Deadline by Chris Crutcher

Crutcher, C. (2007). Deadline. New York: Greenwillow Books.

Ben starts his senior year with a devastating diagnosis of a blood disease. He forgoes treatment, keeps the diagnoses a secret, and lives his last year to the fullest. Ben decides to join the football team with his brother, Cody. Throughout the year, he has a contested relationship with his teacher, dates a volleyball player named Dallas, and begins an unlikely friendship with the town drunk, Rudy. Ben’s health quickly deteriorates, and realizes he has to tell everyone the truth of his diagnosis. During Ben’s dreams, an imaginary character named “Hey-Soos” brings insight to Ben and leads him into choosing his own path. After learning of Ben’s diagnoses, Ben’s family and Dallas are there for him. After Ben’s passing, Cody reads Ben’s speech at graduation about living everyday like it’s your last. Dallas and Cody both keep Ben’s memory alive in their hearts as they both attend Boise State. This realistic fiction book, by Chris Crutcher, is both emotional and heartwarming and will pull on the heart strings of the reader. The themes of loss of life and the blessing of loving family are evident in the book throughout Ben’s experiences and relationships. Readers can make connections to these positive and negative social issues since many students face them every day. Deadline would be beneficial in a writing class, where students who have to answer what they would do and how would they live their life if they were given a deadly diagnosis. Another book that can be followed up with by Chris Crutcher is Period 8.