Overview

When Rell DeMello went back to Kailua High after being treated for cancer, some kids called her brave; some said she was a hero. But, Rell didn't want to be a hero, she wanted to be normal, Rell ""before cancer."" Besides, she knew she wasn't brave. When Dr. Baden told her she had cancer, she cried. And after all the surgeries, the chemotherapy and radiation, Dr. Braden didn't say ""You don't have cancer anymore."" He said, ""I find no evidence of cancer."" Rell cried again. ""No evidence"" - like weeds in a garden, creeping under the surface, until one day a pale green shoot pops through the ground and chokes all the budding flowers. Rell hated cancer. She hated the word. When kids asked her if she was cured she'd say, It's not like that. It wasn't the answer they wanted to hear. They wanted a storybook ending with a handsome prince and a gallant white horse - not Nate Lee and his rust-bucket truck. They wanted a perfect life movie of a blonde cheerleader who got cancer, almost died, was cured and, when she went back to school, was crowned Homecoming Queen. It was just like Rell's life except for the part about being blonde, a cheerleader, Homecoming Queen and... cured.

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Reviews

""The story of a Kailua High cancer survivor is told with economy and grace. Young adults and teens will find it hard to put down."" - Honolulu Star Bulletin ""Rell's anger, quirky humor, fear, and courage as she stares down the dragon will haunt the reader long after the book is finished."" - Voice of Youth Advocacy ""[A] refreshingly honest story about being a teen, living with cancer, and the impact it has upon oneself, friends and family."" - Gilda's Club Worldwide ""The best treatment of the topic I've read... [I] would assign it to every intern as required reading."" - Robert W. P. Cutler, MD, Stanford University School of Medicine American Library Association ""Best Book for Young Adults""

Author Information

Dorothea N. Buckingham (better known to all as Dee) has called Hawaii home for over 30 years. Following her career as a librarian in the Hawaii State Library System and the University of Hawaii, she was able to pursue writing full-time. Her first book, The Essential Guide to Sumo a complete guide to the Japanese Sport was very popular during the era of American sumo wrestlers. Her passion for research led to her focus on historical fiction and her first Middle grade historical novel, My Name is Loa, is still a consistent backlist book and has been on the Kamehameha Schools' reading list for over twenty years. Who Murdered Jane Stanford?: An Answer Imagined, (originally published as Poisoned Palms) is a historical novel about the mysterious death of Jane Leland Stanford in Hawaii in 1905. Delicious Tidbits - The Recipes and Stories of Sackets Harbor is a historical, pictorial cookbook developed around the unique characters, organizations, events, and anecdotes surrounding the beautiful village of Sackets Harbor, New York. Her latest historical novel, Forgotten Oath, a middle grade is based in Hawaii and fictionally delves into the mysterious death of the famous botanist David Douglas on the big island of Hawaii. In August of 2024, Arcadia Publishing produced Dee's first book with her husband Jack, World War II Hawaii, a photo journal outlining the unique experience of Hawaii and its residents during the war. Dee has received numerous regional and national reviews for her works. Staring Down The Dragon, the story of Rell DeMello, a high school sophomore returning to school after nearly a year of cancer treatment was an American Library Association's ""Best Book for Young Adults"". An Author Accelerator certified book coach Dee is a talented speaker, who has appeared on west coast radio and television in Hawaii and has presented book talks and workshops to all levels. Dee is a graduate of Emmanuel college and earned a master's in communication from Keane University. She also holds a master's in library science from University of Hawaii. Her blogs are available at https: //dorotheanbuckingham.substack.com/

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