Counting Thyme by
Melanie Conklin
Counting Thyme is an amazing book about
an 11 year old girl named Thyme, and her family dynamic having a 5 year old
brother named Val who has Neuroblastoma, a nerve cancer. The novel begins as Thyme and her
family move to New York from San Diego so her brother could participate in a
drug trial for his illness. Thyme deals with starting 6th grade over
in a brand new school, and changes in her family dynamic as she does not get
the attention from her parents she once did before Val became ill. Thyme is
embarrassed to let kids at school know about her brother, because she knows
they will treat her differently with pity, as the “boy with cancer’s sister”.
The
perspective of this book being that of Thyme’s gives an incredible view of
living with a sibling who is ill. The negotiations and sacrifices Thyme and her
family must make for Val show the ways in which a loving family dynamic may not
always seem so loving. This book is beautifully written, making it accessible
to readers of all ages. The way Val’s cancer is portrayed is through careful,
kind, and patient eyes, as Thyme is the one describing him during his fragile
state. Thyme must negotiate between wanting attention from her parents, missing
San Diego, but constantly worrying about Val. Val’s cancer certainly does not
define the bright, smiling little boy he is. He is more than his cancer, as
Thyme comes to learn she is much more than the “boy with cancer’s sister”. The
portrayal of the characters and their relationship to Val is incredible. The
dynamic of his family truly shows the way everyone copes differently, and the
need for patience with loved ones during though times. Despite the nature of
the book, the ending is a happy one, and leaves the reader with a smile. I
believe this novel is incredibly effective, and a joy to read. I would recommend
this book to anyone, especially those who may have a family member with an
illness such as cancer. For a list of more books about childhood cancer, click here.
