OCDaniel by Wesley King

Daniel is doing his best to navigate the complicated world of middle school. Friends, girls, and football (which he doesn’t even really like) are confusing enough for an average kid.  But Daniel also has to deal with the zaps, those moments when he HAS to do something to prevent catastrophe. For example, he has to do his pre-bed routine exactly right; the correct number of steps from bedroom to bathroom, the exact number of swipes with the toothbrush, correct number of steps to the toilet; if any step is not correct, Daniel has to start all over. And perfection is hard.

Life gets harder when he gets a note from an unusual girl asking for his help.  She believes her father has been murdered and she needs someone special to help her get to the bottom of his disappearance. Daniel finds himself in the middle of a friendship, and an adventure, he never imagined (or wanted) and, in the process, discovers a name for the anxiety and actions that have ruled his life for so long; OCD.

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OCDaniel does a beautiful job of illuminating the inner turmoil and frustration of Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, thanks to the author’s own experiences. It is a book that will make others with OCD feel they are not alone while giving others an insight into the struggles and frustration felt by those with OCD. The mix of adolescent concerns and Daniel’s zaps make him a character I was rooting for, even when he wasn’t making the best choices. The ending is satisfying without being what I had expected. This is a book I can see being read in middle school classrooms to engage students in discussion of mental health issues and would also be an excellent book for bibliotherapy for students dealing with mental health issues (their own or those of a loved one).

Themes:
Mental Health

Friendship

Growing Up

Age Appropriateness:
Any, but truly resonates for middle grades

Areas of concern (content):

Foul Language: none

Nudity/Adult Content: none

Violence: none, but there is mention of murder and suicide

Unusual Chickens for the Exceptional Poultry Farmer by Kelly Jones; illustrated by Katie Kath

Sophie Brown is doing her best to adjust to life on the farm her father inherited from his uncle Jim, but it really doesn’t seem like much of a farm. There are no crops, except for some grapevines in need of some TLC, and no animals at all. But then Sophie finds a flyer in the barn, advertising “Unusual Chickens for the Exceptional Poultry Farmer.” She writes to request a catalog. Then she writes again, when no catalog arrives. But eventually, Sophie finds herself taking care of some very unusual chickens, and the warning that someone else wants them and is willing to steal them! How can a girl who has no experience, but a lot of determination, protect her unusual chickens from a sneaky chicken thief?

Unusual Chickens for the Exceptional Poultry Farmer is a fun epistolary tale. Sophie’s letters to her Great-Uncle Jim, her abuelita, and Agnes at Redwood Farm Supply are filled with humor and heart, while the return letters she receives are filled with information about (what else?) how to take care of chickens. The story unfolds very naturally through the letters, and the ending has a fun (and unusual) surprise that I didn’t see coming! I enjoyed this book and will be adding it to my read-alouds for next year!

Themes:
Change

Friendship

Responsibility

Age Appropriateness:
Any

Areas of concern (content):

Foul Language: none

Nudity/Adult Content: none

Violence: none