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A look at teenage depression from a writer who has been there.

Fifteen year old Craig worked himself to the bone to get into an exclusive New York City prep school, and once there, he finds himself folding under the stress. Soon he is taking drugs, both prescription and otherwise, to cope. Late one night, he calls a suicide hotline and takes the advice to check himself into a hospital.

The bulk of the book is Craig’s five day stay in an adult psychiatric ward, where he meets unusual people, finds his artistic side, and meets a girl. It’s hard to believe that all this happens in just five days, but I’d imagine a hospital has a way of distorting time. Craig is very matter of fact about his depression in a way that I found unrealistic, but readable and informative, especially to teens who might be suffering from depression themselves or who know someone who is. I can see this book helping people to understand what it’s like.

This is a readable novel about an important subject.

Similar Books: Getting the Girl by Markus Zuzak

Keywords: Depression, Suicide Attempts, Psychiatric Care, Mental Illness, Teens, Hospitals, Therapy, Zoloft, Stress, Private Schools, Art