When her dad undergoes emergency open-heart surgery after collapsing at his gym, it's pretty much the worst thing that's ever happened to 11-year-old only child Hannah Brody. In response, she turns to a long-unopened diary that becomes the outlet for her deepest fears and darkest secrets. To her surprise, she finds that not only is she not alone, but that support can come from the most unexpected places. Funny, richly textured, and moving, Dear Franklin is a story of resilience in the face of near tragedy, an inspiring tale for middle-graders and others on how to cope when confronted with life's unexpected twists and turns.