
A parent would reach for this book when their teenager is struggling to cope with a sibling or family member's sudden mental health crisis or hospitalization. It is an essential resource for a child who feels they must hide a family secret or who feels guilty for being the healthy one. The story follows thirteen-year-old Cookie as she navigates the emotional fallout of her older sister's breakdown and diagnosis of manic depression on Christmas Eve. Written in accessible free-verse poetry, the book captures the raw, shifting emotions of adolescence, from intense shame and fear to deep love and eventual hope. It is highly appropriate for middle and high schoolers, offering a mirror for their own confusing feelings. Parents might choose this to break the silence around mental illness in the home, providing a safe way to show their child that their feelings of anger and embarrassment are normal and valid.
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Sign in to write a reviewThe initial breakdown and descriptions of the psychiatric ward can be unsettling.
Cookie feels guilt for being 'normal' and for being embarrassed by her sister.
The book deals directly and realistically with mental illness, specifically manic depression (bipolar disorder). The approach is secular and raw, based on the author's personal history. The resolution is hopeful but realistic: the sister returns home, but the family understands that management is an ongoing process.
A middle or high school student who feels isolated by a family member's illness. This is for the child who is 'holding it all together' but needs permission to feel angry or embarrassed by their circumstances.
Parents should be aware of the descriptions of the sister's erratic behavior and the clinical setting of the mental hospital. It is helpful to read this alongside the child to discuss the specific diagnosis mentioned. A parent might see their child becoming withdrawn or obsessive about their own health following a family member's diagnosis. The trigger is often the child's refusal to talk about what is happening at home.
Younger teens (12-14) will relate to the social anxiety and school-based shame Cookie feels. Older teens (15-18) will better appreciate the poetic craft and the complex nuances of the sisterly bond.
Unlike many clinical books about mental health, this is written in verse, which makes the heavy subject matter feel breathable and fast-paced while maintaining emotional depth.
Cookie is a thirteen-year-old whose world is shattered when her older sister, whom she idolizes, suffers a psychotic break on Christmas Eve. The novel, written in verse, tracks Cookie's year of adjustment as her sister is institutionalized and diagnosed with manic depression. Cookie deals with the stigma at school, the tension at home, and her own fear that she might be 'going crazy' too.
This overview was generated by AI based on the book's content and reviews, and may not capture every nuance.