First published 2009
Elena Desserich is six years old when doctors diagnose her with a rare brain cancer. Despite her illness, she continues teaching her family to find joy in ordinary moments. Her parents Brooke and Keith document their family's journey through candid journal entries, originally written as memories for Elena's younger sister. As Elena's condition worsens, she secretly writes notes and hides them throughout their house. She wants her parents to discover these messages after she dies. The notes reveal a child's wisdom about love and hope during the most difficult circumstances. Her words show how a young girl faced her own mortality while thinking of others. Through Elena's hidden messages and her parents' raw journal entries, the family's story becomes a testament to finding light in darkness. Elena's notes continue to offer comfort and guidance long after she is gone, proving that love transcends even death.
Genres: family-life, grief, biography-memoir, inspirational
Vibes: emotional-atmospheric, intimate, thought-provoking
Tropes: found-family, grief
272 pages · Hardcover · William Morrow
Content warnings: terminal-illness