THE LOWDOWN:
Sixteen-year-old James Whitman is trying to navigate high school and a tough home life while wrestling with depression and anxiety. James recites Walt Whitman, hugs trees, and talks to an imaginary bird therapist as he tries to figure out why his sister, Jorie, has been kicked out of school and out of the house.
His parents won’t talk about it and act as though their family is better off now that she’s gone. But James feels guilty for failing to defend Jorie over the years, and one day while snooping through his sister’s room, he stumbles upon a box that reveals some of Jorie’s secrets.
In his quest to try to bring Jorie back home, he ends up battling with his parents, the principal, his best friend, and even himself, as he tries to figure out what part he played in Jorie’s exile and discovers that some of Jorie’s secrets aren’t that different from his own.
FIRST IMPRESSION:
I yawp most mornings to irritate my father, the Brute.
“Yawp! Yawp!” It moves him out of the bathroom faster.
He responds with the gruff “All right.” He dislikes things that seem like fun.
SNAPSHOT:
Roskos’ heartbreaking yet ultimately triumphant debut novel follows James. He’s sensitive to a fault, quirkier than that kid you knew from school, and feeling trapped by his anxieties. There’s the Brute and the Banshee that are his parents; the fear that he didn’t help his sister Jorie when she was physically thrown out of the house; and the fact that he’s spent years seeing an imaginary pigeon therapist named Dr. Bird to help with his very real emotional problems.
First getting to know James might be tricky for jaded and skeptical readers: he is so uncomfortable interacting with people that he literally hugs trees and tries to save dying birds instead of reach out. His thoughtful internal monologue comes from a place of earnestness though. Once his attention turns to real-world pursuits (such as secretly trying to clear his sister’s name, spending time out of the house and with school magazine editor Beth, and seeking help for his mental problems), the touching narrative picks up.
This quiet, heartfelt novel evokes the healing power of art, self-worth, and friendship, while encouraging James to seek the help he needs. In a time where mental health/behavioral problems are sensationalized and blown out of proportion—where teens and young adults stay silent about their struggles because they are not “bad enough” to need therapy—it is an important message that everyone know they deserve a chance at real, full happiness.
Appropriate for ages 14+. Some strong language, sexual discussions, drug and alcohol use, and difficult situations.
Deals with the bonds of friendship and family, mental health issues, domestic and self-abuse. Fans of It’s Kind of a Funny Story (Ned Vizzini) and readers who have dealt with anxiety and depression (or know someone who has) should stop what they’re doing: get this book now! YAWP!
GET IT ON YOUR SHELF:
If you…
- Enjoy quirky, unique characters struggling with realistic problems
- Are a bit of a poet, romantic, or artist heart
- Know that everyone has something deeper going on
- Need a subtle twinge of mystery in your stories
- Have ever struggled with your own or someone else’s depression, anxiety, or fears
THE ESSENTIALS:
Contemporary YA
Hardcover & Ebook, 320 pages
Published March 5th, 2013 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt (ISBN 054792853X )
http://www.hmhbooks.com/hmh/site/hmhbooks/bookdetails?isbn=9780547928531
(Review copy provided by Karen Walsh at Houghton Mifflin Harcourt.)