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Beautiful Scars: A Life Redefined

by Lori Highlander with Jessica Noll
BROOKBANK, Kilee & . 312p. KiCam. Nov. 2017. pap. $19.95. ISBN 9780998521633.
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Gr 9 Up—An emotional journey, from horrible accident through recovery. One day, 16-year-old Brookbank came home from school and noticed a strange odor in her home. She decided to light a candle to mask the smell, and with the spark of that lighter, a massive explosion happened. Her house was on fire, and so was she—in an instant, her life was changed forever. She was hospitalized for 38 days with 50 percent of her body covered in second- and third-degree burns. Brookbank, along with her coauthors, detail the difficult path of recovery, with alternating chapters from the young woman's perspective and Highlander's, who is Brookbank's mother. While at times the story can seem repetitive because of the two different viewpoints merging, the themes of resilience, love, and determination strongly resonate.
VERDICT This is an inspiring read for teens and adults, especially those who may be going through a challenging time of their own. A moving addition to memoir collections.
Reviewed by Amanda LeMay, Neptune Township Public Library, NJ , Sep 01, 2017

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