Book Review: Popcorn by Rob Harrell

Publisher’s description

The beloved author of Wink is back with a hilarious and moving story about coping with anxiety on a day when everything is going wrong

Andrew’s just trying to make it through Picture Day, which is easier said than done when it seems like the whole world is out to get him—from a bully to a science experiment gone wrong to a someone else’s juice snot (don’t ask).

But as Andrew goes through the school day, and as one thing after another goes wrong, that little kernel of worry in his stomach is getting hotter and hotter, until it threatens to pop and turn into a public panic attack, his worst fear. He tries to keep his anxiety at bay, but the news that his grandmother with Alzheimer’s is missing is too much.

Interspersed with humorous spot art and “anxiety file” panels that depict the real, difficult feelings of anxiety and OCD and real tips for coping, this is a poignant, personal, and laugh-out-loud funny story about letting go of control and accepting help—all while trying to get the perfect school picture.

Amanda’s thoughts

My TLT calendar has a lot of book reviews scheduled, so now would be a good time for me to remind you that I generally only review things I like. I get a ton of books to consider for review and don’t have time to read or talk about even mediocre things, and unless something seems actively harmful or egregiously wrong, I’m not going to talk about a book I don’t like, mostly because I don’t spend my time reading things that don’t grab me. So if you’re like, this person really just looooves all the books she reads, it’s not that I’m not a critical reader or that I love every single book in existence. I just like to share what’s good to me. So. Yes. I loved this book.

There’s a lot to recommend this book. It takes place in one day, which is a good hook and is something the author is able to pull off well—the pacing never feels wrong nor does the day feel endless. It’s filled with illustrations, including some that our main character, Andrew, creates. Again, harping on something it’s entirely possible you’re sick of me mentioning, but for today’s readers who are going up on Wimpy Kid and graphic novels, adding in some graphic element is only going to help draw in readers. The book is a great mix of funny and full of heart. Andrew has some pretty constant anxiety, including panic attacks, and OCD. You know me: I love a story that address mental health in frank ways and normalizes all of the help that a person can get. Andrew attends therapy sessions and, when he was a panic attack at school, is surprised to find his art teacher also lives with and manages anxiety, panic attacks, and depression.

That’s all a constant thread—the mental health stuff—but the bigger part of the story is that Andrew is having The Worst Day Ever. Like, think of every awful disaster that could befall a middle schooler on picture day, and it happens to poor Andrew. He’s bullied, juice sneezed on, knocked in the face with a basketball, the victim of a rogue ketchup experiment, and so much more. It’s a bad day, especially for a fastidious kid who just wanted to look pristine for his school picture. Also, on this bad day, his grandma, who has Alzheimers and lives with Andrew and his mom, goes missing while his best friend’s mom is watching her. It’s an anxiety nightmare.

Fortunately, there are a lot of good people in his corner who are there to help and support him. The story intermixes some of Andrew’s therapy appointments in the narrative, showing us the work he has done to learn to manage his anxiety and some of the coping skills he’s learned and employs on this bad day. And make no mistake—it’s actually a very bad, rather traumatic day. And Harrell manages to keep having these mostly ridiculous things happen to Andrew while maintaining the seriousness and sympathy.

Readers will appreciate Andrew’s school picture at the end of the book, where he has survived and embraced the bad day, but will also certainly hope that this day was a one-off and that the rest of his middle school days are less eventful. Smart, empathetic, and really well done. A great read.

Review copy courtesy of the publisher

ISBN-13: 9780593697924
Publisher: Penguin Young Readers Group
Publication date: 09/03/2024
Age Range: 9 – 12 Years

Filed under: Book Reviews