Ocdaniel

From the author of Incredible Space Raiders from Space! comes a brand-new coming-of-age story about a boy whose life revolves around hiding his obsessive compulsive disorder-until he gets a mysterious note that changes everything.

This collection provides secondary (6-12) educators background information pertaining to a variety of mental health themes, along with specific pedagogical approaches for engaging readers in developing their mental health literacy.

“It’s the vivid, insightful depiction of Sara’s internal struggles that readers will remember.” —Booklist In this prequel to the Edgar Award–winning OCDaniel, fan-favorite Sara quests for “normal” and finds something even better along the way. Sara’s Rules to Be Normal 1. Stop taking your pills 19. Make a friend 137. Don’t put mayonnaise on peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. Sara wants one thing: to be normal. What she has instead are multiple diagnoses from Dr. Ring. Sara’s constant battle with False Alarm—what she calls panic attacks—and other episodes cause her to isolate herself. She rarely speaks, especially not at school, and so she doesn’t have any friends. But when she starts group therapy she meets someone new. Talkative and outgoing Erin doesn’t believe in “normal,” and Sara finds herself in unfamiliar territory: at the movies, at a birthday party, and with someone to tell about her crush—in short, with a friend. But there’s more to Erin than her cheerful exterior, and Sara begins to wonder if helping Erin will mean sacrificing their friendship.

“In many ways, this book is the resource I wish I had had.” How do you make time for therapy while raising kids? How do you tell the difference between healthy parental instincts and OCD symptoms? How does OCD affect parenting, and what can be done about it? After becoming a father of twins and receiving a diagnosis of OCD within the same three months, author Jason Adams found himself stuck in his search for answers to these questions, with little time and energy available for getting help. Fast forward to present times, and Jason is living a happy, bustling life with his family. The stories, struggles and strategies that brought him to mental and emotional health became this, a uniquely relatable and practical support resource for anyone trying to work on their mental health and care for their family at the same time. Whether you’re managing OCD yourself, supporting a loved one, or just keen to know more, there truly is something in this book for everyone.