Terrie
Review for The Unlikely Hero of Room 13B
by Theresa Toten
As if divorced parents, hoarding,
and a needy, younger step-brother named Sweetie aren’t enough, Adam is an OCD teenager
who has just fallen in love. Adam’s
slightly older new love has just joined his motley and sometimes humorous support
group for teens with OCD. Adam’s primary goal is to grow and then get better
fast so he has a chance with Robyn. When the others in the OCD group choose
superhero alter egos, Adam has named himself Batman, and Robyn chose “Robin” in
support of Adam. In the midst of all his daily stresses, counting, tapping and
other behaviors, Adam’s mother begins to receive horrible letters encouraging
her to do away with herself. Where Adam
sees himself as severely damaged and almost hopeless, his group, friends and
family see him as a superhero in truth, rather than just in name.
Toten has brought OCD to the front burner with compassion and honesty. She portrays the life of this teenaged boy
and his friends in a way that is painful, awkward, compelling and bittersweet.
As Adam/Batman finds himself through the group, he conversely finds that his
priority isn’t himself. This author doesn’t hit OCD with a glancing blow, but
with a direct hit. The reader will
laugh, cringe, laugh again, and ache as the story progresses. What Toten makes sure we can’t do, is forget
Adam; who he is and who he becomes. This story would be a good fit for upper
middle school through adults.
Bibliography
Toten, T. (2015). The Unlikely Hero of Room 13B.
New York: Delacorte Press.
Resources for teens and families of teens with OCD
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