Author(s): Maryam Master

Adventure and Real Life Stories | Staff Picks - Helen

Anahita Rosalind Ghorban-Galaszczuk (yes, that really is her name but you can call her Ana) is discovering that life is absurd. As if dying of cancer at the age of 12.5 isn't bad enough, she still has to endure daily insults from her nemesis, Alyssa (Queen Mean) Anderson. Ana's on a wild rollercoaster of life and death, kindness and cruelty, ordinary and extraordinary. And she's got a few things to do before she exits. 

Review by Helen

This entertaining and life-affirming book starts with the lines “So here's the thing...I’m dying” and it quickly draws you in. Anahita has cancer and decides to write about the last year of her life. She calls her book- Exit Through the Gift Shop because “...life kind of works the same way (as gift shops at the zoo or museum). When you're on the way out you are forced to look at gifts you would ordinarily bypass.” The book features her complicated family, her best friend Al and her nemesis Alyssa (Queen Mean) and it’s far from morbid. It’s funny and real and makes you look at life and think again about what is important. Highly recommended for ages 8+.