Teens may be unlikely to seek out this collection on their own, but it is a valuable read to put in the hands of those who...
Thirty-one authors write about the impact of living with mental illness—their own or a loved one’s.
Depression, anxiety, OCD, ADHD, eating disorders, addiction, PTSD, and bipolar disorder are among the challenges addressed in essays ranging from gorgeous (particularly some stellar pieces on suicidal ideation) to mundane. Most discuss the author’s constantly evolving treatment program, including such mainstays as medication, therapy, exercise, sleeping well, mindfulness, and pragmatic acceptance of what is possible. The contributors vary in their approaches: Francisco X. Stork is adamant that his bipolar disorder doesn’t make him more creative, while other authors see a silver lining to their struggles. All, however, are anti-stigma and pro–self-care and speak to the benefits of seeking professional help. Given the different racial, cultural, and gender-based barriers around mental health, it’s deeply unfortunate that the contributors are overwhelmingly white and female. Still, the exceptions stand out even more brightly for that, including Tom Pollock on his bulimia and Cindy L. Rodriguez on the Latinx community and depression. Readers will also learn about the impact of genetics and environmental factors, curing vs. managing mental illness, and the underdiagnosis of high-achieving girls.
Teens may be unlikely to seek out this collection on their own, but it is a valuable read to put in the hands of those who need it . (Memoir/essay. 14-18)Pub Date: April 10, 2018
ISBN: 978-1-4814-9464-9
Page Count: 320
Publisher: Simon Pulse/Simon & Schuster
Review Posted Online: Feb. 4, 2018
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 15, 2018
A gripping tribute to resilience.
A girl with amnesia and a boy suspected of harming his girlfriend overcome adversity to find the answers they seek.
A 17-year-old girl wakes up in a ditch, disoriented and with no memory of who she is or what happened. Found by the Alton, Oregon, police, she is brought to the station. Soon after, Wayne Boone, a man claiming to be her father, shows up. He has photos of her on his phone and her high school ID card, with the name Mary Boone. Wayne convinces the police to release Mary into his custody. The more time Mary spends with Wayne, however, the weirder things get: He’s unaware of her food allergy, and as her memories start to return, they don’t conform with Wayne’s versions of her life. In the town of Washington City, across the Willamette River, Drew is in a bad place. His girlfriend, Lola, has disappeared, and Drew was the last person to see her. His adoptive dads and cousin are the only ones who support him; everyone else, including the sheriff, thinks he’s responsible for Lola’s disappearance. Intent on finding Lola, Drew finds help in an unlikely ally, Lola’s best friend, Autumn, who is the sheriff’s daughter. But will they find Lola in time? The two immersive storylines bring to life the trials and frustrations each main character faces in this debut, which is a thrilling delight right up to the unexpected and bittersweet conclusion. Most characters are cued white; one of Drew’s dads is Guatemalan.
A gripping tribute to resilience. (Thriller. 14-18)Pub Date: Dec. 26, 2023
ISBN: 9781728270111
Page Count: 304
Publisher: Sourcebooks Fire
Review Posted Online: Sept. 23, 2023
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Oct. 15, 2023
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
Lush, angsty, queer horror.
When the monsters they imagine come to life, two boys fight for their lives—and each other.
Andrew Perrault, who’s from Australia, writes beautiful, macabre fairy tales. His roommate at his American boarding school, Wickwood Academy, is talented artist Thomas Rye, who brings his stories to vivid life in paint and charcoal. Andrew’s twin sister, Dove, is all but ignoring him, so he has plenty of time to focus on Thomas’ increasingly odd behavior. Thomas’ parents disappeared just before the new school year started, and Andrew noticed blood on his roommate’s sleeve on their first day back. When he follows Thomas into the forest one night, Andrew discovers him fighting one of the monsters that Thomas has drawn from these stories. The boys soon find themselves coping with vicious bullies by day and fighting monsters by night. At the same time, Andrew struggles to reconcile his feelings for Thomas with his growing awareness of his own asexuality. But when the sinister Antler King breaches Wickwood’s walls, Andrew realizes that he and Thomas may not survive their own creations. This novel, written in rich, extravagant prose, features frank portrayals of disordered eating, self-harm, bullying, and mental illness. Andrew grapples realistically with his sexual identity, and the story has ample genuinely creepy moments with the monsters. Andrew, Thomas, and Dove are white.
Lush, angsty, queer horror. (content warning) (Horror. 14-18)Pub Date: Oct. 29, 2024
ISBN: 9781250895660
Page Count: 336
Publisher: Feiwel & Friends
Review Posted Online: Aug. 3, 2024
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 1, 2024
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
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