Ways to Live Forever
.jpg) | |
| Author | Sally Nicholls |
|---|---|
| Language | English |
| Genre | Children's |
| Publisher | Marion Lloyd Books |
Publication date | 7 January 2008 |
| Publication place | United Kingdom |
| Pages | 215 pp |
| ISBN | 978-1-4071-0499-7 |
| OCLC | 173499434 |
Ways to Live Forever is a children's novel by Sally Nicholls, first published in 2008. The author's debut novel, it was written when Nicholls was 23 years old.[1]
It won the 2008 Waterstone's Children's Book Prize, 2008 Glen Dimplex (Irish) New Writers Award, 2008 German Luchs des Jahres and 2009 Bristol-based Concorde Children's Book Award.[2] It was shortlisted for the 2009 Manchester Book Award.[3][4]
Plot summary
Sam Oliver McQueen is an 11-year-old boy with cancer. When his best friend Felix dies, he doesn't know what to do because he always looked up to him and his bad boy style. Sam is puzzled by the sadness and writes in his book that everyone should have been happy and making jokes and Felix should have worn his favorite top. Having said, that he told in his book he wanted to make sure no one would do that at his funeral. A couple of weeks later, the doctors realize the medication isn't working as well and Sam makes the decision to stop all medication; Sam was sick and tired of taking things that never worked on him so he gave up Sam finishes his list of "Things to do" and about a month later he has a dream: all his family (his dad, his mum and his sister Ella) are all sleeping together… then he wakes up and sees his dads face. His dad says "I love you", but Sam drifts back asleep. Sam dies in his sleep; but he has given his parents a form to fill in about his death so he could finish his book. The last comment is made by his father, who says, "Sam died quietly in his sleep. He was in no pain.
The book was made into a film during 2010.
Translations
At launch, Ways to Live Forever was translated into Dutch and published using a different title.[5] The Dutch title Als je dit leest, ben ik dood (Template:Lang-en) is adapted from one of the book's opening lines. It is also translated to Portuguese (Brazil and Portugal) and Indonesian, with the Portuguese title being O Menino que Sonhava Chegar à Lua (Template:Lang-en), the Brazilian title of Como Viver Eternamente (Template:Lang-en), the Indonesian title of Setelah Aku Pergi (Template:Lang-en), the French title of Quand vous lirez ce livre... (Template:Lang-en), the Italian title "Volevo vivere per sempre" (Template:Lang-en) and the German title of Wie man unsterblich wird (Template:Lang-en).[6]
Adaptation
It was adapted into film and was directed by Gustavo Ron which released on October 23, 2012 theatrically worldwide. It stars Robbie Kay, Alex Etel, Ben Chaplin, and Emilia Fox. The film received a positive review by the critics.
References
- ^ Guardian Unlimited, Template:\cite news
- ^ ""WAYS TO LIVE FOREVER" Winner at the Concorde Children's Book Award held at BSCS". Bradley Stoke Matter. 25 March 2009. Archived from the original on 5 June 2008. Retrieved 12 April 2009.
- ^ Waterstone's press release, Waterstone's Children's Book Prize winner, 13 February 2008. Retrieved 20 May 2018.
- ^ Manchester Book Award
- ^ De Fontein, Sally Nicholls wint Waterstone's Children's Book Award 2008, 15 February 2008. Archived February 29, 2008, at the Wayback Machine
- ^ the book
External links
- Ways to Live Forever, Publisher's website.
- Opening extract from Ways to Live Forever.
