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kelly_e's review
emotional
hopeful
informative
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Complicated
4.0
Title: Buzzing
Author: Samuel Sattin
Illustrator: Rye Hickman
Genre: Middle Grade Graphic Novel
Rating: 4.00
Pub Date: July 18 2023
T H R E E • W O R D S
Genuine • Informative • Hopeful
📖 S Y N O P S I S
Isaac Itkin can't get away from his thoughts.
As a lonely twelve-year-old kid with Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD), everything from studying to looking in the mirror becomes a battle between him and a swarm of unhelpful thoughts.
The strict therapy his mother insists on doesn't seem to be working, but when a group of friends invites him to join their after-school role-playing game, the thoughts feel a little less loud, and the world feels a little brighter.
But Isaac's therapist says that exposure to games can have negative effects on kids with OCD, and when his grades slip, his helicopter mother won't let him play anymore. Now Isaac needs to find a way to prove to himself, to his mother, and to the world that the way to quiet the noise in his head may have been inside him all along.
💭 T H O U G H T S
I checked Buzzing out at my local library on a whim after my middle school aged niece asked me for some graphic novel recommendations. I honestly didn't know anything about it before I started reading and after finishing I am really surprised I haven't seen this book in more places.
The graphic novel format (the combination of word and graphics) really allowed the portrait of OCD and the idea behind this story to shine. Using the buzzing for bees as a metaphor for the intrusive, obsessive, and unwanted thought was spot on. The familial dynamics and helicopter parenting also felt genuine and relatable. And yet, this story goes deeper and is about friendship, belonging, and learning to trust ourselves despite what our brains may be telling us. It's about finding the people and things that bring comfort and joy into our lives. And not necessarily doing what everyone else is doing if causes us more harm than good.
Overall, Buzzing is definitely a book I'd recommend to middle schoolers and parents alike, especially those with OCD and/or anxiety disorders, but also to those who don't so they can get a better idea of what living with these illnesses can be like and offer more empathy and compassion.
📚 R E A D • I F • Y O U • L I K E
• mental health rep
• stories about finding ones place in the world
⚠️ CW: mental illness, panic attacks/disorders, ableism, bullying, toxic relationship, body shaming, chronic illness
🔖 <b>F A V O U R I T E • Q U O T E S</b>
"When someone really care about you, I think they see the best version of who you are or can be."
Author: Samuel Sattin
Illustrator: Rye Hickman
Genre: Middle Grade Graphic Novel
Rating: 4.00
Pub Date: July 18 2023
T H R E E • W O R D S
Genuine • Informative • Hopeful
📖 S Y N O P S I S
Isaac Itkin can't get away from his thoughts.
As a lonely twelve-year-old kid with Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD), everything from studying to looking in the mirror becomes a battle between him and a swarm of unhelpful thoughts.
The strict therapy his mother insists on doesn't seem to be working, but when a group of friends invites him to join their after-school role-playing game, the thoughts feel a little less loud, and the world feels a little brighter.
But Isaac's therapist says that exposure to games can have negative effects on kids with OCD, and when his grades slip, his helicopter mother won't let him play anymore. Now Isaac needs to find a way to prove to himself, to his mother, and to the world that the way to quiet the noise in his head may have been inside him all along.
💭 T H O U G H T S
I checked Buzzing out at my local library on a whim after my middle school aged niece asked me for some graphic novel recommendations. I honestly didn't know anything about it before I started reading and after finishing I am really surprised I haven't seen this book in more places.
The graphic novel format (the combination of word and graphics) really allowed the portrait of OCD and the idea behind this story to shine. Using the buzzing for bees as a metaphor for the intrusive, obsessive, and unwanted thought was spot on. The familial dynamics and helicopter parenting also felt genuine and relatable. And yet, this story goes deeper and is about friendship, belonging, and learning to trust ourselves despite what our brains may be telling us. It's about finding the people and things that bring comfort and joy into our lives. And not necessarily doing what everyone else is doing if causes us more harm than good.
Overall, Buzzing is definitely a book I'd recommend to middle schoolers and parents alike, especially those with OCD and/or anxiety disorders, but also to those who don't so they can get a better idea of what living with these illnesses can be like and offer more empathy and compassion.
📚 R E A D • I F • Y O U • L I K E
• mental health rep
• stories about finding ones place in the world
⚠️ CW: mental illness, panic attacks/disorders, ableism, bullying, toxic relationship, body shaming, chronic illness
🔖 <b>F A V O U R I T E • Q U O T E S</b>
"When someone really care about you, I think they see the best version of who you are or can be."
Content Warnings
Graphic: Mental illness and Panic attacks/disorders
Moderate: Ableism, Body shaming, Bullying, Chronic illness, and Toxic relationship
lettuce_read's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Ableism, Bullying, Mental illness, Toxic relationship, and Murder