100,000+ Books, Games & Puzzles in-stock ๐Ÿ‡ณ๐Ÿ‡ฟ

Auckland Bookstore open 8:30am-5pm on Sat & Sun

On the Bright Side

4.03 goodreads logo

Ratings/reviews counts are updated frequently.

Check link for latest rating.
( 1,503 ratings, 320 reviews)
Brief Description
A hopeful novel about love, disability, and the inevitability of change by the author of Give Me a Sign. Now in paperback! "Poignant, romantic, and deeply heartfelt." -Amber Smith, New York Times bestselling author of The Way I Used to Be Ellie's Deaf boarding school just... Read More
Format: Paperback / softback
$2600
AVAILABLE WITH SUPPLIER Ships from our Auckland warehouse within 4-6 weeks

Found a better price? Request a price match

A hopeful novel about love, disability, and the inevitability of change by the author of Give Me a Sign. Now in paperback!

Book Hero Magic formatted this description to make it easier to read. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Description

A hopeful novel about love, disability, and the inevitability of change by the author of Give Me a Sign. Now in paperback!

"Poignant, romantic, and deeply heartfelt." -Amber Smith, New York Times bestselling author of The Way I Used to Be

Ellie's Deaf boarding school just shut down, forcing her to leave the place she considered home and return to her hearing family. But being mainstreamed into public school isn't exactly easy. So her guidance counselor pairs her with Jackson, a student who's supposed to help her adjust. Can the boy who tries to say the right things, and gets it all wrong, be the lifeline Ellie needs?

Jackson has been avoiding his teammates ever since some numbness in his legs cost them an important soccer match. With his senior year off to a lonely start, he's intrigued when he's asked to help the new girl, initially thinking it will be a commendable move on his part. Little does he know Ellie will soon be the person he wants most by his side when the strange symptoms he's experiencing amount to a life-changing diagnosis.

Exploring what it means to build community, Anna Sortino pens a story about the fear of the unknown and the beauty of the unexpected, all wrapped up in a poignant romance that will break your heart and put it back together again.

"Tender, honest, and utterly human." -Adib Khorram, award-winning author of Darius the Great Is Not Okay

Book Details

INFORMATION

ISBN: 9780593697887

Publisher: Penguin Putnam Inc

Format: Paperback / softback

Date Published: 01 July 2025

Country: United States

Imprint: G.P.Putnam's Sons Books for Young Readers'

Audience: Teenage

DIMENSIONS

Spine width: 18.0mm

Width: 138.0mm

Height: 210.0mm

Weight: 266g

Pages: 336

About the Author

Anna Sortino is the young adult author of Give Me a Sign and On the Bright Side. She writes stories about disabled characters living their lives and falling in love. She's Deaf and passionate about diverse representation in media. Born and raised in the Chicagoland area, Anna has since lived in different cities from coast to coast, spending her free time exploring nature with her dog or reading on the couch with her cat.

Also by Anna Sortino

View all
  • Give Me a Sign
    Jenny Han meets CODA in this big-hearted YA debut about first love and Deaf pride at a summer camp. Now in paperback! Lilah is stuck in the middle. At least, that's what having a hearing loss seems like sometimesโ€”when you don't feel "deaf enough" to identify as Deaf or hearing enough to meet the world's expectations. But this summer, Lilah...
    Paperback
    Sold Out

More from Young Adult

View all
  • New Release
    Song of the Saltings
    On the isolated island of Brack, the people live by an ancient bargain: every year, a sacrifice must be made to the Glimm, the creature that haunts the salt marshes. Eight years ago, it should have taken Lotta. Instead, the monster spared her and claimed her pony, shattering tradition and anointing her both folk hero and object of suspicion. Now...
    Paperback
    $2499
    Elsewhere:
    $2799
    In Stock
    Ships Monday
  • New Release
    Tell Me with Kisses
    From New York Times bestselling author and Wattpad sensation Mercedes Ron comes the English translation of the third in the Tell Me series, where Kamila Hamilton is caught between the two Di Bianco brothers after they burst back into her life. From New York Times bestselling author and Wattpad sensation Mercedes Ron comes the English translation of the third in...
    Paperback
    $2399
    Elsewhere:
    $2800
    In Stock
    Ships Monday
  • Release Me
    The searing second volume in a new series set in the #1 global bestselling Shatter Me universe ten years after the fall of The Reestablishment. Rosabelle Wolff had a plan. Now she wants revenge. To save her sister she needs to get back home and destroy the system that created her. Rosabelleโ€™s greatest strength is her ability to deaden her...
    $2200
    Elsewhere:
    $2499
    In Stock
    Ships Monday
  • A Language of Dragons
    The most exciting debut of 2025 โ€“ an incredible fantasy Dark Academia, perfect for fans of Babel, Fourth Wing, and the Scholomance trilogy. EVERY FIRE STARTS WITH A SINGLE SPARK. Welcome to Bletchley Parkโ€ฆ with dragons. London, 1923. Dragons soar through the skies and protests erupt on the streets, but Vivien Featherswallow isnโ€™t worried. Sheโ€™s going to follow the rules,...
    Paperback
    $1700
    Elsewhere:
    $2299
    (1)
    In Stock
    Ships Monday
  • Shatter Me: Shatter Me series 1
    Shatter Me by Tahereh Mafi is a gripping dystopian novel that plunges readers into a world where society is on the brink of collapse. At the heart of this chaos is Juliette, a 17-year-old girl with a fatal touchโ€”literally. For 264 days, Juliette has been imprisoned in solitary confinement, her only crime being an accidental touch that resulted in death....
    Paperback
    $2200
    Elsewhere:
    $3999
    Backorder
    Ships mid August
  • Cozy Corner
    Relax and unwind with this adorable colouring book โ€“ itโ€™s time to get cozy! Step into a world of calm and comfort with Cozy Corner, featuring 45 beautiful hand-drawn pages ready for you to colour in. Settle into your very own cozy corner with these brand new colouring pages! This follow-up to Coco Wyo's beloved Little Corner promises a new...
    Paperback
    $1700
    Elsewhere:
    $2100
    In Stock
    Ships Monday
  • Bunny vs Monkey: The Great Big Glitch (a Phoenix Comic Book): the instant number one bestselling book from Jamie Smart, Illustrator of the Year
    When Bunny, Monkey and friends discover a glitch in reality, life gets even crazier than normal: Bunny declares himself The Woods' Magical Protector, Pig becomes a superspy, plus there's complete metal Monkey mayhem! Experience the laughs and chaos in Bunny vs Monkey: The Great Big Glitch (a Phoenix Comic Book), the instant number one bestselling book from Jamie Smart, Illustrator...
    Paperback
    $2499
    In Stock
    Ships Monday
  • The Summer I Turned Pretty
    The Summer I Turned Pretty is now a major new TV series on Amazon Prime! If you loved The Kissing Booth and Jenny Han's smash-hit Netflix movie series To All the Boys I Loved Before, then you'll adore this gorgeously funny, romantic story! Everything that happened this past summer, and every summer before it, has all led up to this....
    Paperback
    $2400
    In Stock
    Ships Monday
  • A Good Girl's Guide to Murder
    A Good Girl's Guide to Murder by Holly Jackson is the New York Times No.1 bestselling YA crime thriller that has captivated readers globally. Now adapted into a major BBC series, this intricately plotted and intensely gripping novel is being lauded as a modern classic in young adult literature. Pippa Fitz-Amobi, an intelligent and determined high school student, is looking...
    Paperback
    $1800
    Elsewhere:
    $2299
    In Stock
    Ships Monday
  • Powerless
    OVER A MILLION COPIES SOLD! THE INSTANT NO. 1 INTERNATIONAL BESTSELLING PHENOMENON. โ€˜Nothing short of epicโ€™ - Rosie Talbot, bestselling author of Sixteen Souls โ€˜A thrilling fantasy with the most delicious slow-burn romanceโ€™ - M.A. Kuzniar, bestselling author of Midnight in Everwood โ€˜[A] titillating debutโ€™ - Publishers Weekly โ€˜A masterpieceโ€™ - Goodreads Reader Review โ€˜Everyone needs to read itโ€™ -...
    Paperback
    $2500
    Elsewhere:
    $2899
    In Stock
    Ships Monday
  • Free Gift
    The Extremely Embarrassing Life of Lottie Brooks
    Louise Rennison for the Dork Diaries generation - hilarious, relatable and full of heart. The first book in the hilarious new series for children by the bestselling creator of Hurrah For Gin. The Extremely Embarrassing Life of Lottie Brooks follows Lottie Brooks, who is 11 and feels like her life is already officially over. Not only is she about to...
    Paperback
    $1799
    In Stock
    Ships Monday
  • Free Gift
    Lottie Brooks's Totally Disastrous School-Trip
    The fourth book in this hilarious bestselling series full of friendship, family, and first experiences from the creator of Hurrah for Gin. Lottie Brooks's Totally Disastrous School-Trip continues to navigate the many perils of growing up in this fantastically funny illustrated series for a 9-12 audience, filled with friendship, embarrassing moments, and plenty of lols. Woe is me. So much...
    Paperback
    $1900
    Elsewhere:
    $2100
    In Stock
    Ships Monday

Why buy from us?

Book Hero is not a chain store or big box retailer. We're an independent 100% NZ-owned business on a mission to help more Kiwis rediscover a love of books and reading!

Service & Delivery

Service & Delivery

Our warehouse in Auckland holds over 100,000 books, toys, board games and puzzles in-stock so you're not waiting for your order to arrive from overseas.

Auckland Bookstore

Auckland Bookstore

We're primarily an online store, but for your convenience you can pick up your order for free from our bookstore, which is right next door to our warehouse in Hobsonville.

Our Gifting Service

Our Gifting Service

Books make wonderful thoughtful gifts and we're here to help with gift-wrapping and cards. We can even send your gift directly to your loved one.