Description
Anna Bloom is depressed -- so depressed that her parents have committed her to a mental hospital with a bunch of other messed-up teens. Here she meets a roommate with a secret (and a plastic baby), a doctor who focuses way too much on her weight, and a cute, shy boy who just might like her.
But wait! Being trapped in a loony bin isn't supposed to be about making friends, losing weight, and having a crush, is it?
Get Well Soon, Julie Halpern's fiction debut, finds humor in the unlikeliest of places, and presents a character whose voice -- and heart -- will resonate with all of us who have ever felt just a little bit crazy.
About the Author
Julie Halpern is the author of several books for young adults, including Meant to Be, Get Well Soon, and The F-It List; the adult novel Maternity Leave; and the picture book Toby and the Snowflakes. Prior to her life as a full-time mom and author, Julie was a school librarian. In her imaginary spare time, she enjoys traveling, watching television for grown-ups, and eating baked goods. Julie lives in the Chicago suburbs with her husband, Caldecott-winning author and illustrator Matthew Cordell, and their two children.
Praise For…
“I completely fell in love with Anna Bloom's voice--it's wry, romantic, and so, so true.” —Gabrielle Zevin, author of Elsewhere
“An upbeat story that offers a hype-free, realistic look inside a teen ward . . . As the novel progresses, readers will get a kick out of Anna's snarky sense of humor and her capacity for self-renewal.” —Publishers Weekly
“[Anna] is endearing as a caustic damsel in distress. With Anna down the hall, landing in the ‘loony bin' just might be a whole lot of fun.” —Chicago Tribune
“A funny novel about depression. That's the welcome, endearing product Julie Halpern offers readers . . . a never-didactic message about emotional growth and psychic healing.” —Kirkus Reviews Best Young-Adult Books 2007
“Debut author Halpern drew from her own teen experiences with depression, and Anne's voice, filled with spot-on musings, sarcasm, slang, and swearing, is uproariously funny and authentic . . . Many teens will connect with the vague anxiety that lands Anna in treatment as well as her subtle, realistic sense that her life is her own to value and shape.” —Booklist
“. . . funny, easygoing prose . . . an appealingly comic cousin of Carolyn Mackler's The Earth, My Butt, and Other Big Round Things.” —Kirkus Reviews
“There is a lovely sweetness in the blooming relationship between Anna and Justin . . . Halpern creates a narrative that reflects the changes in Anna with each passing day that includes self-reflection and a good dose of humor. Readers will cheer for Anna as she gains confidence in herself, dares to rebel a little, and gets well as she goes back to her life.” —VOYA