John loves setting up domino runs in his bedroom. It's his favorite thing to do. He also likes hanging out with his friends. One day at school, his best friend, Dom, throws up in the middle of class. Unfortunately, it's not just a stomach bug. Dom has cancer. This throws John into a tailspin. He misses his friend and he's worried. What do you do when your best friend has a life-threatening disease?This is a great book that explores how it feels to have a friend in crisis. It's not a super depressing book at all, but very realistic. It's written in verse, so it is a very quick read. It deals very well with how it feels to be a friend of someone ill. This book is just an overall good book, but might help someone dealing with an illness of someone close to them.This is a book that would appeal to 4-6th graders. A well written children's book that portrays the story of a boy and his best mate, who has cancer. It's no easy feat to deal with heavy issues in a way that kids will identify and engage with, but I think this book managed to do just that. The metaphor of the dominoes 'toppling,' as the title suggests, was also poignantly used in this heart-warming story. Not too many books bring a tear to my eye, but this one certainly did!
What do You think about Toppling (2012)?
Quick book to read, deals with child cancer in a very sensitive manner, lovely story.
—thegirlwhowasonfire
The heart-warming story about a boy whose best friend has cancer
—loulou
It was interesting. At parts though, I felt really sad.
—abby
