{"schema_version":"bf_book_companion_v1","release_id":"20260417T204117Z-pairingsrefresh","book":{"amazon_purchase_url":"https://www.amazon.com/dp/055349693X?tag=bookfrontier-20","asin":"055349693X","authors":["Susin Nielsen"],"book_id":"9780553496932","canonical_url":"https://bookfrontier.com/books/optimists-die-first-055349693X","cover_image_url":"https://img.bookfrontier.com/9780553496932.jpg?v=20260417T204117Z-pairingsrefresh%3A2026-04-17T20%3A41%3A17Z","description":"Award-winning author Susin Nielsen has written a laugh-out-loud and heartrending novel for fans of Robyn Schneider’s Extraordinary Means and Cammie McGovern’s Say What You Will . Beware: Life ahead. Sixteen-year-old Petula de Wilde is anything but wild. A former crafting fiend with a happy life, Petula shut herself off from the world after a family tragedy. She sees danger in all the ordinary things, like crossing the street, a bug bite, or a germy handshake. She knows: life is out to get you. The worst part of her week is her comically lame mandatory art therapy class with a small group of fellow misfits. Then a new boy, Jacob, appears at school and in her therapy group. He seems so normal and confident, though he has a prosthetic arm; and soon he teams up with Petula on a hilarious project, gradually inspiring her to let go of some of her fears. But as the two grow closer, a hidden truth behind why he’s in the group threatens to derail them, unless Petula takes a huge risk. . . Praise: Bank Street Best Children’s Books of the Year “Nielsen writes with sensitivity, empathy, and humor.” — Kirkus Reviews, Starred “Nielsen excels at depicting troubled, clever teenagers in familiar environments.” — School Library Journal, Starred “[An] empathic and deeply moving story, balanced by sharply funny narration and dialogue.” — Publishers Weekly, Starred “A poignant exploration into the nuances of healing.” — Quill and Quire, Starred","forthcoming":false,"isbn13":"9780553496932","publication_date":"20180220","publisher":"Random House Children's Books","slug":"optimists-die-first","subtitle":"","title":"Optimists Die First"},"discovery":{"categories":{"all":[{"bisac_code":"YAF023010","confidence_band":"medium","label":"YA Illness & Disease Stories","score":0.8364,"source":"bisac_hint_model"},{"bisac_code":"YAF058050","confidence_band":"medium","label":"Death & Grief for Teens","score":0.8283,"source":"bisac_hint_model"},{"bisac_code":"YAF058060","confidence_band":"medium","label":"Depression for Teens","score":0.8243,"source":"bisac_hint_model"}],"hint":[{"bisac_code":"YAF023010","confidence_band":"medium","label":"YA Illness & Disease Stories","score":0.8364,"source":"bisac_hint_model"},{"bisac_code":"YAF058050","confidence_band":"medium","label":"Death & Grief for Teens","score":0.8283,"source":"bisac_hint_model"},{"bisac_code":"YAF058060","confidence_band":"medium","label":"Depression for Teens","score":0.8243,"source":"bisac_hint_model"}],"publisher":[{"bisac_code":"YAF018000","confidence_band":"high","label":"YA Family Stories","score":1,"source":"onix_publisher_code"},{"bisac_code":"YAF023010","confidence_band":"high","label":"YA Illness & Disease Stories","score":1,"source":"onix_publisher_code"},{"bisac_code":"YAF027000","confidence_band":"high","label":"Funny YA","score":1,"source":"onix_publisher_code"}]},"genres":[{"label":"YA Illness & Disease Stories","score":0.8364,"slug":"ya-illness-disease-stories"},{"label":"Death & Grief for Teens","score":0.8283,"slug":"death-grief-for-teens"},{"label":"Depression for Teens","score":0.8243,"slug":"depression-for-teens"}],"reader_fit":["Good for readers who enjoy YA Illness & Disease Stories","Good for readers interested in young","Good for fans of Young Adult"],"related_lists":[{"intro":"","slug":"shelf-yaf058050-death-dying","title":"Death & Dying Books","url":"https://bookfrontier.com/lists/shelf-yaf058050-death-dying"}],"series":null,"similar_books":[{"authors":["Shivaun Plozza"],"book_id":"9781250312785","cover_image_url":"https://img.bookfrontier.com/9781250312785.jpg?v=20260417T204117Z-pairingsrefresh%3A2026-04-17T20%3A41%3A17Z","score":16.9496,"title":"Tin Heart","url":"https://bookfrontier.com/books/9781250312785"},{"authors":["Jeff Zentner"],"book_id":"9780553524093","cover_image_url":"https://img.bookfrontier.com/9780553524093.jpg?v=20260417T204117Z-pairingsrefresh%3A2026-04-17T20%3A41%3A17Z","score":13.7716,"title":"Goodbye Days","url":"https://bookfrontier.com/books/9780553524093"},{"authors":["Florence Gonsalves"],"book_id":"9780316436755","cover_image_url":"https://img.bookfrontier.com/9780316436755.jpg?v=20260417T204117Z-pairingsrefresh%3A2026-04-17T20%3A41%3A17Z","score":13.7599,"title":"Dear Universe","url":"https://bookfrontier.com/books/9780316436755"},{"authors":["Francisco X. Stork"],"book_id":"9780545474337","cover_image_url":"https://img.bookfrontier.com/9780545474337.jpg?v=20260417T204117Z-pairingsrefresh%3A2026-04-17T20%3A41%3A17Z","score":13.7493,"title":"The Memory of Light","url":"https://bookfrontier.com/books/9780545474337"},{"authors":["Mahogany L. 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