Defiance - Hardcover

A memorable trio of characters, each fighting for independence
Eleven-year-old Toby Steiner wants to do normal things on
his vacation: he wants to hike and race his bike down the hill
and learn to fish out on the lake. The last thing he wants is
to return to the children’s hospital where his painful cancer
treatment finally ended. When Toby starts spending time with
Pearl, a spunky old woman who lives on a nearby farm, and
Blossom, her broken-down cow, he sees all the more reason to
keep the new lump on his side a secret from his parents. From
Pearl he discovers the beauty of poetry, and from Blossom he
just might uncover the meaning of life.
In this honest and life-affirming novel for young readers, which
Suzanne Fisher Staples, author of the Newbery Honor Book
Shabanu, calls “beautiful and gripping,” an unforgettable boy
learns about the importance of letting things happen on their
own and listening to his heart.

VALERIE HOBBS is the author of many acclaimed books for
young adults, such as Sonny’s War, included on Fanfare, The
Horn Book’s Honor List, and Tender. She lives in Santa Barbara,
California.