After reading and loving Sortino's debut, “Give Me A Sign” I understood that her character development, focus on disability experience stories (specifically Deaf representation), and sweet romantic relationships would make her a strong and fresh new voice in YA.

Ellie and Jackson are normal high schoolers, but with a ✨disabled twist✨ . Ellie's Deaf school has shut down, her family doesn't repsect her Deafness, and she can't find her place in the new school. Jackson is a student athlete whose health has taken a mysterious turn for the worse. As the both of them navigate their Senior year together paired up, they learn to support each other. Jackson learns ASL for Ellie and Ellie supports Jackson as he finds out he has a life-changing diagnosis. Their relationship starts off as friends but then grows into something more. Both Ellie and Jackson are put through the wringer and grow each step of the way. There are also great discussions of deaf children born to hearing families unwilling to raise a child in their Deaf identity. As an ASL Interpreter, I also found Ellie’s interpreters interesting case studies lol. One scene specifically gave me chills in thinking how amazing it would be if more parents were educated in a similar way! Another scene I loved was Ellie and Jackson's discussion of disability pride.

My Dad’s dad shared Jackson’s diagnosis, but unfortunately passed away before I could meet him. Watching Jackson’s journey from pre-diagnosis to post-diagnosis life was difficult but necessary. I learned a lot about the illness, its symptoms, and its challenges. And gained a lot of compassion for those who live with the illness and those who care for them.

Thanks to Netflix and Penguin Young Readers for an Advanced Reader’s Copy. All opinions are my own.

1 Sentence Summary: Ellie’s Deaf boarding school just shut down and now she has to start senior year in a mainstream public school; to help her adjust, the guidance counselor pairs her with Jackson, the school’s star soccer player who has problems of his own and is keeping the strange new numbness in his legs a secret; despite a rocky start, Ellie & Jackson soon become friends and even more, a safe place for the other to lean on during difficult times.

My Thoughts: The representation in this book was so wonderful! I loved the nuanced exploration of different experiences with disability—we have Ellie who has been Deaf her whole life and then Jackson who gets a sudden diagnosis later in life.

I loved the Deaf representation and all the challenges presented of growing up as the only Deaf person in a hearing family and a largely hearing world. Also, I know ASL so it was cool to read the descriptions of the signs and know what they were.

My only complaint is that it could be a bit more developed; for example, the side characters were all pretty one dimensional and the romance wasn’t super fleshed out. Some conflicts got resolved too easily as well.

This was an enjoyable read and I think it’s so important especially for young people to have positive disability representation like this, which I haven’t seen very much in YA books.

Overall, more of a 4.5 stars, but I’ll round up to 5!

Recommend to: Anyone who wants to read a cute YA coming-of-age romance with fantastic disability representation!

(Warnings: swearing)

🤟🏼🤟🏼🤟🏼🤟🏼🤟🏼. This book has some of my favorite things featured in it: Strong Deaf character, friendship, teenagers, advocacy, family drama and a little romance!! This is the second book I have read by @annaksortino ! I love how the main character, Ellie is strong and passionate!! She makes a great role model for Deaf teenagers. She is honest and real with her family who doesn’t sign. The author did an amazing job making the dialogue between her family real and believable! This book will be out July 2 — preorder your copy now!
Thank you @netgalley for the opportunity to read this ARC! I will recommend this one to the deaf students I work with. It will be amazing for them to have a main character that understands their disability and the challenges they face at school with interpreters and peers!

This was such a sweet book. On the Bright Side is about Ellie who attends a deaf boarding school that is now getting shut down. Due to this she is required to go back home and attend public school. She meets Jackson, a student who was assigned to help her. Jackson has been recently getting symptoms that is greatly impacting his health greatly. I thought it was very kind that he did his best to learn American Sign Language to communicate with Ellie and make her feel welcomed. Jackson is so attentive, thoughtful, and kind. Ellie made sure to check in on Jackson and let him know she was there if he needed anything. I really liked that it was dual pov because you get to see their perspectives on what they each go through.
I loved seeing how Jackson and Ellie’s relationship developed. The found family with Ellie’s new friend was also incredibly heartwarming. Jackson and Ellie are so cute together and supportive of one another.

Thank you for the arc!

Ellie’s school for the Deaf has closed and she is forced to return home and complete her senior year of high school in mainstream classes with hearing kids who don’t sign. Her hearing parents never learned ASL and don’t understand her feelings or her Deaf culture at all, nor do they seem to want to. Jackson, a kind, talented athlete with wealthy, health and fitness obsessed parents, is experiencing strange health symptoms that he can’t explain. He is paired with Ellie for a high school tour and is immediately intrigued by her. They slowly navigate their new friendship which then develops into more all while dealing with Jackson’s new reality as he receives a life-changing diagnosis.

I liked Give Me a Sign quite a bit more than this one. The first half was a struggle to get through as both of the main characters’ parents are self-absorbed and can’t relate to their kids at all. Jackson’s teammates (especially Liam) and Ellie’s ex boyfriend Cody and overbearing interpreter Pamela are pretty terrible. Jackson really stood out to me as a character and the depiction of his diagnosis and coming to terms with how his life may turn out differently then he planned was very interesting to read.

Thank you to Penguin Teen for an early copy of this book in exchange for a review! 😊 Ellie is deaf and has to go to a normal high school after her school for the deaf is shut down. She meets Jackson who has his own health struggles and challenges he is dealing with. I loved how these characters were able to help each other through very real struggles! The opposites attract, found family, and overcoming challenges in this book were unlike things I’ve read before. I’m partly rating this 5 stars because as a SPED teacher I found the disability representation in this beautiful! This was a really fast, enjoyable, and great read for me!

Ellie’s Deaf boarding school closure forces her back to her hearing family and a mainstream school filled with hateful rumors. Paired with Jackson, a lonely senior with mysterious symptoms, she finds an unexpected ally. Together, they navigate the fear of the unknown, discovering community and a poignant romance that heals their hearts.

The feeling of this book is utterly heartfelt and uniquely hopeful. The characters are dealing with typical teenage struggles—worried about college, strained parental relationships, fitting in—but their diagnosis add such a mature depth to their understanding of life and others. I loved their charmingly romantic moments ☺️ She’s bookish—loves libraries and knitting (but I promise that point wasn’t over-emphasized)—and he’s a wealthy star athlete. Though the stories elements are completely different, this book had a similar feeling to Red String Theory by Lauren Kung Jessen- warm, heartfelt, & nuanced.

Perfect for you if you like:
Nuanced discussions about disability
Teen characters that feel equally their age and grown up
“Tender, honest, and utterly human”

Similar to:
Red String Theory by Lauren Kung Jessen
The Fault in our Stars by John Green
Eleanor & Park by Rainbow Rowell

⛔️closed door romance (kisses only)
⚠️explicit language (very infrequent), disability diagnosis, strained relationship with parents, ableism

4 stars. On the Bright side is a YA contemporary romance between Ellie, who is a deaf girl attending a non-deaf high school for the first time, and Jackson, a senior at that high school (typical all American jock, golden retriever type) whose life gets turned upside down with an MS diagnosis. Both characters undergo huge emotional journeys, and Jackson also undergoes a physical one as well. As someone who has had a significant medical diagnoses that changed my life, I related a lot to Jackson as he was dealing with his diagnosis and what it would mean for him in the long run. I loved that this book had a lot of important conversations about ableism, but also about disability pride and just in general, what it means to have a disability. And I loved that the book also showed characters with disabilities be independent and thrive. The relationship between Jackson and Ellie was sweet, but for me, the more compelling relationships were those that Jackson and Ellie had with their parents-- especially Ellie's parents, who had a difficult time understanding deaf culture or the importance of her found family. A couple of the story lines wrapped up a little quickly for my liking (or felt like they were just dropped completely), but overall, I REALLY enjoyed On the Bright Side. This is my first read from Sortino but I can absolutely see myself reading Give me a Sign (or any future releases). I really appreciate the disability rep, and honestly, this was a super quick read that I did not want to put down. I absolutely recommend.

Thank you so much to Sortino, Penguin Teen, and netgalley for the eARC as well as physical copy in exchange for my honest review.

This book was fantastic! I adored Ellie and Jackson. I'm usually quite selective when it comes to romance in contemporary YA, but Anna Sortino truly excels at it. Ellie’s found family and new home were incredibly moving, and the intervention was spot on. Jackson’s diagnosis and his mixed emotions about the present and future felt very authentic. I appreciated the representation of chronic illness and the depiction of life's unpredictability when symptoms unexpectedly arise. I think I enjoyed this book even more than Give Me A Sign. I'm excited to see what Anna Sortino writes next!

I enjoyed the author’s first book Give Me A Sign, but this was even better in my opinion! Not only is this a YA contemporary about deaf pride, this also deals with MS and the diagnosis’ physical and emotional journey. I can’t speak for MS specifically, but seeing Jackson’s life change so fast after being diagnosed was very relatable and would be for anyone with a chronic illness.
Besides the rep, this was a super cute YA high school romance!

Thank you Netgalley and Penguin Group for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!

"On the Bright Side" by Anna Sortino is an engaging contemporary YA book that brings together themes of disability, accessibility, and romance. As a fan of Sortino's previous work, "Give Me a Sign," I had high expectations, and this book did not disappoint. In fact, it solidified Sortino as an auto-buy author for me. I really enjoyed the representation in this book. Not only is there Deaf representation in this book, but there is also MS representation, which is something I haven’t seen a lot in YA books, especially with a character coping with a recent diagnosis.

The story follows two main characters, Ellie and Jackson, who each navigate their own unique experiences with disability. Ellie is Deaf and has embraced her deafness, forming a strong sense of identity and community around it, especially after attending a Deaf school where she learned ASL. Her positive relationship with her disability is both inspiring and empowering. On the other hand, Jackson is newly diagnosed with multiple sclerosis (MS), facing an unexpected and uncertain future. His journey of coming to terms with his diagnosis and its implications on his life is beautifully portrayed and filled with raw emotion. The perspective switches between Jackson and Ellie. I actually enjoyed Jackson’s POV more in this book, especially in the 2nd half.

Sortino does an excellent job of showcasing the range of disability experiences through these two characters. Ellie's confidence and acceptance contrast sharply with Jackson's confusion and fear, yet both characters share common frustrations and challenges that ultimately bring them closer. Their interactions highlight the importance of support, understanding, and the impact of others' reactions to one's disability. Jackson especially was my favorite character as he was always willing to learn. At the beginning of the book, he was a bit ignorant, but that never stopped him from asking questions and wanting to learn more about Ellie and Deaf culture, especially in learning ASL. He was just a genuinely nice guy. Ellie’s perspective wasn’t as interesting to me, though I really liked how she advocated for herself and her independence in her own family.

The book also delves into the theme of accessibility, particularly in the workplace and everyday life. Sortino subtly brings in discussions about how society often ostracizes those who are different and how crucial it is to create environments that accommodate everyone's needs. This theme is especially relevant and thought-provoking, making you reflect on their own actions and attitudes towards disability. I really enjoyed this line from Ellie where she pointed out to Jackson that you never know when you or someone you know may become disabled, and that is something that Jackson himself experienced, making the line hit hard.

The romance between Ellie and Jackson is sweet and well-developed, providing a heartwarming counterpoint to the more serious themes. Their relationship evolves naturally, rooted in mutual respect and understanding. The found family aspect of Ellie's story, along with Jackson's struggle for his parents' approval, adds emotional depth to the story. I found the characters to be really relatable and engaging. I do wish that Jackson had more of a support system with friends, like Ellie had with her found family.

Overall, "On the Bright Side" is a beautifully written, emotionally resonant book that is both enlightening and heartwarming, leaving me waiting for more from Sortino. I definitely recommend this book for fans of YA contemporary books as well as readers who want more disability representation in books, especially with Deaf and MS representation.

I received a copy of this book as an advanced reader's copy from Penguin Teen and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Ellie is a Deaf girl whose boarding school for all Deaf kids has run out of funding and is closing, so she has to finish her senior year of high school at her local public school. She never really felt like she fits in with her family, who are all able to hear, and often feels like the reject child compared to her older sister Madison. While at Amber for her first week, the guidance counselor Ms, Lily partners Ellie up with Jackson, the cute, tall, soccer star who is incredibly friendly and kind as well.

Jackson had a hard time at the end of junior year when some random numbness in his legs cost him and the team the state championship title. After taking the summer to relax and try to feel better, Jackson feels slightly shunned by some of the guys on the soccer team, and in general just a little out of place. The only times he is truly happy is when he's spending time with the new girl, Ellie, and trying to learn sign language to be able to speak with her. Even though Jackson thought he was feeling better, halfway through Fall semester he starts having dizzy spells, where he can't get his bearings, and vomits repeatedly.

Was this story the best written piece of fiction I've ever read? No. Is the writing style maybe at times overly simple? Sure. Did I enjoy this story and it's characters thoroughly? Absolutely.

I really enjoyed Anna Sortino's On the Bright Side. It is a sweet YA romance full of disability representation and internal thoughts of the characters grappling with how to not feel less than especially in the uncertainty of a chronic, progressive illness diagnosis. I thought the things Ellie and Jackson have to work through with their parents felt realistic as well. And overall I enjoyed this story. If you are looking for something that is a quick read but has depth and heart, I'd recommend this book.

Cute story about accepting yourself how you are and found family.

I do think the school trip scenario was completely unbelievable. High school kids get supplied a bus and hotel room in a different city and do not need any form of permission and have super low, if any, supervision. I feel like the setting for that scene could have been moved to keep the realism.

I'd also like just once to read a book where the hearing parents of a deaf kid actually supported the kid and tried to communicate in a way that works for the kid, not just what's easiest for the parents.

CW: ableism (some from parents), mention of being anti-vax, hospitalization, illness

I was excited for the opportunity to read this book, but still didn't expect to love it as much as I did! I read it in one sitting because I could not put it down. Both of the main characters were extremely likeable, and I could understand where both of them were coming from at various points of the story. The conflict between the Ellie and Jackson never felt contrived or took away my enjoyment of both characters.

The story addresses some of the challenges people with disabilities face in society, but also from family that might not understand their disability. There's also an interesting component of seeing how characters that were born and raised dealing with a disability adjust compared to someone who becomes disabled later in life. Both experiences come with their own challenges, physical and mental, and it was great to see these experiences given validity and space in the literary world.

4.6

Thanks to Penguin Group and Netgalley for providing me an ARC of this title! I read Give Me A Sign, Sortino’s debut novel, around a month ago last year and am delighted to be reading her sophomore novel this year! Sortino handles writing about disabilities, both invisible and visible — gracefully, crafting characters with a unique sense of depth to them that makes you want to know what their next steps are. In On The Bright Side, our protagonist Ellie is forced to move back home and attend a traditional public school after her private Deaf boarding school is shut down due to budget cuts. After a spat with her interpreter, she’s partnered up with Jackson, another student to help with her acclimation to the school. I loved how tastefully Sortino handled the dichotomy of someone who’s spent their lifetime having a disability versus someone who’s only recently been diagnosed with one, grappling with the notion that one can become disabled at any time. Jackson and Ellie were super sweet, making me and I’m sure other audiences want to root for them through their struggles. I’m giving this book a 4.6 out of 5 and I cannot wait to see what kind of characters come in Anna Sortino’s third novel!

Thank you Net Galley and Penguin Group Penguin young readers group for the arc of on the bright side. I had never read a book with a protagonist with a disability. I found this book to be an easy read for the most part, but I could not stand Ellie's parents. I think that was the point. I did enjoy this book, but I wish there was more romance between Ellie and Jackson. It was so close to 4 stars to me, but there wasn't enough build up for me and one too many conflicts. I did enjoy the writing and would definitely check out another book by Anna Sortino.

Thank you to PRH Audio for the ALC and Penguin Teen for the ARC of On the Bright Side by Anna Sortino. All opinions are my own.

On the Bright Side is a great coming of age story with romance and an exploration of disabilities.

As an adult, I am not the target audience for this book, but I do think I still got a lot out of this book. If I had read it as a teenager, I might have loved it more though.

I really appreciated the dual points of view in this story because Ellie and Jackson had such different upbringings and situations they were going through. I think I enjoyed reading from Jackson’s POV a little more though because he was just so sweet and likable.

I didn’t dislike Ellie, but I found her a bit irritating at the beginning of the story. She acted as if everyone was against her without even knowing people very well. I do think she grew as a character throughout the story though.

Ellie’s family was terrible, and I felt bad for the lack of support she received at home. No one should ever feel lesser than because of their disabilities.

Jackson’s parents were a little better, but I hated how they kept dismissing Jackson’s health problems. It did such a disservice to him, and it made it feel like they didn’t know their son at all.

I appreciated the friendship between Ellie and Jackson. I liked that they didn’t let other’s opinions affect their opinions of each other. Even though they had such different lives, I think they really complemented each other.

In the past, I’ve read several other books with deaf protagonists. While there are definitely similarities to those books, I liked the author’s approach in this story and how she talked about disabilities as a whole. The stigma associated with various disabilities was discussed, and I found it interesting to read about someone who was new to their disability versus someone who was used to it.

I listened to the audiobook version of this book and really enjoyed the narration. I also appreciated the sound effects that denoted when a character was signing versus speaking verbally.

Overall, I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys YA contemporary stories.

This is a book that needs to be put in the hands of every Young Adult ASAP!
Representation: Deaf Awareness, Multiple Sclerosis
Thank you Penguin Teen for an early digital copy of this story!
Rating: 4.5

As a family member of someone with MS, this book represented the illness beautifully. The author fully encaptures the trials and unexpected hardships of someone with the symptoms. As someone working in the school system who loves advocating for equal education, the awareness the characters bring about hard and loss of hearing is eye-opening for every reader.
Now let's talk about the light-hearted part: the romance! I loved watching the relationship unfold between Jackson and Ellie. They were so sweet together and had such a unique but fresh romance. However, the mid-story conflict Ellie created for everyone had me (as well as Jackson) super frustrated. I was almost at a 5 stars but the conflict took me out of it for a second so I have gone to a 4.5! I have rounded up on Goodreads and other platforms because this author deserves it for gorgeous storytelling.

Love the inclusivity!

On the Bright Side is a YA romance that beautifully captures the highs and lows of having a disability.

Ellie has lived the majority of her life at her Deaf boarding school. But, when the school unexpectedly shuts down, her life and future plans become uncertain.
Forced to move back home to her unsupportive family and to be mainstreamed into public school, she is feeling more and more isolated.
That is until the school guidance counselor assigns her to Jackson, to help her adapt to her new school.

Jackson is a soccer player but after losing feeling in his legs and costing his team the championship, he is avoiding his teammates at all costs.
When the opportunity arises to help the new girl at school, Ellie, he happily accepts.
But when he’s faced with a life changing diagnosis, he is torn between wanting Ellie by his side and pushing her away.



I cannot say enough great things about this book. I absolutely loved how inclusive it is.
I love how through Ellie we get to see the struggles she has being deaf in a hearing family. I love that stands up for herself, and ends up finding a community to support her.

I also absolutely loved how the author wrote about Jackson’s struggles before, during, and after the events leading up to his diagnosis. It was so relatable.

I was not a fan of the parents of Ellie or Jackson. While they were well written, and all were driving forces for various purposes in the novel, I just personally did not like them and I truly felt awful for both Ellie and Jackson. As a mother of two young boys with disabilities, I cannot imagine making my child’s life more difficult because I refuse to accept a diagnosis.
That much being said, I did love that the characters were able to overcome the difficulties that both sets of parents had with their respective disabilities.


I’d like to thank Penguin Publishing, Anna Sortino, and NetGalley for the early copy of On The Bright Side in exchange for my honest thoughts and feedback.

Super cute story! I wanted to read this because of the cover, which perfectly encapsulates the vibes of this book. Ellie and Jackson have different perspectives on disability, but they are both done extremely well. This would also be a super helpful introduction to some common disability studies concepts.