There will be children who need to see and hear this book. This would be a must-have for lower elementary libraries or guidance officers' rooms.

Insightful and educational book. Information is done well with words and illistrations. Good illistrations. Read with your kids! Would recommend this book.

This was a good one for kids with OCD or those who have friends or family members with OCD. I have known a couple of people with it and it seems it can be quite debilitating. The author's explanation is simple enough for young kids; nothing about meds, nothing complicated. Good story. Liked the illustrations.

I think this book would be very helpful in discussion OCD with students. It is age appropriate, relatable story with great illustrations. I appreciated the diversity in the character illustrations. The story stresses that there are different approaches to dealing with OCD. Great addition to my counseling office. Thanks to Future Horizons for the ARC of this book via Net Galley.

Payton is a boy who begins obsessively cleaning, and can't figure out why. His parents take him to a doctor, where he finds out he has OCD. This book did a great job of introducing and explaining OCD to kids. It doesn't come off as scary, and I really appreciated the way it touches on different methods of treatment that someone might try. The author herself has OCD, which I think is really important for books like this to make sure things are authentic and not offensive. Highly recommend this for elementary school classrooms.

This is a great book for any young children that are suffering from OCD, it explains to them that they are not alone and also gives them hints and tips on how to try and deal with it and encourages them to speak to their parents about it - 4 stars

This is a story about a child who begins to show OCD traits. With help of brain doctors and new techniques, he will learn to combat his OCD, to shrink it away. I find the story is long, but simple enough to get it’s points across. My biggest complaint is the word layout on the pages. They have done double columns on multiple pages, and it just looks off.

This book is narrated by Payton, a small boy who is diagnosed with OCD (Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder).

He finds himself not wanting to go outside to play but staying cooped up inside his home cleaning his room, his toys, and his hands incessantly... over and over again. His mind dictates to him that he may get sick from all the dirt and germs surrounding him. This continual mind-attack keeps him in worry-mode. His OCD bosses him around all day and forces him to stay isolated from the things and people he loves because he feels he must constantly be fighting a war on dirt.

He is unable to understand his obsessive behaviour and pleads with his parents to help make it stop. He desperately wants to know what is happening to him. Wisely they take him to a family psychiatrist, Dr. LaBock, who is kind and understands exactly what Payton is experiencing.

The gentle knowledgeable doctor teaches Payton that he is not alone in this fight. Both he and Payton's loving family are there for support. He tells Payton that other kids have OCD also so he's not alone. He discusses his diagnosis with both Payton and his mother and gives them strategies to help fight, control and conquer this daily battle of what is going on inside of him.

The author is very qualified to deal with this topic as she too was diagnosed with OCD when she was very young and can relate to Payton's anguish and his desire to be healed.

The illustrations are expressive and colorful, enriching the author's message that she is conveying to her young readers. The story is very child-friendly and relatable to other children who may be suffering with OCD symptoms as well. This book is a wonderful tool to share and gives both child and parent an opportunity to discuss ways to support each other at such a time as this. A copy would be a wonderful addition to any classroom or elementary school library.

I really loved this book. It was really well illustrated and it represented OCD well. I think this book is good for both children with OCD so they can understand it more and realize they are not alone. It is also helpful for children without OCD to learn about children who are different than them. While the story may not be the most gripping for children, it does a great job explaining OCD and what it is like. The illustrations are very catching though, so I think it is a good balance with such an informative story.

Much needed picture book on OCD aimed at the younger reader when OCD tendencies can be recognized early and effective strategies employed to help cope with / overcome the issues. Somewhat simplistic as is no doubt necessary for this age group.
Would have benefited from more extensive notes at the back geared at parents / teachers with resources, institutions aimed at helping sufferers.
One really annoying image though was him “washing in the bathtub” where he’s fully clothed. As he is in the kitchen. Not sure if this was meant to refer to the fact that OCD kids obsessively clean themselves or clean their environments- for my primary level students having him naked (its his top only) rather than clothed in the bath would be more realistic.

ARC provided by Netgalley

Synopsis:

Payton washes his hands and toys over and over. He straightens his room when it's already neat and tidy. When his dad asks why he is cleaning so much he answers, “I can’t stop cleaning.” Then he adds that he can’t stop thinking about how dirty everything is. He even has trouble playing baseball with his friend since the ball is bound to be dirty from bouncing on the ground. Hugging his mom he shares that he doesn’t know how to stop feeling the way he does. Because Payton’s parents are worried they take him to a psychiatrist. When Payton enters the office he wipes off a chair and waits for the doctor. Dr. LaBock diagnosis him as most likely having OCD (Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder) and gives the family some ideas of what might help.

Cons:

I was concerned about a couple sentences said by the doctor. 1) I heard there's somebody in your head bossing you around. 2) Does the thought ask you to do anything if you disobey it?

Pros:

I love the idea of books like this that help kids realize they are not alone with their problems. This book gives simple ideas that might help OCD children begin to understanding and gain some control over things they’d like to change.

Payton is a child overwhelmed with feelings of getting dirty. It’s keep him from playing and enjoying life. His parents decide to get him help from a psychiatrist, where he finds out he is not alone; that other kids have felt this way before, too. The doctor gives him strategies to work on at home with his parents, and in many ways, Payton improves. The illustrations were colorful and engaging. This book is a good starting point in supporting a child with OCD, especially the message of not being alone. I especially appreciated that the author had been diagnosed with OCD as a child herself and so she could relate deeply to what she was writing.

Thank you to Shanna Simpson, Future Horizons, and Netgalley, for the complimentary copy in exchange for a review.

An excellent additional to picture book nonfiction that I plan to integrate into my classroom in the future.

This is a very gentle book explaining to young children what OCD is, and how to deal with it.

The author was diagnosed with it, as a young child, so she knows from where she speaks.

This is told from the child's point of view, as well, so is very relatable to children.

The author, again, tells how she overcame OCD, so very relatable, and not clinical at all.

Recommend this to young children so they are not afraid of their diagnosous.

Thanks to Netgalley for making this book available for an honest review.

This is a children's book about Payton, a child with OCD (Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder).

The book is illustrated and describes Payton's behavior and how the OCD interferes with his regular activities. For example, instead of being outside playing baseball with his friends, Payton spends the time inside the house cleaning his toys over and over again.

In the story, Payton's parents take him to a psychiatrist that teaches him how to manage his compulsions and also informs parents how they can help their child.

Overall I enjoyed this story and think these type of books are important for children (and even adults), it helps them understand their behaviors and how they might cope with them in a healthy manner.

Thanks to NetGalley, the author, and the publisher for providing me with a copy of this publication in exchange for an honest review.

From lived experience, Shanna Simpson has crafted an insightful children's story that illuminates OCD from the mind of a child, and effectively captures the need for support to address mental health.