Finding Perfect

August 29, 2016
First-time author Swartz creates a clear, moving portrayal of obsessive-compulsive disorder through the authentic voice of middle schooler Molly Nathans. Molly has always been a neat freak, but after her mother is forced to spend a year in Toronto for work, keeping things orderly becomes Molly’s primary concern. Her colored pencils need to be arranged in rainbow order, her glass figurines need to be perfectly aligned, and numbers always need to be even or, she believes, something terrible will happen. When Molly’s anxieties (fueled by her sister’s declaration that their mother won’t come back) collide with concerns about her younger brother’s health and an upcoming poetry slam contest, her obsessions spin out of control. Getting an insider’s view of Molly’s downward spiral is both painful and enlightening. Readers need not be familiar with the psychological terms to recognize the damaging effects of Molly’s thinking and how it is wreaking havoc on her relationships. While Molly’s situation becomes quite dire, her courageous decision to communicate her fears and seek help pave the way for a comforting resolution. Ages 8–12. Agent: Tricia Lawrence, Erin Murphy Literary.

If your parents are separating, your mother leaves home for a job elsewhere, and your best friend is about to move away, how can you gain control of your life?"Soap. Water. Scrub. Rinse. Good. No. Again." Twelve-year-old Molly Nathans' management strategies develop gradually--from aligning items to cleaning and organizing, hand-washing and counting--all intended to bring order to a series of life events that feel chaotic. The white girl's convinced that she can bring her mother home by winning the school poetry slam and perfecting her routines. Molly's close friends have their own, much milder fixations and ultimately support her OCD in a humane way. Her caring but preoccupied father eventually responds to her cries for help while identifying the role that genetics play in Molly's experiences of self-loss and irrational fears. Debut author Swartz folds in helpful resources and delivers plot and characters that are occasionally overearnest and heavy-handed, with some of the predictability of a problem novel. Yet this first-person narrative of an increasingly common behavioral-health issue will undoubtedly be a useful tool for both classroom and group discussion. While there are several good books about OCD for teen readers, few are available for middle graders, and this is a welcome addition to the fold. (Fiction. 8-12) COPYRIGHT(1) Kirkus Reviews, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

September 1, 2016

Gr 4-7-Swartz's debut novel gives readers a glimpse into the increasingly troubling thoughts and feelings of a girl with an anxiety disorder. Molly Nathans is striving for perfection in her 12-year-old life. She is an excellent slam poet and plans to prove it to her school by winning the regional competition. She's also hoping to prove it to her mother, who has left the family for a job in Toronto. As if her absent mother isn't enough of a worry, Molly becomes aware that her compulsion to count by fours and line up her figurines with a ruler is getting out of hand. With middle school friendships and family relationships at its heart, this novel offers an empathetic guide to coping with a mental health issue. As in Sophie Kinsella's YA book Finding Audrey, readers are privy to the inner life of a young person coping with a condition that has her believing she's "crazy." Swartz uses the counting obsession effectively to illustrate the escalation of Molly's problems. Molly's conversations with her friends contrast with her own interior dialogues to help readers understand her minute-by-minute struggle. Though the ending is predictable, there are enough emotional highs and lows throughout to keep readers hoping for Molly's perseverance and triumph. VERDICT Swartz adds to the growing list of fiction titles that raise awareness of differences and promote acceptance; a strong purchase for most middle grade and middle school collections.-Jane Miller, Nashville Public Library

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