Monday Reading

HAPPY HALLOWEEN! HOPE YOU HAVE LOTS OF SCARES AND SWEETS!

          Visit Jen at Teach MentorTexts and Kellee and Ricki at UnleashingReaders to see what they've been reading, along with everyone else who link up.  I didn't post last week, was out of town with family, but did read quite a bit before and after the long weekend. I am also in the midst of reading for the Cybils poetry, round one. I won't review them all, but want to tell you that there are so many wonderful poetry books that have come out since last October. This task of choosing finalists is going to be tough! You can see ALL the nominated books here! Nominations are now closed, but each category is there.

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          Twelve-year-old Molly Nathans seems to have a lot of good things in her life: friends and a nice family, and she's one of the slam poets that others believe might win the school championship. She's talented! Yet as we begin reading her story, there are a few hints that "hidden" Molly is not telling. She lines up a glass animal collection in her room with a ruler, ensures it "feels" right before she can leave. She almost purchases another animal, but realizes that would make 45 of them, a "terrible" odd number. She washes her hands four times and lines up her colored pencils per the Roy.G.Biv rainbow line-up. Her best friend Hannah and little brother Ian notice a few things, but Molly tries hard to keep all these needs to herself. 
          Molly's mother has recently left for a new job in Toronto, says it's only for a year. Things do not seem right, however, and Molly is certain if she manages to do the poetry slam perfectly, she can entice her mother back to the celebration banquet. Then all will be all right, really perfect. The progression of this illness through Molly's thoughts is shown to be frightening. To be perfect, certain criteria had to be met, then Molly could move on to the next task. But things, even best friends, get in the way, her mother doesn't always call, and her father is working hard to meet his own deadlines. I love that Elly Swartz showed how out of control OCD can become, and that there are professionals that help along with support groups for all ages. I also loved that it was shown that all the characters indeed were not perfect, had their own quirks, which made us readers sympathize. The challenges Molly had were that her illness worsened, and she was terrified that if she did not do some of the things, her little brother Ian would die of some illness. I hope that the story helps and supports some who are trying to understand what's happening to them, or to someone they love. Thanks to Net Galley for the ARC.