 | Ariel crashes a train Author: Cole, Olivia A. | |
| Price: $11.47 | ||
Summary:
Ariel grapples with her fear of her own mind and violent fantasies, driven by her desire to meet her parents' expectations and societal norms, until a summer job at a carnival leads her to new friends who help her discover her struggle with Obsessive Compulsive Disorder and find acceptance and support for her true self.
Reviews:
Kirkus Reviews (+) (01/01/24)
School Library Journal (+) (00/02/24)
Booklist (+) (02/01/24)
The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books (00/02/24)
The Hornbook (00/05/24)
Full Text Reviews:
Booklist - 02/01/2024 *Starred Review* For as long as Ariel Burns can remember, she has had thoughts that are disturbing and violent in nature. For example, she has a vivid memory from when she was younger of watching a girl she had a crush on die at a softball game, and her first thought was how giving her CPR would be like kissing her. As she gets older, Ariel’s thoughts get more intrusive and troubling, and she finds herself completing rituals to stave off the “crocodile” in her head. With help from her friends and her sister, she discovers that she has obsessive-compulsive disorder. Ariel works to manage her diagnosis despite her father’s adamant insistence that she pray away her thoughts. Cole’s novel in verse is a poignant, raw masterpiece that unbraids the harmful stereotypes of not only mental illness but gender and racial identities as well. Within the book, Ariel’s friends are in various stages of self-discovery and healing, and they serve as both foils and advocates. It is through Ariel’s different relationships that a modern bildungsroman unfolds, perfectly portraying her journey of acceptance and agency. As usual, there is a searing vulnerability in Cole’s verses that stays with the reader long after they have finished the book, making this a necessary and important read. - Copyright 2024 Booklist.
