On the Bright Side - by Anna Sortino

About the Book

When eighteen-year-old Ellie's Deaf boarding school shuts down, she attends a public high school where she struggles to adjust, but finds an ally in Jackson, a soccer player going through a disability diagnosis of his own.

Book Synopsis

A hopeful novel about love, disability, and the inevitability of change by the author of Give Me a Sign.

"Poignant, romantic, and deeply heartfelt." --Amber Smith, New York Times bestselling author of The Way I Used to Be

Ellie's Deaf boarding school just shut down, forcing her to leave the place she considered home and return to her hearing family. But being mainstreamed into public school isn't exactly easy. So her guidance counselor pairs her with Jackson, a student who's supposed to help her adjust. Can the boy who tries to say the right things, and gets it all wrong, be the lifeline Ellie needs?

Jackson has been avoiding his teammates ever since some numbness in his legs cost them an important soccer match. With his senior year off to a lonely start, he's intrigued when he's asked to help the new girl, initially thinking it will be a commendable move on his part. Little does he know Ellie will soon be the person he wants most by his side when the strange symptoms he's experiencing amount to a life-changing diagnosis.

Exploring what it means to build community, Anna Sortino pens a story about the fear of the unknown and the beauty of the unexpected, all wrapped up in a poignant romance that will break your heart and put it back together again.

"Tender, honest, and utterly human." --Adib Khorram, award-winning author of Darius the Great Is Not Okay

Review Quotes

Praise for On the Bright Side
A Schneider Family Book Award honor book
A Best Book of the Year for Kirkus Reviews and School Library Journal
A NYPL Best Book of the Year
A Children's Book Council Favorites Award selection

★ "A sweet, well-written romance with just a touch of drama for excitement. The book never feels preachy or lags narratively in the interest of didacticism, yet it also tells a meaningful story about ableism, audism, and self-determination....A skillfully executed, nuanced, and engaging book." --Kirkus Reviews, starred review

★ "A brilliantly honest romance...that strikes the perfect balance of hope and resilience while challenging readers to consider a world outside of their own." --School Library Journal, starred review

★ "In a story that could have easily become didactic, Sortino instead brings depth and care to discussions around disability pride, the difficulty of a disability that is constantly in flux when others think you 'look' healthy, and the desire for a cure for painful and progressive illnesses." --The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books, starred review

"On the Bright Side is a poignant, romantic, and deeply heartfelt story of resilience in the face of life's most challenging and unpredictable circumstances--and how love can be the thing that sees us through. You will be thinking about Ellie and Jackson long after you've turned the last page."
--Amber Smith, New York Times bestselling author of The Way I Used to Be and The Way I Am Now

"Tender, honest, and utterly human, On the Bright Side is a sparkling story that reminds us to live life on our own terms, even when it throws us a curveball." --Adib Khorram, award-winning author of Darius the Great Is Not Okay

"[Ellie and Jackson's] sweet courtship leans into missteps and aching human moments in this empathetic romance that intricately depicts Deaf and disabled experiences." --Publishers Weekly

About the Author

Anna Sortino is the author of Give Me a Sign, On the Bright Side, and other stories about disabled characters living their lives and falling in love. She's Deaf and passionate about diverse representation in media. Born and raised in the Chicagoland area, Anna has since lived in different cities from coast to coast, spending her free time exploring nature with her dog or reading on the couch with her cat.