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Publisher: Delacorte
Books for Young Readers
Pub. Date: August 26, 2008
ISBN-13: 978-0385735421
176pp
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“I’m like a bug under a freakin microscope in here.” Dora said.
She reminded my mom about the sandwich.
We stood up. My mother hugged Dora; my father kissed her.
“Little El, what the heck are
you doin over there?”
Dora asked.
I walked towards her and she
reeled me in and held on to me tightly, her bony arms a collar around my
neck. “Do me a favor” she asked, with
her mouth by my ear.
“Sure.” I said “name it.”
“Save
Black Box by Julie Schumaucher
should be assigned reading for anyone that has a close relative who suffers
from depression. Schumacher manages to
capture, in a quiet and anguished way, Elena’s feelings of guilt and
helplessness as she watches her older sister, Dora, go through a mental
illness. Elena and Dora are so close
they have always shared everything. The year that Elena begins her Freshman year and Dora is a Junior, Dora starts sleeping too
much, losing weight, and then one day tries to kill herself with pills. Their
parents, desperate to help her, admit her into the psych ward at the hospital.
Eventually, Dora is released but uses her bond with Elena to get her to keep
secrets that may endanger her recovery.
Elena, feeling desperate, begins to take it upon herself to be her
sisters “black box”, by trying to watch her every move. Unfortunately, it may take a tragedy for
Elena to figure out what to do.
Black Box is a short novella at only 176 pages, but the emotional impact from
reading it will last a lot longer. Julie
Schumacher truly captured the other side of depression and the way she did it
through Elena’s eyes is heartbreaking.
There are some wonderful lessons here for young people to learn from
reading Black Box and adults will be
able to use Black Box for some great
discussions with teens about depression.
Book Room Grade
B
Review Posted: August 25, 2008
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