A teen activist wrestles with protest-related anxiety and PTSD. A socially anxious vampire learns he has to save his town by (gulp) working with people. As part of her teshuvah, a girl writes letters to the ex-boyfriend she still loves, revealing that her struggle with angry outbursts is related to PMDD. A boy sheds uncontrollable tears but finds that in doing so he’s helping to enable another’s healing. In this inspiring, unflinching, and hope-filled mixed-genre collection, sixteen diverse and notable authors draw on their own lived experiences with mental health conditions to create stunning works of fiction that will uplift and empower you, break your heart and stitch it back together stronger than before. Through powerful prose, verse, and graphics, the characters in this anthology defy stereotypes as they remind readers that living with a mental health condition doesn’t mean that you’re defined by it. Each story is followed by a note from its author to the reader, and comprehensive back matter includes bios for the contributors as well as a collection of relevant resources.
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Absolutely Normal
Absolutely extraordinary and necessary.
- Rita Willams-Garcia
New York Times
best-selling author and Newbery winner
(AB)SOLUTELY NORMAL is
Texas Library Association TAYSHAS State Reading List Selection
Children’s Book Council – Top 10 Teacher Favorites 2024
Children's Book Council - Librarian Favorites 2024
accolades
- Jennifer Niven, #1 New York Times best-selling author of All the Bright Places
"Ab(solutely) Normal is a beautiful, funny, honest, heart-aching, heart-affirming read, one I know I’ll go back to again and again. Sixteen extraordinary authors with one powerful message: you are enough, you are seen, you are not alone. Dear readers everywhere, you need this book!"
- School Library Journal
"The range of writing styles and techniques employed by notable authors about mental health makes this a strong addition to the shelves."
- Booklist
"All of the contributors have lived experiences with mental health, and a short blurb from each writer discusses these experiences. This collection will appeal to readers who are struggling with or interested in mental health, and prefer fiction that is written by someone who has been there."
- Publishers Weekly
"A timely fiction anthology about teens living with mental health challenges. . . Covering topics such as anxiety, depression, OCD, PTSD, and PMDD, this sensitive work authentically portrays its teen characters as complex beings whose positive relationships—with friends and family, and with their own mental health—exude hope."
- The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books
"In this uniquely informed collection, sixteen authors with personal experiences with mental health conditions and struggles offer short fiction that challenges stereotypes of what it means to be “normal” in an unforgiving world that still stigmatizes people. . . There is remarkable diversity within and beyond that shared theme: gender identity, sexuality, race, cultural identity, diagnoses and treatment, and varying access to support and resources . . . Vulnerable, personal author notes after each story, a compelling and urgent introduction, and a sturdy list of mental health resources provide context and support."
- John Schu, People
Next Book
"I spent almost 2 years in and out of residential treatment centers for anorexia, nervosa, obsessive, compulsive disorder, anxiety, and depression in the 90s. I’m not exaggerating when I write that this collection of stories by 16 extraordinary authors will save lives. It breaks down stereotypes. It is extraordinary."
-A.S. King, two-time winner of the Michael L. Printz Award Winner
"Adults take note: this book is for you. Teens take note: this book is for you. I highly recommend it."
