Book Review: OCD the Dude and Me by Lauren Roedy Vaughn

Danielle is about to start her senior year at an alternative high school. Her OCD is in high gear, as her mom knocked over her novels, organized just the way she likes them, and doesn't understand that writing her feelings will help her.

Then there is school, a place where she can't escape her past (being the slowest at the mile last year), the mean girls (led by Heather) and her crush, Jacob Kingston. At least in her journals, essays and letters she can get out how she really feels. Forced to meet with the school psychologist, Marv, and furthermore forced into a group for kids who need to be more social skills, Danielle has a lot to write about. Both officially for school, and unofficially for herself.

Full of diary entries, essays for school and other writings she does after events, Danielle has quite the senior year. For starters, she meets her first friend while on a school trip to England, and then she makes a friend closer to home in her social skills class. Still the year has ups and downs as she is shamed by her crush, and as parts of her past she wants to hide away come slowly forward.

For anyone who has felt like an outsider, struggled with self esteem or just wants to read a funny book that shows there is good and bad in life, OCD, The Dude and Me is a quick read that will get you in gear for back to school. Oh yeah, Danielle also discovers The Big Lebowski, hence "The Dude".

I'll see you @ the library!
Katie (Now reading The Impossible Knife of Memory. Love Laurie Halse Anderson!)