For many folks, the term obsessive-compulsive disorder conjures up images of excessive handwashing. In her memoir and author debut, Britz gives a compelling and very different view of the disorder as obsessive thoughts and compulsive rituals begin to take over her sophomore year of high school. It all starts with a dream that she is developing brain cancer. As her brain interprets it as a warning message, it also triggers a long series of irrational consequences. Stepping on a crack causes cancer, but taking a "safe" number of steps can negate it. Believing these thoughts are coming from a "protector," or even God, Britz is able to reconcile her nonsensical actions. But soon her protector denies her everyday items om pens and computers to cell phones and hairbrushes ward off potential cancer. The startling result leaves Britz drained, without friends, and failing in school. Although nonfiction, the memoir reads like a novel and keeps readers wanting to know more about the complexities of OCD. A hopeful ending chronicles her diagnosis and early treatment.

Can a girl fall off a cliff in s-l-o-w motion? That's how Allison's life seems to plummet during her sophomore year of high school in this fine debut memoir.After awakening from a terrible dream, Allison is abruptly afflicted with obsessive-compulsive disorder—although she doesn't truly understand the reason that she's suddenly associating commonplace objects and activities with brain cancer. First she has to avoid cracks in floors, but this rapidly devolves into restrictions on every aspect of her life—controlling her behavior, relationships, eating, sleeping, and personal hygiene, and completely derailing her ability to do well in school. Within weeks, she goes from being an excellent student positioned socially on the fringe of the popular group to a pariah who may fail her classes. That her obvious distress flies under the radar of her parents and teachers for so long is especially distressing. After her parents finally do intervene, she begins seeing a specialist whose treatment, combined with Allison's brave determination, makes all the difference. Depicted with affecting honesty (and including quite a lot of dialogue), Allison's journey is at once gripping and agonizing. Allison is white; her trials are a universal experience. Readers willing to share Allison's evident pain and humiliation may gain insight into a troubling disorder, but it's the joy of her slow recovery that they'll savor. (Memoir. 12-18)

Gr 8 Up-hen she was 15, Britz had the ideal life: straight-A's, a spot on the cross country team, loving parents, a core group of friends, and an amazing wardrobe. But a disturbing nightmare, in which she was diagnosed with brain cancer, convinced Britz that she was doomed. In order to escape such a fate, Britz began to avoid cracks, the color green, and pencils. Before long, her list of compulsions grew, and intrusive thoughts and "messages from God" overwhelmed her waking hours. Eventually Britz accepted the help her parents had so desperately wanted to provide. Diagnosed with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), Britz and her doctor worked hard to mitigate her obsessions. A lengthy memoir that reads like a novel, Britz's story starts at a slow pace and gains momentum as the severity of her condition increases. Readers will empathize with Britz, experiencing from her perspective the potential effects of OCD and cheering her along as she steadily improves. An ending note provides encouragement from the author along with a list of resources. VERDICT An important voice in the discussion of OCD, this book is a worthy addition to most teen memoir collections.Amy Reddy, Lewiston High School, ME