Friday, February 4, 2011

A Window Into Teen Depression

I liked this YA title because it is a non-depressing book about depression. Anyone who has ever struggled with depression, knows anyone who has had depression, or who would like to understand teen depression might want to consider reading this book. The author, Ned Vizzini, actually wrote It's Kind of a Funny Story in a little less than a month after his own stint in a psychiatric hospital. In the beginning of the novel we are introduced to Craig Gilner, a suicidal teenager who checks himself into a mental hospital after planning to jump off the Brooklyn Bridge. Due to renovations in the teenage ward, Craig is placed into the adult wing of the hospital. It's an unlikely scenario, true, but the relationships that Craig builds with the other patients help him to find his own balance and, ultimately, give him hope for a healthier and happier future. It has also been made into a movie starring Zach Galifianakis, Lauren Graham, Emma Roberts and Zoe Kravitz. 4 out of 4 Bananas!

No comments: