Deadline
by Chris Crutcher (ages 15 & up)
Greenwillow, an imprint of Harper Collins 
Ben Wolfe is preparing to get the most out of his senior year before going forth to set the world on fire when he gets the news: he’s dying.  Without treatment, he has a year at best.  Even with treatment, his chance’s are not good. Because he’s already 18, Ben can keep this shattering news to himself. Against his doctor’s wishes, Ben decides to forego treatment and live as normal a life as possible, for as long as possible.
The thing is, nothing is really normal anymore. Freed from worrying about the future, unconcerned about humiliating himself, Ben does things he never would have done if he wasn’t dying. He goes out for football. He finally gets up the nerve to talk to Dallas Suzuki. He torments his government teacher and generally questions everything.
Before long though, Ben regrets his decision to keep his illness a secret. He’s worried about the people he’ll leave behind - his brother, his parents, his coach, Dallas. Not telling them starts to feel like lying and he wonders if knowing the truth now would make things easier for them after he’s gone.
This is probably Chris Crutcher’s most brilliant book - and that’s saying something. Told in Ben’s voice, Deadline is honest and real, both heartwarming and heartbreaking.