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A review by litagentsaritza
OCDaniel by Wesley King
4.0
I picked up this book on a whim as I was browsing the children's books at my local BN. I will preface my review by saying that I do not read middle grade books as often as I do young adult and adult titles but this book felt like a young adult book to me despite the MC being in 8th grade.
The first line, "I first realized I was crazy on a Tuesday" hooked me right in and King didn't let me go for several chapters. I stood there in the BN children's books section reading for a good 20 minutes before I decided to sit down and keep reading. An hour later, I was halfway through the book standing in line to purchase it.
Wesley King handles the very difficult theme of mental illness in adolescence beautifully through his main character's attempts to explain his condition through words like "Zaps," "Routine," and "Great Space." Anxiety disorder, OCD, panic attacks and even disassociate disorder are explained through the voice of a 13-year-old coming to terms with his condition and what it means to not be normal in middle school.
Despite his eccentricities, Daniel is able to hide his disorder from everyone except for a fellow "star kid" like himself and together they embark on a journey of self-discovery and acceptance.
I highly recommend this book to parents and children who may be suffering alone through depression, anxiety disorders or any mental health illness that deprives them of their visibility and acceptance.
The first line, "I first realized I was crazy on a Tuesday" hooked me right in and King didn't let me go for several chapters. I stood there in the BN children's books section reading for a good 20 minutes before I decided to sit down and keep reading. An hour later, I was halfway through the book standing in line to purchase it.
Wesley King handles the very difficult theme of mental illness in adolescence beautifully through his main character's attempts to explain his condition through words like "Zaps," "Routine," and "Great Space." Anxiety disorder, OCD, panic attacks and even disassociate disorder are explained through the voice of a 13-year-old coming to terms with his condition and what it means to not be normal in middle school.
Despite his eccentricities, Daniel is able to hide his disorder from everyone except for a fellow "star kid" like himself and together they embark on a journey of self-discovery and acceptance.
I highly recommend this book to parents and children who may be suffering alone through depression, anxiety disorders or any mental health illness that deprives them of their visibility and acceptance.