Bolus Blues
Brendan McEachern
Bolus Blues tells the story of Zander Burke and his momentous summer just before entering middle school. Zander is a Type 1 adolescent with diabetes. He is excited to spend his summer consumed by online games until his single mom tells him they are almost bankrupt. Zander secretly concocts a plan to make some money and not be destitute. Zander sneaks out of his summer day camp to start a series of unsuccessful jobs. Due to an early growth spirt, Zander takes advantage of this perceived maturity and works in a comic book store, an upscale consignment shop, and an ice cream stand. After Zander is involved in an underage driving accident, his childhood friend, Squirrel Jones, joins him to make drastic adjustments to this money making plan.
In Bolus Blues, Zander Burke manages to overcome the anguish of his father abandoning his family as he becomes a middle school student. Faced with financial difficulties, Zander steps up to help his mom, but doesn’t tell her what he is doing. He has a few hiccups along the way, including some problems with low blood sugars. His mom wants him to consider a continuous glucose monitor but he isn’t interested in wearing any devices. When he encounters some low blood sugars during a special youth triathlon, he realizes that an insulin pump might be a helpful device and decides to get one. During the final leg of the triathlon, Zander is close to winning when he stops to help a struggling younger boy. That younger boy is soon diagnosed with diabetes as well and considers Zander as his mentor. Meanwhile, Zander also deals with his inner demons that developed when his dad abandoned him several years earlier. Recommended for ages 9-13.
155 pages. ISBN-10 0-578-46701-1. ISBN-13 978-0-578-46701-1. Jos. Berning Printing, Cincinnati, Ohio. $7.50.2019
