I Want to Grow Hair, I Want to Grow Up, I Want to Go to Boise: Children Surviving Cancer

Author of eight bestsellers ( Motherhood: The Second Oldest Profession et al.), TV personality and syndicated columnist, Bombeck soars over her earlier accomplishments with this book. Its impetus was a visit to a camp for children with cancer in Arizona, her home state, three years ago. Continuing like visits in other parts of the country, Bombeck met scores of young cancer survivors--aged three through the teens--and their families. Finding that these children had an antic wit equal to her own, she shows how they rely on humor and hope: their personal arsenals in the war against death. The ``different-family'' stories she relates about extraordinarily brave boys and girls are wildly funny, also ineffably moving. As Bombeck points out, survival rates from all forms of cancer have increased since 1962 (leukemia, from zero to 60%), primarily because of young patients who endured painful experiments that led to effective treatments. One admires Bombeck not only for the sensitivity and valor with which she accomplishes this project but also for her selflessness in donating to cancer research the total of what will surely be considerable royalties earned worldwide from this book. Photos not seen by PW. 350,000 first printing; $350,000 ad/promo; author tour. (Oct.)