The Five Stages of Andrew Brawley - by Shaun David Hutchinson (Paperback)

Book Synopsis

A heartbreaking yet uplifting story about a boy who has lost everything but finds new hope drawing in the shadows of a hospital. Features a thirty-two-page graphic novel.

Andrew Brawley was supposed to die that night, just like the rest of his family.

Now he lives in the hospital, serving food in the cafeteria, hanging out with the nurses, sleeping in a forgotten supply closet. Drew blends in to near invisibility, hiding from his past, his guilt, and those who are trying to find him. His only solace is in the world of the superhero he's created--Patient F.

Then, one night, Rusty is wheeled into the ER, half his body burned by hateful classmates. Rusty's agony is like a beacon for Drew, pulling them together through all their pain and grief. In Rusty, Drew sees hope, happiness, and a future for both of them. A future outside of the hospital, and away from their painful pasts.

But to save Rusty, Drew will have to confront death, and life might get worse before it gets better. And by telling the truth about who he really is, Drew risks any chance of a future...for both of them.

Review Quotes

"The Five Stages of Andrew Brawley broke my heart, then put it back together again. I truly loved this book."--Bruce Coville

"A wonderfully written book that is more proof that the genre of 'LGBT YA lit' simply knows no bounds."--Brent Hartinger "author of GEOGRAPHY CLUB"

"Hutchinson builds believable secondary characters and presents unexpectedly fresh plotting and genuine repartee--the conversations among Drew and his two teen friends feel particularly real and are full of insight and humor. Hutchinson remains an author worth watching."--Kirkus Reviews

"In this haunting tale of grief and recovery, [Hutchinson] spins an engrossing story, with Drew's perceptions lending it an almost surreal, supernatural quality...further developed by violent excerpts from [the included graphic novel] Patient F."--Publishers Weekly

"The Five Stages of Andrew Brawley is as inventive as it is moving. A beautiful book."--Trish Doller "author of WHERE THE STARS STILL SHINE"

"Dark and frequently grim situations are lightened by realistic dialogue and genuineness of feeling. [A] heartbreaking yet ultimately hopeful work from a writer to watch."--Booklist