Caleb and Kit by Beth Vrabel

Caleb and Kit

Beth Vrabel, Author

Running Press, Fiction, Sep. 12, 2017

Suitable for ages: 8-12

Themes: Friendship, Cystic Fibrosis, Disability, Divorce

Opening: Kit said we were destined to meet, but I really was just going for a walk.

Synopsis: Twelve-year-old Caleb is shorter, frailer, and more protected than most kids his age. That’s because he has cystic fibrosis, a diagnosis meaning his lungs fill with mucus and he has a shortened lifespan. Caleb tries not to let his disorder define him, but it can be hard with an overprotective mom and a perfect big brother.

Then Caleb meets Kit — a vibrant, independent, and free girl — and his world changes instantly. Kit reads Caleb’s palm and tells him they are destined to become friends. She calls birds down from the sky and turns every day into an adventure. Her magic is contagious, making Caleb question the rules and order in his life. But being Kit’s friend means embracing deception and danger, and soon Caleb will have to decide if his friendship with Kit is really what is best for him–or her.

Why I like this book:

Beth Vrabel has beautifully crafted a sensitive, compelling and heartwarming novel about Caleb, who happens to have cystic fibrosis. Vrabel strikes a nice balance between Caleb desperately wanting to live a normal life and his living with a serious illness. The narrative is written in first person and gives the reader deep insight into Caleb’s world. It is a beautiful story of self-discovery and vulnerability.

The woodland setting is rich and visual. The plot is multi-layered, courageous and complicated. The pacing is fast, engaging and keeps readers turning pages. The story is as captivating and creative as it is heartbreaking.

The characters are authentic, colorful and carefully developed. Caleb is a determined teen who defies his parent’s over-protectiveness, skips summer camp, and strikes up a relationship with Kit, a spirited teen who creates a fantasy world to avoid dealing with her own real-life problems. Their great adventure is both magical and appealing to Caleb at first, but he begins to see potential dangers. It is a powerful story of friendship, where Caleb is challenged to make decisions that may save more than one life.

It’s important for kids to see themselves in books and there are few novels published for youth with cystic fibrosis (CF) and their families and friends. The story gives readers a glimpse into Caleb’s daily routine that includes taking enzymes before meals to help him digest food, the large amounts of food he must consume, nebulizer medications that help him breathe more easily, and a compression vest to loosen mucous in his lungs. There are trips to the ER and hospital stays when he develops a lung infection. His life with CF is realistic, but doesn’t take over the story.

Resources: I recently learned that cystic fibrosis is called a “rare” disease because there aren’t enough individuals with CF to meet the magic number for major medical research funding. Sad. To learn more about cystic fibrosis visit their website. This book would pair nicely with The Baking Life of Amelie Day (MG) by Vanessa Curtis, and Changing Fate (YA) by Michelle Merrill.

For the next few months Greg Pattridge will be hosting Marvelous Middle Grade Monday posts on his wonderful Always in the Middle website. Thank you Greg for keeping MMGM active while author Shannon Messenger is on tour promoting her sixth book, Nightfall, in the Keeper of the Lost Cities series, which was released November 7.

About Patricia Tiltonhttps://childrensbooksheal.wordpress.comI want "Children's Books Heal" to be a resource for parents, grandparents, teachers and school counselors. My goal is to share books on a wide range of topics that have a healing impact on children who are facing challenges in their lives. If you are looking for good books on grief, autism, visual and hearing impairments, special needs, diversity, bullying, military families and social justice issues, you've come to the right place. I also share books that encourage art, imagination and creativity. I am always searching for those special gems to share with you. If you have a suggestion, please let me know.

18 thoughts on “Caleb and Kit by Beth Vrabel”

  1. This sounds like a powerful story. Not sure I could read it because my late husband had another serious lung problem like this. Too close to home. But could you do me a favor and e-mail me the first line and the next paragraph of the opening chapter? I’m writing a manuscript and it might help me figure out how to connect my first sentence with the next paragraph.

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    • Yes, Beth Vrabel really draws her readers into the story quickly with her opening line. You have to read more! It’s an important story about a boy trying to live his life as normally as possible.

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  5. It does my heart so much good to see these books about kids with challenging illnesses going out into the world. My daughter’s disease (EDS) also falls into the rare category, and like Caleb she struggles with the desire to live like other teens while balancing medical needs, so I suspect there’d be much we could relate to here. Thanks so much for featuring this!

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    • I know you would enjoy this story because you already know about youth dealing with CF. I’ve reviewed a number of MG and YA books that have protagonists with CF. I love the focus of this story.

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  7. Another wonderful book bringing a childhood disease to light. It sounds like the subject is handled well and the characters are very real. These books help healthy children to understand those who are not and that’s important. I am surprised CF is considered a rare disease as I have encountered it a few times.

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