Recommendation: The Phoenix Dance

The Phoenix Dance by Dia Calhoun
(Click here to find a library copy.)

Recommendation by Eliza
Should we keep it?  YES
Why?  It helpfully potrays the difficulties of psychologial illness and coming to terms with medication in a sensitive way.  It is a unique treasure.

This book was part of the Last Call book display in the teen section during November and December. Thanks to everyone who participated!

Book Review: Mad Love

Mad Love by Suzanne Selfors
Review by Nikki
(Click here to find a library copy.)

SUMMARY:  Mad Love is about a 16-year-old girl named Alice Amorous who has to deal with many problems caused by her mentally-ill mother.  Her mother just happens to be the Queen of Romance, and Alice is stuck replying to fan letters, forging her mom's signature, and telling lies to her publisher.  One day, Alice gets a letter from her mother's publisher saying that they need her next book or they will take away the money they advanced to her.  Unfortunately, if Alice doesn't think of a way to write the book, the world will know that the Queen of Romance has a mental illness.  During one of the interviews Alice is covering for her mother, she meets a boy named Errol.  Errol claims he is cupid, and that he is going to die soon.  Errol tries to get Alice to write his story by shooting her with love arrows and causing problems.  Is this the opportunity Alice needs, or is it more than she can handle?

OPINION:  The book didn't really have anything heavy, so it was a nice, light read.  The book had some humor in it and didn't drag a lot.  It also wasn't like a regular romance novel because it had a little bit of everything in it.  Overall, I think the book was pretty good and would be a good book to get for the library.

New Mental Health Books

We just cataloged a new set of books dealing with various mental health issues for the teen nonfiction section. These are not your typical reference books for school reports, though. They are memoirs combined with information, and are presented in such a way that you can actually read them cover-to-cover. Read these books if someone you know is experiencing a mental health issue or if you are just curious about how someone else dealt with their problems.

• Next to Nothing: A Firsthand Account of One Teenager's Experience with an Eating Disorder by Carrie Arnold
• What You Must Think of Me: A Firsthand Account of One Teenager's Experience with Social Anxiety Disorder by Emily Ford
• Monochrome Days: A Firsthand Account of One Teenager's Experience with Depression by Cait Irwin
• Mind Race: A First-Hand Account of One Teenager's Experience with Bipolar Disorder by Patrick E. Jamieson
• The Thought that Counts: A Firsthand Account of One Teenager's Experience with Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder by Jared Douglas Kant
• Chasing the High: A Firsthand Account of One Young Person's Experience with Substance Abuse by Kyle Keegan
• Eight Stories Up: An Adolescent Chooses Hope Over Suicide by DeQuincy A. Lezine
• Me, Myself, and Them: A Firsthand Account of One Young Person's Experience with Schizophrenia by Kurt Snyder

These books were published by the Adolescent Mental Health Intiative of the Annenberg Foundation Trust at Sunnylands. Visit their teen mental health website at http://copecaredeal.org/