Seventeen year old Hazel Grace, a thyroid cancer patient meets teenage Augustus and a cancer support group. At this time Grace's cancer has spread to her lungs and Augustus is thought to be cancer free after a leg amputation. They begin a romantic relationship, and Augustus arranges a trip to Amsterdam for Grace to meet the author of her favorite book which relates to her experience about cancer. After many conflicts, they travel to Amsterdam and disappointingly discover a drunken man instead of a brilliant author. Upon their return home, Hazel discovers Augustus's cancer has returned and spread everywhere. His last days they became very close and he dies after requesting that Hazel write his eulogy. This is a great book for grades 9-12. Although romance novels are not my favorite, I found this novel with its romance blended with the powerful themes of surviving and coping with life threatening illnesses to be captivating. This novel is great to assist teenagers in their emotional development. As stated in Making the Match, (Lesesne 2003) books can serve as portals to help students see others struggling with similar emotions such as a loved one experiencing terminal cancer, or the simple romantic feelings the couple shared.
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