OCD, the Dude, and Me

In Vaughn's debut novel, journal entries, e-mails, and essays written for school document Danielle's senior year, offering readers a protagonist with a wicked sense of humor and a barrel of insecurities. Danielle has OCD, no friends, and a hopeless crush on popular jock Jacob. On the plus side, she has a supportive family, a passion for literature, and an English teacher who gets her the help she needs. After reading Danielle's sarcastic, self-mocking essays, Ms. Harrison sends her to the school therapist, who sends her to a social skills class, where she makes friends with Daniel (she asks if she's his fag hag and he replies, "No...you are my first fruit fly!"); Daniel soon introduces her to the cult film The Big Lebowski and its credo of "takin' 'er easy." She also makes a new friend on the class trip to London when she and elderly tour guide Justine decide to be pen pals (a lovely intergenerational friendship that burdens the story just a bit but fits well with Danielle's obsession with Harold and Maude). Slowly, readers will pick up on hints Danielle drops about a traumatic event in her past she is no longer able to ignore; with everyone's help, she pulls through. A fantastic prom (she takes Daniel), a bonding road trip to Lebowski Fest, and an emotional graduation -- and all ends superbly, the feel-good conclusion swelling with such happiness that readers will forgive the novel for its overabundances. jennifer m. brabander