No Matter the Distance

An unexpected animal companion helps a girl with cystic fibrosis learn to write her own story in this captivating novel in verse by award-winning author and disabled activist Cindy Baldwin.

Penny Rooney has cystic fibrosis, which means she has to do breathing treatments to help her lungs work. Some days, it seems like her CF is the only thing Penny knows about herself for sure.

From her point of view, everyone around her can make sense of their place in the world. So why can’t Penny even begin to write a poem about herself for school?

Then during spring break Penny spots something impossible in the creek behind her house: a dolphin, far from its home. Penny names the dolphin Rose and feels an immediate bond, since the dolphin is also sick.

But as Penny’s CF worsens, she realizes that Rose needs to return to her pod to get better. Will Penny be able to help guide Rose back to the ocean, even if it means losing her friend?

This heartwarming story, which marks the first time an author with cystic fibrosis is writing a protagonist with CF, will transport readers into a world full of friendship, family, and powerful self-discovery.

• An Unlikely Friendship: Penny feels an instant connection to Rose, the dolphin stranded in her backyard creek, because she knows what it’s like to feel sick and alone.
• A Story in Verse: Discover a lyrical and accessible novel that captures Penny’s journey with heartfelt honesty and beautiful, free-flowing verse.
• Finding Your Voice: Tasked with writing a poem about herself, Penny finds the courage to define her own story through the brave mission to save her new friend.
• Courage and Chronic Illness: A powerful and authentic look at the daily realities of living with cystic fibrosis, showing the courage it takes to face treatments, uncertainty, and the search for identity beyond a diagnosis.

"No Matter the Distance weaves an intimate, personal story of life with cystic fibrosis and a universal story of self-discovery into a luminous tale of friendship, family, and belonging." - Joy McCullough, author of A Field Guide to Getting Lost

"No Matter the Distance hooked me hard from the beginning and just swept me through with so much heart and resonance throughout." - Stephanie Burgis, author of The Dragon with a Chocolate Heart

“Poignantly navigates an array of tough emotions." - Kirkus Reviews

“An insightful telling of a tween living with CF via affecting free-verse poems.” - Publishers Weekly

"Full of wonder and compassion, No Matter the Distance is a memorable story about friendship, an unbreakable connection, and finding the strength to fight for those we love. Penny is a unique yet relatable character, with an authentic and entertaining story." - Lynne Kelly, author of Song For a Whale

"Positive empathy is wrapped around a fastpaced story with fully developed characters." - Booklist (starred review)