Kirkus
Copyright © Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.

A middle schooler tries to survive his worst day ever. Seventh grader Andrew Yaeger has a lot on his mind. Money is tight, his beloved grandmother is suffering from Alzheimer’s, and the biggest bully in school is after him. To make matters worse, it’s picture day, and Andrew’s mom desperately wants one good photo of him. But after taking a basketball to the face in gym class, getting knocked into a trophy case by his bully, and getting sprayed with grape juice thanks to a friend’s explosive sneeze, Andrew’s anxiety starts to simmer. When he gets a call from his mom saying that his grandma has gone missing, his anxiety escalates from simmering to boiling—and he starts to wonder whether he can withstand the pressure. One bright spot is the presence of Aisha “Jonesy” Jones, his lifelong best friend—although their friendship is shifting as she spends more time with her basketball friends. Harrell’s conversational tone, snappy pacing, and realistic dialogue make each chapter eminently readable. The accompanying black-and-white doodles, notes, and comics lend humor to some serious situations. Harrell does a fantastic job of explaining the symptoms accompanying anxiety and panic attacks in simple terms, with Andrew feeling “like I’m in hot oil and I might pop” or “there’s a blue whale…crushing my chest.” Readers will also appreciate the accurate depictions of talk therapy and of the tics that accompany Andrew’s OCD. Andrew is white; Jonesy is Black. Heartwarming, insightful, and surprisingly funny. (author’s note, resources)(Fiction. 10-14) Copyright © Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.

Book list
From Booklist, Copyright © American Library Association. Used with permission.

In a wry, first-person narrative, seventh-grader Andrew, who lives with anxiety, relates the story of one disastrous school picture day. In addition to being a generally tense, stressed individual, he describes certain tics and rituals he conducts, such as tapping or shutting doors just right. While everything gets off to a promising start—new outfit, fresh haircut, and a perfectly packed bookbag—things go downhill pretty fast, especially when he hears that his beloved grandma, who has Alzheimer's, has wandered away from home. Andrew experiences a lot of the troubles of a typical middle-school kid, but his anxiety makes navigating everyday challenges just a bit more difficult. Informed by his own childhood experiences with anxiety, Harrell approaches the topics of anxiety and OCD through a lens of humor and compassion in Andrew's distinctive, entertaining voice, which is complemented by his doodled "Anxiety Files"—mini-comics and illustrations relating to his anxiety. Readers who connected with Raina Telgemeier's Guts will appreciate this thoughtful story about managing anxiety delivered in an inviting, Wimpy Kid–like format.