Liz’s Review of Before I Die by Jenny Downham

Before I Die by Jenny Downham is a story about Tessa, a 16-year-old girl with only months left before she is killed by her cancer.  It is about a list Tessa made of things she wanted to do before she died.  The problem for Tessa, is that she has only a short period of time and her list involves as much time as she has.  Also, her list is kind of crazy (involving saying “Yes” to everything for a day, and committing a crime --shoplifting)  At first, when Tessa makes the list, she is eager to do it, but then, after her world gets torn apart, between her best friend hating her, the neighbor she fell in love with saying, “If anything happened between us, it would be like, what’s the point?” meaning, if they fell in love or hated each other or never met, why would that matter because she’s dying.  Tessa finds out she is even shorter on time than she thought, and that she is definitely going to die.  No miracle can save her now.  The problem takes a new turn when Tessa goes on vacation with her best friend Zoey, and find out that she is PREGNANT!  Tessa decides to cross off one of the things on her list so she can have the baby named after her.  Will she fall in love with the neighbor again??  Will she live to finish her list?? Review by Liz C.