by Nancy Werlin
First published 2007
Alison Shandling cannot escape Harry Roth. He shows up at school and synagogue, always ready with cruel remarks about her intelligence or her autistic twin brother. Alison does her best to stay away from him, but Harry seems determined to make her life miserable. Then everything shifts. A diving accident leaves Harry paralyzed and confined to a wheelchair. The boy who once seemed untouchable now faces his own struggles with vulnerability and dependence. Against all logic, Alison feels pulled toward this new version of Harry. She approaches him carefully at first, unsure what to expect. As they spend time together, both teens discover sides of each other they never knew existed. Their tentative conversations grow into genuine understanding. What begins as unexpected compassion develops into real friendship. Eventually, their connection deepens into something neither of them anticipated. Two young people who seemed destined to remain enemies find themselves drawn together by shared experiences of difference and difficulty.
Genres: friendship, coming-of-age, contemporary, disability
Vibes: emotional, intimate, thought-provoking
Tropes: enemies-to-lovers, found-family
204 pages · Paperback · Speak
Content warnings: ableism