Year

★ "Captivating…. Long's heartening memoir portrays a boy facing challenging situations with hard-won hope and increasing maturity." —Booklist, starred review

★ "A tender, vulnerable portrayal of one kid’s attempt to shore up his strengths to piece together the shards of a deeply shattered heart.... Readers will appreciate Long’s honest exploration of a troubled family that is bound both by love and tragedy." —The Bulletin, starred review​

An award-winning children’s book creator grapples with the darker undercurrents of his childhood in this poignant and honest illustrated memoir, for readers of Free Lunch and The List of Things That Will Not Change.

Benny's life is slowly unraveling. His parents are newly divorced, his mom chooses to move away, and Benny and his brother and sister are left with their chain-smoking dad, who has just been diagnosed with lung cancer. Benny is lonely, anxious, and very angry. He can't sleep at night and spends his days trying to survive fifth grade. 

Writing from a personal place, award-winning creator Ethan Long sheds light on the challenges of growing up amidst family turmoil in this thought-provoking, bighearted story that brims with hope.