
Reach for this book when your teen is struggling with the awkwardness of social rejection or feels like their physical differences make them unlovable. Josh Sundquist, a Paralympic skier who lost his leg to cancer as a child, uses a unique pseudo-scientific approach to investigate why he was chronically single throughout his teenage years. He tracks down former crushes to ask the ultimate question: Why didn't you want to date me? This memoir is a masterclass in vulnerability and self-deprecating humor. It addresses deep-seated insecurities about body image and disability while remaining incredibly relatable to any teen navigating the high school social hierarchy. It is a lighthearted yet profound tool for normalizing the 'cringe' of growing up and building the resilience needed to find genuine self-worth.
Reflections on childhood cancer and the loss of a limb.
The approach is secular, realistic, and ultimately empowering. It addresses the self-consciousness of being an amputee in a way that is honest about the pain but never self-pitying.
A high schooler who feels like an outsider or who is over-analyzing every social interaction. It is perfect for the teen who uses humor as a defense mechanism but is secretly lonely.
The book can be read cold. Parents should be aware of a few mentions of typical teen hormones and a brief, humorous discussion about a misunderstanding involving a 'back rub' that went awry. A parent might see their child avoiding social events or expressing frustration that they are 'weird' or 'undateable.'
Younger teens (13-14) will laugh at the slapstick awkwardness and the 'detective' nature of the story. Older teens (17-18) will appreciate the deeper reflections on Josh's experience navigating identity and romantic confidence as an amputee and cancer survivor.
Unlike many disability memoirs that focus on the medical struggle, this one focuses on the universal, embarrassing struggle of dating, using data visualization to tell a deeply personal story. """
Josh Sundquist, a cancer survivor and amputee, conducts a 'scientific' investigation into his past romantic failures. He interviews girls he liked in middle and high school to determine why a relationship never materialized, using graphs, charts, and humorous analysis to unpack his social missteps.
This overview was generated by AI based on the book's content and reviews, and may not capture every nuance.
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