★ “Josie Martinez has been dealing with mental health struggles. . . . She [also] must contend with Hal, a smelly goat who is a bully and an unwanted house guest. Josie’s therapist works Hal into her healing process, likening her OCD to her very own internal bully. With the help of her therapist and a new friend, Josie works on standing up to the bully in her brain. Josie’s story challenges many stereotypes of OCD and introduces the actual definition of the condition, as well as some examples of how an OCD brain works. Jo, her Dad, and some other characters are often shown trying to find humor in heavy situations, which is endearing and feels realistic. Award-winning author Braden succeeds at deftly handling a necessary story for tweens with difficult subject matter. . . . An original and effective story for all collections that delivers a nuanced perspective on OCD and highlights the relevant topic of young people’s mental health; a must-buy for all collections.” —School Library Journal, starred review
“Josie (Jo) Martinez is convinced that if she isn’t the kindest person or the perfect best friend, terrible things will happen and she’ll deserve to be punished. When Jo can’t choose sides in her friends’ argument, her guilt compels her to self-harm. She’s admitted to Bryce Haven Psychiatric Hospital, where she discovers she has OCD—a diagnosis she initially resists. . . . At home she must contend with Hal, the smelly goat her dad is taking care of . . . who bullies animals and humans alike. When Jo’s new therapist invites her to envision her brain being ‘hijacked by a bully of a goat called OCD,’ she wonders: Can standing up to Hal help her confront her illness? Braden’s portrayal of OCD and its treatment is thorough and enlightening. Jo’s fears and self-recrimination are viscerally conveyed, including thoughts and acts of self-harm; readers experiencing similar struggles will appreciate the mental health resources included in the author’s note. Importantly, Jo is more than her OCD; flashes of humor and her passion for art and crafting shine through. Jo is surrounded by heartwarmingly supportive secondary characters, and readers will cheer her gradual progress. . . . Painful, insightful, and hopeful.” —Kirkus Reviews
“A middle schooler navigates her recently diagnosed obsessive-compulsive disorder in this affirming story. . . . Josie Martinez constantly worries that she’s a bad person. When intrusive thoughts prompt self-harm, Jo’s single father admits her to Upstate New York’s Bryce Haven Psychiatric Hospital for treatment. There, she learns that she has OCD, and that it’s been exacerbating her already overwhelming feelings of anxiety and depression. . . . She loathes the thought of returning to life outside the hospital, especially after Dad agrees to care for Hal, a family friend’s antagonistic goat. But with support from Phoebe, Dad, and her therapist, Jo determines to stand up to corporeal goat Hal and the ‘giant bully of a goat called OCD.’ Lucid metaphor unspools across short chapters, conveyed via Jo’s self-effacing yet increasingly assured first-person POV. The result is a brief and empowering look at one girl’s managing mental health challenges.” —Publishers Weekly
“Jo’s OCD causes her to put others’ wants before her own and strive for an unobtainable perfection, and the constant struggle and mental noise convince her she is an unlovable person deserving of punishment. . . . When Jo relates the story of an evil goat named Hal, Rayna has the brilliant idea to personify Jo’s OCD as an inner Hal, a bully Jo can stand up to. Through short, fast-paced chapters, Jo accepts her diagnosis, learns coping techniques and boundaries to keep her inner Hal quiet, and begins to rediscover the version of herself that was buried under the OCD. . . . This hopeful and balanced depiction of mental illness and treatment is informative and realistic without ever feeling clinical.” —Booklist
