WINK BY ROB HARRELL
Paperback published by Hot Keys Books 5th March 2020
ISBN 9781471409141
Ross just wants to be normal.
But when his recent diagnosis of a rare eye cancer, blending in is no longer an option.
Filled with humour, heart and batpig, this is a story about surviving one wink at a time.
MY REVIEW
The author Rob Harrell, in October 2005 was very sadly diagnosed with a cancer above his right eye. Brave Rob took his eye cancer ordeal and made It into a page turning fiction book, for young people to read and adults. Much of the character Ross cancer treatments are based on Rob’s experience with cancer.
In Wink a character Ross suffers from eye cancer. The story is very educational as it takes readers through the steps of radioactive, where Ross has to wear a mesh mask with an eye hole and has to keep his eye on a Red Cross. I loved the little illustrations showing what the mesh mask looked like and the red cross.
Children can be quite inquisitive. We are taken through the question what school friends ask Ross and the ones that really care about Ross.
Wink is quite a heartbreaking read as Ross suffers from a puffy eye and surgery with a slot scar and hair loss. Just like the author went through, with his eye cancer.
By Doctors orders hats are an important part of life for Ross to keep the sun off his face which he has to wear inside and outside. Once again this fact why Ross had to wear hats became educational. The drawings of all types of hats were amazing.
I highly recommend Wink as it’s a page turner fiction novel being, very educational. Everyone is talking about Wink. This book is aimed 10 to 14 years old, but its the perfect type of book you can sit and read what ever your age.
This is a perfect choice for schools to stock this and for book club to talk about.
If there is a caregiver in your life, drop everything and go give them a huge bear hug. Seriously. Go do it now before you forget.
MY THANKS TO
I would like to say a huge thank you to Hot Keys Books for sending me a uncorrected proof copy of WINK to read and review.
ABOUT AUTHOR ROB HARRELL
Rob Harrell is a syndicated cartoonist and his illustration clients include Mad Magazine, Time Inc and Volkswagen. He lives in Austin Texas, with his wife and dogs.
In October 2005 Ross was diagnosed with a cancer right above his right eye, in the gland that provides tears. It was rare, aggressive and nearly unpronounceable a muscoepidermoid carcinoma of the lacrimal gland. A good deal of what happens to Ross in WINK came from his own experience. The biopsies, the surgeries, the initial plan to take Rob’s eye and blind him. The last minute reprieve by way of proton radiation. The hat . Fortunately he was 37, old enough that he could handle it. Kind of. He was living in Austin at the time, so goofy straw Cowboy hat didn’t stick out that much. And he had his wife, Amber to help him through it. But it was an incredible hard time.
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