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A review by kaylaphaneuf
The Notations of Cooper Cameron by Jane O'Reilly
5.0
I originally picked this one up cause I thought the cover looked really cool. I have never read an author describe OCD so well, especially in the format of a children’s novel. Cooper’s OCD ticks were genuinely so accurate it even slightly triggered some of my older OCD ticks that I’ve overcome in recent years. It describes the constant isolation so well and the fear of unknowing but the constant awareness at the same time. Really impressive.
I love that O’Reilly put Cooper’s OCD into a personified character called “That Boy.” It’s such a simple description of the constant shadow that steps in to take over the body even when you most want it to leave. That’s exactly how OCD feels. Telling your brain to stop unplugging appliances every night because they won’t actually catch on fire, but “That Boy” or “That Girl” does it anyway. Knowing you’ve locked every door and window but the whisper of “That Boy” making you double and triple check. OCD can be an extremely powerful hold if you can’t find freedom from it in different avenues.
While Cooper and I have wildly different coping mechanisms, I saw myself as a young person in him. I hope every young person struggling with OCD has the chance to read this book.
I love that O’Reilly put Cooper’s OCD into a personified character called “That Boy.” It’s such a simple description of the constant shadow that steps in to take over the body even when you most want it to leave. That’s exactly how OCD feels. Telling your brain to stop unplugging appliances every night because they won’t actually catch on fire, but “That Boy” or “That Girl” does it anyway. Knowing you’ve locked every door and window but the whisper of “That Boy” making you double and triple check. OCD can be an extremely powerful hold if you can’t find freedom from it in different avenues.
While Cooper and I have wildly different coping mechanisms, I saw myself as a young person in him. I hope every young person struggling with OCD has the chance to read this book.