The Death and Life of Benny Brooks - by Ethan Long

About the Book

Fifth grader Benny wants to focus on not flunking out of fifth grade, but he must also cope with his complicated home life with newly divorced parents, a mother who moves away, and a father with terminal lung cancer.

Book Synopsis

A BCCB Blue Ribbon Best Book of the Year - A Children's Book Council 6th to 8th Grade Favorites Award List Pick

An award-winning children's book creator grapples with the challenges of his childhood in this poignant and honest illustrated memoir, for fans of Good Different and Mexikid.

Benny Brooks has a lot on his mind: his older brother won't stop picking on him, his crush has no idea he exists, and he's struggling in every class except art. If that weren't enough, his parents got divorced over the summer. Benny just wants to survive the fifth grade--and maybe learn how to ride his best friend Theo's hot rod bike.

​Featuring Benny's comic illustrations on every page, this bighearted story sheds light on the transformative nature of growing up--especially when there's family, friendship, and art to guide you.

*Two Starred Reviews*

★ "Captivating.... Long's heartening memoir portrays a boy facing challenging situations with hard-won hope and increasing maturity." --Booklist, starred review

★ "A tender, vulnerable portrayal of one kid's attempt to shore up his strengths to piece together the shards of a deeply shattered heart.... Readers will appreciate Long's honest exploration of a troubled family that is bound both by love and tragedy." --The Bulletin, starred review​

Review Quotes

Praise for The Death and Life of Benny Brooks:
A BCCB Blue Ribbon Best Book of the Year
A Children's Book Council 6th to 8th Grade Favorites Award List Pick

* "Long is known for his wit, and it emerges in this captivating story as well, particularly in his expressive grayscale drawings, which appear throughout the book. The cartoonlike illustrations keep the tone from becoming unbearably dark, even when the topic is death.... Long's heartening memoir portrays a boy facing challenging situations with hard-won hope and increasing maturity."--Booklist, starred review

* "A tender, vulnerable portrayal of one kid's attempt to shore up his strengths to piece together the shards of a deeply shattered heart. His voice rings absolutely true, especially when he realizes that other people are in fact struggling with these lousy circumstances and that his siblings and parents are coping in different, and often toxic, ways. Readers will appreciate Long's honest exploration of a troubled family that is bound both by love and tragedy."--The Bulletin, starred review

"A fictionalized coming-of-age story [set] ... during the 1970s. Benny's parents are going through a divorce, and his father is dying of lung cancer.... The book's tactful handling of mental health and therapy is balanced, respectful, and representative of the actual process. Recommended purchase for libraries seeking nuanced depictions of divorce, death in the family, and trauma."

--School Library Journal

"A terrific read that tackles real-world kid issues with honesty, humor, and heart."--Tom Watson, bestselling creator of the Stick Dog books

"Ethan Long pulls from events in his childhood to deliver an ardent illustrated novel.... Dynamic, youthful-feeling pencil drawings by the protagonist permeate this slice-of-life narrative, allowing readers glimpses into how Benny views his circumstances. The characters' challenges are realistically handled, and painful moments are balanced with levying humor."--Publishers Weekly

"Ethan Long's The Death and Life of Benny Brooks examines some difficult real-life situations and ventures into very dark childhood places, yet it is ultimately life-affirming and at times laugh out loud funny."--Dan Yaccarino, creator of City Under the City

"Ethan Long's fictional memoir is heartbreaking, sad, and--believe it or not--funny. It tackles such serious subjects as divorce and cancer with a gentle, humorous, and guiding hand; it's the perfect book for readers trying their best to come to terms with the many curveballs life hurls. It also has the most important quality a story can have--honesty. There's not a false note in it."--Janet Tashjian, author of Hannah Sharpe Cartoon Detective and the bestselling My Life series

"Heartbreaking and beautiful. Long tells his deeply personal story with raw honesty and endearing humor. Benny's journey of resilience and perseverance will surely resonate with readers both young and old."--Jason Carter Eaton, bestselling author of The Facttracker

"Sometimes biting, often intense, and marked by moments both of comical awkwardness and grace."
--Kirkus Reviews

"This book stole my heart.... Every child needs to read this book."--Marilyn Robbins, The Bookies Bookstore (Denver, CO)

About the Author

Ethan Long is the acclaimed author and illustrator of more than thirty books for young people, including Up, Tall and High, for which he received the Theodor Seuss Geisel Award. This is his first book for older readers. Ethan lives with his family in Colorado and invites you to visit him at ethanlong.com.