Sick Kids In Love

Two chronically ill teens navigate the joys and pitfalls of a relationship in this YA contemporary romance. Of all the places where 16-year-old Isabel Garfinkel could meet a cute boy, the Ambulatory Medical Unit at Linefield and West Memorial Hospital in the Queens borough of New York City, wouldn't seem the most likely. It's her second time in the "drip room," as it's called, where she gets monthly infusions to treat the rheumatoid arthritis that she's had for 11 years. This time, though, she can't help staring at a new patient there--a boy her age named Sasha Sverdlov-Deckler. She likes his quirky, appealing looks and wry sense of humor, and they bond over the fact that they're both Jewish. Sasha has a rare genetic disorder called Gaucher disease, which isn't fatal, in his case, but causes severe anemia, weak bones, and other problems. Although Isabel has several close and well-meaning friends, she doesn't have anyone who really understands what it's like "to deal with the everyday slog of being sick." She and Sasha hit it off, but she's emotionally guarded and dislikes risks, and as a result, she doesn't date. Sasha is patient and sweet, and their romance grows--amid a few arguments and setbacks--they forge a bond that gets them through their problems. As the advice columnist for her high school paper, Isabel asks questions and gathers others' responses; by the end of the novel, she's comfortable with not having all the answers. Moskowitz (Salt, 2018, etc.) does a splendid job of showing what the world looks like to the chronically but invisibly ill. For example, Isabel is often tired and aching, and she fears the judgment of others; she notes that even her physician father would question her getting a cab to go 15 blocks, a walkable distance for many, including people who are old or pregnant: "And people with arthritis who are just better than me." Overall, the excellent character development lends depth and sweetness to the romance. Isabel's relationship with Sasha helps her fight self-doubt and stand up for herself with laudable vigor, yet the novel never feels didactic. A highly recommended work that's thoughtful, funny, wise, and tender.

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Starred review from October 28, 2019
The jacket art promises that “they don’t die in this one,” which is both a spoiler and a nod to popular YA books, notably The Fault in Our Stars. Sixteen-year-olds Isabel and Sasha meet in the hospital drip room: your basic meet-cute, except with discussions of whether their diseases are fatal. They aren’t: #OwnVoices author Moskowitz (Teeth) is interested in what it’s like to have a chronic illness that makes it hard to get to school every day, go out with friends, and show up for planned events. Isabel’s a worrier who tries to manage her frustrations (her mother’s absence, her father’s consistent downplaying of her illness) by not talking about them. Adorable and funny Sasha, whose family is open about his illness, convinces Isabel to break her no-dating rule. Following the teens through relationship issues and health challenges makes for touching reading. Most refreshing is Moskowitz’s ability to take up real issues connected to chronic illness without insisting that the kids who have them be either heroes or martyrs. Ages 14–up.

November 1, 2019

Gr 8 Up-Isabel, aka "Sick Girl" according to her weekly column in the school's newspaper, has one self-imposed rule-absolutely no dating. Life is just easier that way for her and everyone else. Isabel has rheumatoid arthritis, a chronic, invisible illness that she's been trying to manage for the past few years. Her friends often forget and have difficulty understanding her experiences because she struggles with opening up and depending on others, and her doctors don't always take her complaints seriously. Enter Sasha, who Isabel meets in the infusion room at the hospital. Sasha has Gaucher Disease-a genetic illness that affects his spleen and liver-and he understands her better than anyone else in her life. He does everything he can to woo her, convince her to break her own rule, and take a chance even if she doesn't know the outcome. Moskowitz's newest novel is a refreshing and poignant look at chronic illnesses that aren't often represented in young adult literature. The story offers a unique take on finding your person and contains an array of representation. VERDICT Recommend to fans of Rachael Lippincott's Five Feet Apart and Nicola Yoon's Everything, Everything. Readers may appreciate a book about illness that doesn't end with character death.-Alicia Kalan, The Northwest School, Seattle

Copyright 2019 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

Starred review from November 15, 2019
Grades 8-12 *Starred Review* Like all the women in her family, absent mother included, Isabel is cursed when it comes to men. And she's got rheumatoid arthritis. Between these things and the newspaper column she diligently writes, Isabel believes she's better off not dating. So, when she meets the adorable, dogged, and also chronically ill Sasha during a regular infusion treatment at the hospital, she's committed to staying just friends. But as they spend more time together, just friends makes less sense, and Isabel has to decide whether it's worth breaking her rules for Sasha. In a story about embracing your whole self and taking responsibility for your choices, Moskowitz (Salt, 2018) has produced a guaranteed love-match for fans of John Green's The Fault in Our Stars (2012) and Five Feet Apart (2019), by Rachael Lippincott, Mikki Daughtry, and Tobias Ianconis. Swoony with defined maturity, the narrative addresses the challenges of youthful romance with respect and understanding, folding in chronic illness with honesty and much-needed nuance. Thoughtful without being heavy-handed or improbable in its teen characterization, Sick Kids In Love has a cinematic feel reminiscent of mid-00s romantic comedies, without feeling dated. As aspects of modern culture blend with timeless themes, Moskowitz's latest boasts a staying power that should secure it a place in every teen collection.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2019, American Library Association.)