One in a Million: a Graphic Memoir

One in a Million is a poignant graphic memoir by Claire Lordon, detailing her teenage years spent navigating mysterious symptoms, a brain tumor diagnosis, and multiple surgeries. The book, drawing from her high school diaries and drawings, offers a raw and honest portrayal of the physical pain, depression, and fear she experienced. However, it also powerfully showcases her determination, resilience, and the comfort she found in her family, friends, and artistic expression. This memoir is ideal for ages 12-18, providing a sophisticated and relatable look at chronic illness, identity, and the journey to reclaim one's life.

Debut graphic novelist Claire Lordon's medical misfortunes may be one in a million in this relatable memoir, but so is her determination, grit, and passion to beat the odds and reclaim her life. Something is wrong with Claire, but she doesn't know what. Nobody does, not even her doctors. All she wants is to return to her happy and athletic teenage self. But her accumulating symptoms--chronic fatigue, pounding headaches, weight gain--hint that there's something not right inside Claire's body. Claire's high school experience becomes filled with MRIs, visits to the Mayo Clinic, and multiple surgeries to remove a brain tumor. But even in her most difficult moments battling chronic illness, Claire manages to find solace in her family, her closest friends, and her art. A deeply personal and visually arresting memoir that draws on the author's high school diaries and drawings, One in a Million is also a sophisticated portrayal of pain, depression, and fear that any teen or adult can relate to. With a sensitive preface and an author's note connecting past to present, this true story of resilience strikes a moving balance between raw honesty in the face of medical and mental trauma and the everyday musings of a teenager.