Winner of The Schneider Family Book Award, for excellence in portraying the disability experience!

Maya Van Wagenen, bestselling author of Popular, tells Dolores's story with humor, heartache, and an occasional bit of telenovela flair.

"A striking fiction debut." --Publishers Weekly, starred review
"An insightful, funny, and realistic coming-of-age story." --Kirkus

Dolores Mendoza is not thriving. She was recently diagnosed with a chronic bladder condition called interstitial cystitis. The painful disease isn't life-threatening, but it is threatening to ruin her life.

Just when things seem hopeless, Dolores meets someone poised to change her fate. Terpsichore Berkenbosch-Jones is glamorous, autistic, and homeschooled against her will by her overprotective mother. After a rocky start, the girls form a tentative partnership. Beautiful, talented Terpsichore will help Dolores win back her ex-best friend, Shae. And Dolores will convince Terpsichore's mom that her daughter has the social skills to survive public school. It seems like a foolproof plan, but Dolores isn't always a reliable narrator, and her choices may put her in danger of committing an unforgivable betrayal.

Author: Maya Van Wagenen
Binding Type: Hardcover
Publisher: Dutton Books for Young Readers
Published: 03/26/2024
Pages: 320
Weight: 0.93lbs
Size: 8.52h x 5.79w x 1.25d
ISBN: 9780525426820

Accelerated Reader:
Reading Level: 4.7
Point Value: 11
Interest Level: Middle Grade Plus
Quiz #/Name: 552796 / Chronically Dolores


Award: 2025 Schneider Family Book Award Winner - Young Adult