Chick: Lister

A teen’s mechanism for relieving stress sets him apart in this thoughtful entry in the Orca Currents line, written at a second-grade reading level. Most kids at school know 14-year-old Chick as smart, funny, and popular. What they don’t see is his paralyzing anxiety, especially when he’s facing his father’s high expectations. Chick copes by making lists—reams and reams of them, which he locks in a desk drawer. Van Tol realistically depicts a down-to-earth protagonist and a family on the verge of change as Chick diagnoses himself with OCD. Chick’s lighthearted, supportive relationship with his girlfriend, along with his father’s emotional shifts, bring positive elements to this satisfying story. Ages 10–14. (Apr.)