Will's Guide

From New York Times bestselling author Ellen Hopkins comes a new heartbreakingly tender middle grade novel in verse about the bonds between two brothers and the love they share. Now in paperback.

Twelve-year-old Trace Reynolds has always looked up to his brother, Will, who's five years older, as he has never looked down on him. It was Will who taught Trace to ride a bike, would watch sports on TV with him, and cheer him on at Little League. However, everything changed when Will was knocked out cold during a football game, resulting in a brain injury.

Now, seventeen months later, their family is still living under the weight of "the incident," which left Will with a facial tic, depression, and an anger he cannot always control. Afraid of further fracturing his family, Trace begins to cover for Will, who, struggling with addiction to pain medication, becomes someone Trace doesn't recognize.

As Will becomes more and more withdrawn, and escalates to stealing money and ditching school, Trace realizes that some secrets cannot be kept. The bond between the brothers and the love they share is tested as they navigate this new reality.

The novel, written in verse, explores the complexities of family, mental health, addiction, and the unbreakable ties that bind us, even in the darkest of times. Through Trace's eyes, readers witness the challenges and sacrifices made to protect the ones we love, and the courage it takes to confront the truth.

In this heartbreakingly tender story, Ellen Hopkins masterfully weaves a tale that is both deeply emotional and profoundly hopeful, reminding us that even in the face of adversity, the love between siblings can be a powerful force that transcends all else.

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