All the Things That Could Go Wrong

Gr 4–7—Sixth grader Alex has a lot of worries, and his fear of people dying tops each of the "worry lists" his doctor suggests he write. Alex has obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). He is terrified of germs, so he hesitates when it comes to touching things that might be dirty, going outside, and being around others. Alex's behavior puzzles his classmates, and while his parents and teachers are frustrated, they try to help him cope. Alex's schoolmate Dan is hurt and angry about his brother's arrest and sentence to a detention home. Bullying boys like Alex makes Dan feel like he has control over something in his life. Forced by their parents to work together to build a raft, the two slowly form a bond. Although Dan begins to feel guilty about things he has done to Alex at school, Dan is afraid his "friends" Sophie, George C., and George W. will turn on him if he tries to stop their behavior. Written in first-person perspectives, alternating chapters movingly present Dan's and Alex's feelings about the problems they are facing. With Dan in particular, clues about his life are given out slowly, allowing readers to understand what is motivating his negative behavior. Honest and painful, this book is not always easy to read, but its characterizations and settings are vivid and powerful.