All the Things That Could Go Wrong

June 15, 2018
The author of Bubble (2017) once again engages preteens' emotional intelligence, this time tackling bullying and mental illness from dual perspectives.Alex's OCD makes him see and feel germs everywhere, so he wears gloves in public, which often makes him a target of bullying--his private "Worry Lists" don't seem to keep his phobias from multiplying. Meanwhile, Dan adores and always followed his big brother, Ben, but when Ben had to go away (exactly why and where become a light mystery), Dan fell under the spell of bully Sophie, who makes Alex her primary target. Dan unconsciously tries to hide his hurt and anger about Ben by working on a raft the two had begun. In short, alternating first-person chapters, the two Year Seven British boys give readers access to their inner thoughts and pain. When their friendly mums arrange for them to work on Dan's raft together, Alex must confront his debilitating phobias and Dan must hide the relationship from Sophie. As work together slowly turns into mutual understanding and finally, friendship, readers also see the causes and effects of both bullying and empathy. The high tension and realism (including pop culture, family dynamics, etc.) will keep the interest of avid and reluctant readers alike. Alex, Dan, and Sophie all appear to be white, and the book assumes the white default.For fans of Wonder looking for more ways to appreciate tolerance and diversity. (Fiction. 9-13)

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July 23, 2018
Many books offer compassionate renderings of bullied victims; far fewer cast bullies in a sympathetic light. Foster (The Bubble Boy) does both with frankness and wit in this story told in alternating points of view by British middle schoolers Alex and Dan. Alex has severe OCD and a long list of fears, including germs, people dying, and classmate Dan, whose gang of troublemakers torment him at school. Dan lives his life in anger while worrying about his older brother, who is locked up in a detention center. When Dan’s and Alex’s parents meet at the movies and decide their sons should spend time together, both boys are distraught. Forced together against their will to work on the raft Dan is building, they come to understand each other’s vulnerabilities. In this insightful novel, Foster shows a clear understanding of adolescent dynamics, inside the classroom and out. As the characters come to grips with each other’s behavior, readers will find themselves rooting for both protagonists. Ages 8–12.

January 1, 2019
Dan spends his time bullying obsessive-compulsive Alex and building a raft designed by Dan's incarcerated older brother. Unaware of the bullying, their parents arrange for the boys to work on the raft together, and they slowly come to understand each other. Alternating between their two perspectives, Foster promotes empathy both for Alex's struggle with severe OCD and the problems fueling Dan's cruel behavior.

(Copyright 2019 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)

Starred review from July 1, 2018

Gr 4-7-Sixth grader Alex has a lot of worries, and his fear of people dying tops each of the "worry lists" his doctor suggests he write. Alex has obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). He is terrified of germs, so he hesitates when it comes to touching things that might be dirty, going outside, and being around others. Alex's behavior puzzles his classmates, and while his parents and teachers are frustrated, they try to help him cope. Alex's schoolmate Dan is hurt and angry about his brother's arrest and sentence to a detention home. Bullying boys like Alex makes Dan feel like he has control over something in his life. Forced by their parents to work together to build a raft, the two slowly form a bond. Although Dan begins to feel guilty about things he has done to Alex at school, Dan is afraid his "friends" Sophie, George C., and George W. will turn on him if he tries to stop their behavior. Written in first-person perspectives, alternating chapters movingly present Dan's and Alex's feelings about the problems they are facing. With Dan in particular, clues about his life are given out slowly, allowing readers to understand what is motivating his negative behavior. Honest and painful, this book is not always easy to read, but its characterizations and settings are vivid and powerful. VERDICT A thoughtful narrative that will help middle grade readers build empathy and compassion.-Lucinda Snyder Whitehurst, St. Christopher's School, Richmond

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