Sam spends time with his private tutor Mrs. Willis and older friend Felix, whom he met from the same children's hospital, and writes about his life with cancer throughout the book.

Sam is puzzled by the sadness and writes in his book that everyone should have been happy and making jokes and how Felix should have worn his favorite top.

[5] The Dutch title Als je dit leest, ben ik dood (English: When you read this, I'll be dead) is adapted from one of the book's opening lines.

The German radio drama adaption (directed by Angeli Backhausen and produced by the WDR) stars Kai Hogenacker and Patrick Mölleken.

The jury of the Deutscher Hörbuchpreis explains their decision as follows: A special book was made into a wonderful radio drama: Impressive voice actors and a gentle, intelligent direction create a serious, unpathetic masterpiece, that radiates lightness and coincidentally saddens its audience while giving hope though.Furthermore, they were honored with the 1st Place on the hr2-Hörbuchbestenliste (hr2 Radio Drama Leaderboard), the Kinder- und Jugendhörspielpreis (Children and Youth Radio Drama Award) by the MDR Radio Council, the title CD of the Month by the Institut für angewandte Kindermedienforschung/Stiftung Zuhören, the Auditorix Hörbuch-Siegel 2009 (Auditorix Radio Drama Seal 2009), as well as with a placement on the März-Bestenliste (March Leaderboard), and an awarding with the Vierteljahrespreis (Quarterly Critics' Choice) and a nomination for the Jahrespreis (Annual Award) by the Preis der deutschen Schallplattenkritik (German Record Critics' Award).