How to Live on the Edge
Age 13+
Children's & Young Adult Fiction & True Stories
A sensitive meditation on life and death and an uplifting story of an unconventional family.
Eighteen-year-old Cayenne barely remembers her mother, who died of breast cancer when Cayenne was four. The women in her family have a history of dying young. Cayenne figures she'll meet the same fate, so she might as well enjoy life now, engaging in death-defying risks like dodging trains and jumping off cliffs with her boyfriend.
When Cayenne receives a series of video messages her mother made for her before dying, she isn't sure she wants them. Her aunt Tee has been her true mother figure. But then Aunt Tee tests positive for a BRCA gene mutation—the one that doomed Cayenne's mom—and decides to get a mastectomy to reduce her chances of developing cancer. As Cayenne helps her aunt prepare for the surgery, she finds herself drawn to her mother's messages, with their musings on life, love, and perseverance. For the first time, Cayenne starts to question what it truly means to live life to the fullest, even when death might be written into her DNA.
Creators
In addition to writing, Sarah Lynn Scheerger works as a clinical social worker with at-risk youth. She loves reading, watching movies, and spending time with her family and friends. She lives in southern California with her husband and children.
Reviews
The sisters’ complex journeys result in an interesting, informative narrative whose focus on the BRCA gene mutation marks it as an important addition to young adult literature.
Booklist
An engaging tale of vulnerability and control.
Kirkus Reviews
This book has a strong character arc and can be used as a starting point to talk to teenagers about life choices, identity, and the inescapable reality of life-ending diseases. Recommended for libraries where books about medical issues and family secrets circulate well.
School Library Journal
