When Pan is 10, he begins having thoughts that he can't control. What if he accidentally swears loudly in church? What if he doesn't get his prayers JUST right? As he gets older, his thoughts and urges change. Will his siblings die if he doesn't run up the stairs? How long will his nighttime routine take? What if photos of Pamela Anderson somehow show up in his pile of homework? Is there something wrong with him? Is he dying?

At first, Pan begins to wonder if the devil has possessed him or if he's just missing some piece of himself that everyone else seems to have. Finally, he puts the pieces together and learns that he has OCD.

This graphic memoir is an excellent look at how OCD can affect an individual and how it often takes years for them to get the help that they need.

What worked for me: Cooke's story helped me to better understand what someone living with OCD might be going through in an easy-to-understand way. This story could also be effective in helping people learn about OCD and potentially reach out for help earlier.

This graphic memoir was so well done from Pan Cooke. Detailing his journey throughout his childhood struggling with OCD and not having the vocabulary to describe it, I really enjoyed the way he weaved the puzzle metaphor throughout. I have never read a graphic memoir about someone's experience with OCD and I really appreciated him sharing how everyone's experience is different and there are many assumptions in media regarding the disorder that are not necessarily accurate. I really enjoyed this one and will be recommending it to my audience. Looking forward to future works from Pan Cooke.

Thank you NetGalley and Penguin Young Readers Group for an ARC of this fantastic graphic novel!

Puzzled: A Memoir about Growing Up with OCD is a graphic novel memoir written by Pan Cooke that allows readers to go into the mind of Cooke as he grows up, attempting to find a balance between being a teenager and dealing with anxious, often intrusive thoughts, As he becomes older, he finds that his thoughts are often paired or replaced by compulsive rituals.

Cooke did such a great job at telling his story throughout this graphic novel. It was told in a captivating and understandable fashion that younger readers would be able to connect with. I enjoyed his use of metaphors, particularly the reoccurring puzzle metaphor that gives audiences an easy way to see how Cooke reflects on his OCD symptoms. I was also happy to see that Cooke addressed the stereotypes that are often attached to OCD.

I will say that I wish we had been able to spend more time learning about the tools and skills Cooke learned while in therapy. For those who are unsure of what therapy looks like, it could be beneficial to see how OCD can be addressed in sessions.

Overall, I think this is a great book that shows a realistic view of someone growing up with OCD. I would love to own a physical copy of this one to use in my practice.

Puzzled was a really thorough and insightful look at one boy's journey with OCD. I appreciated the internal thoughts and showing how scary OCD can be. It also showed the many ways it can manifest (it's not all cleaning!) Great drawings, easy to read text. A must read.

This graphic novel memoir portrays the author's struggles with OCD as a kid. The story is compelling and also touches on multiple other issues, such as peer pressure, friend drama, and disordered eating. The author is very vulnerable and honest, and I really appreciate how well he portrays the experience of struggling with intrusive thoughts, pondering philosophical questions about what's causing them, and trying to hide compulsions and act normal.

I really enjoyed this. The ending is a little bit abrupt, and I think that this would be even better if the story had dramatized some of the author's healing process, instead of just showing him starting therapy. Still, I appreciate the portrayal of how he started getting help, and the additional information shared here about OCD.

This book is appropriate for a broad age range, and I would highly recommend this to kids and adults who can relate to the author's experiences, and to people who are interested in mental health memoirs.

Puzzled is a graphic memoir about growing up with OCD. Pan Cooke illustrates the earliest moments in his life when he felt his life was being undermined by intrusive thoughts as a child. Throughout the years, he shows candidly his struggles without being able to identify the cause of the way he felt. It is an insightful and powerful memoir that provides insight into obsessive-compulsive disorders. Among the topics discussed in this graphic memoir are mental health, eating disorders, bullying, peer pressure, anxiety, and obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD).

This was a very emotional book for me to read. As someone with untreated ocd, this book made me cry. It made me think that maybe I should try harder to find a good therapist. Maybe there is hope after all. Maybe.

Puzzled is going to be a great book for so many students. Pan’s story might be what a student needs to realize they need help, too. It is also a great book for others to understand OCD as well.

I loved this graphic novel, both text and pictures. The graphic depiction of Pan's intrusive thoughts add to the suffocating feeling he is feeling with them. Meanwhile, the text shows how he masks his internal thoughts. For someone who has not experienced this level of intrusive thoughts (because haven't all of us had SOME of those?), this is a great book to help build empathy for that daily struggle. I was especially struck by Pan's counselor telling him that most people wait 11 years before seeking help, and was left hoping that maybe this will be the impetus for a reader to get help a little earlier than that.