Robyn's Book: A True Diary

The author, suffering from cystic fibrosis, reminisces about her childhood and the advances in medicine for CF.

Grade 5 Up Robyn Miller, afflicted with cystic fibrosis (CF), reminisces about her childhood and the advances in medicine for CF. At the opening of the diary she is a talented 21-year-old writer. After an article about Robyn appeared in Scholastic's Voice, many readers wrote to her to encourage her to keep writing and fighting for her life. Several of these letters are included in this diary. In other books about CF, such as I'll Get to Heaven Before You! (Abingdon Pr, 1985) by Meg Woodson, the mother expresses her view of her children with CF. Although Toothpick (Holiday, 1985) by Kenneth E. Ethridge gives readers a clear account of Janice's struggles with CF, readers are slightly removed from the young adult's experience. In contrast, Robyn's Book reveals intimate details of her life and the implications of this debilitating disease. Thus, readers identify with the author and her fight for survival. Robyn's sudden death, described in an afterword, intensifies the call to young people to do something about CF, i.e., become aware of people with this disease, donate money, volunteer in hospitals. This is a book worth reading. Ruth Amernick, San Francisco Public Library
Copyright 1986 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Miller was 21 when she died last summer, after living all her life with cystic fibrosis. But in her own way, she managed to cram a lot of feelings into that short life, and this book is her legacy. Perhaps the strongest impression her story creates is how hard she fought to reach out from the prison of her illness and help others understand her. It was an isolated life, with her loneliest moments coming when a friend, suffering from the same disease, withdraws her friendship and later dies. Miller wrote, "I know that caring for me as you do, you must leave me now, even before you go, but that does not stop a part of me from wishing you could stay." Parts of this book were first published in Scholastic's Voice magazine; readers of the magazine wrote her letters, which she answered, and some are included here. Her tone is that of a friendly comrade, thanking students for their letters and giving, when asked, gentle advice. In this diary, Miller doesn't sound like a normal teenager; she sounds much wiser. Those who discover Robyn's Book will take much away with them.
Copyright 1986 Reed Business Information, Inc.