In Get Well Soon, by Julie Halpern, Anna Bloom, the protagonist, is a depressed 16-year-old whose parents
have put her in a mental institution alongside a slew of other troubled
teenagers. She meets a secretive roommate named Sally, and a handsome, bashful boy
who may or may not like her. While in the Loony Bin, as Anna calls it, she ends
up making friends, reducing weight and does not have a single panic attack
throughout her visit.This book is a lighthearted story about mental health and how mentally healthy can someone be. Julie Halpern delivers viewers a warm, appealing offering, a never-didactic message about emotional growth and psychic healing. It also has a very wholesome blooming relationship between Anna and her mental hospital crush. The book has a certain youthful tenderness to it. Halpern weaves a story that portrays Anna's evolving personality over time, complete with self-reflection and some mild humor. I would definitely recommend this story to any person that feels alone or has a terrible body image. Anna's mental journey will show you that you are not alone and that there are always people who care about you.
Reviewed by Juniper Austen, Grade 9
Glendale Central Library
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