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.
_____________________________________
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
Mental Health
Friendship
Growing Up
Age Appropriateness:
Any, but truly resonates for middle grades
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
