Worst-Case Collin

This was an interesting book. I liked the way the pages were not full of words, it helps struggling readers not to feel so overwhelmed. The book itself was interesting with Collin’s take on each page plus some of his worst case scenario tips. This book may be good for kids that are also struggling to read about another child who it going through his own struggles.

A book about a subject matter that is not all that common: hoarding. Narrated from a young boys point of view, we see the impact a life-changing event can have on a seemingly good family dynamic. The first person perspective enables us to see the internal battle Collin faces between coping with a life spiralling out of control and the need to protect the weakening family ties he has left with his father. Not only does Collin have to deal with the tragedies he faces in his home life, he also has to cope with school pressures, most notably the fact he is being bullied. The most ironic part of the book is the title. “Worst Case Collin” is constantly preparing for situations that will probably never occur, without actually realising that the worst case has, and is, already happening....

Worst-Case Collin is a story told by verse which covers various topics such as mental health and grief. Ever since his mother died, Collin carries a worst-case scenario handbook in which he writes instructions to follow in different situations like how to be prepared for a typhoon or being stuck on a riptide, these instructions are entwined with the poems. Collin’s father, instead, has developed a compulsive hoarding disorder which I think is handled in a good form.

Throughout the story we are able to see how Collin feels everything, going from missing his mother to being angry with his father and the situation they are living in. He only has a few safe spaces where he goes to avoid being in his home, he also wants to do something to make things better but is scared of what might happen to him if he does seek for help.

He has two friends, Liam and Georgia, whom I think are the best and always stand out every time Collin needs help, I really liked their friendship. Also, Liam’s mom was so sweet to Collin, she was making sure he knew he could turn to her to ask for help.

I also liked how the author portrayed Collin’s father disorder, saying that it wasn’t something that could be solved overnight and that he still needed help to recover.

Finally, one of the things I enjoyed the most about this book, was how I could empathize with Collin and all the things he was feeling, I think the author made a good job at showing Collin’s emotions.

Thanks to NetGalley for the eARC of Worst-Case Collin by Rebecca Caprara. I was intrigued by this book in verse from beginning to end. Collin, a 12-year old whose mother died in a fluke car crash two years ago, believes in being prepared for any type of catastrophe including avalanches (despite living in the desert). He keeps a special notebook of potential catastrophes and how to survive them, which he also memorizes, realizing he won't be able to reference his notebook if a real catastrophe arises.

Collin's father, a genius mathematician, deals with his grief differently, by becoming a hoarder. Collin struggles with how to deal with this and how to hide it from his two best friends, Liam and Georgia. Additionally, there is a class bully, Tyson, who causes a lot of pain for Collin.

I was fascinated with the in-depth look at the hoarding disorder the father has and how it affected Collin, as well as the anxiety disorder Collin has. I hope this book opens up conversations about mental health as they are so needed in this world. I highly recommend this book.

I enjoyed this book and think my students will also. Love that it is wrote in verse. My students have been loving reading books wrote in verse so this will be a hit!

When I heard the book was set in Arizona, I jumped to read it! And then I fell deep into the book. It is so good, although your heart is going to ache. As a teacher, I continue to wonder what my students are dealing with at home. I hope nothing like what Collin is living with, but I have a feeling this is more common than we would assume.

Worst-Case Collin is an emotional story about grieving. Collin has had to experience more than most at his age. He lost his mom in a tragically and unexpectedly. Collin and his dad have had to cope with her loss in different ways. Collin has a book where he records what to do in worst-case scenarios. His dad is coping with the loss by hoarding. This novel in verse book packs an emotional punch. We get to know so much about Collin - his hopes, worries, and thoughts. This story will lead to wonderful conversations about grief, anxiety, and OCD. I would recommend this story to others.

Thank you to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for an arc in exchange for an honest review.

Collin’s mum died two years ago in a car accident, and since then he carries around a bright-orange notebook with instructions for what to do in case of various emergencies. His dad is a brilliant mathematician, but struggles with his emotions and with basic parental responsibilities – he just keeps adding more and more stuff in the house and doesn’t realise how ‘the blob’ impacts Collin. Collin has wonderful friends: Liam, who is always joking and usually in trouble, and whose mum is deeply empathetic; and Georgia, a talented diver who like Liam is fiercely protective of Collin. But he also has to face Before & After, bullies, and the deep shame of what is happening to the house and his life due to his father’s hoarding.

This is a beautifully written book which explores themes linked to grief, compulsive hoarding disorder, neglect and mental illness – but it also has lighter moments, interesting survival strategies (linked to the narrative) and heartwarming friendships.

It is also a verse novel. I’m a big fan of verse novels because of their emotional potency, but also because they appeal to reluctant and struggling readers; I have seen students’ attitudes to reading transformed through verse novels – often the first book they have finished in years. Here is an example from Worst-Case Collin of how just a few words can carry a punch:

2 is a prime number.
2 is the number of years
that have passed since Before became After.
2 is the number of cars
that collided on the bridge.
2 is the number of states separated by the river that runs under the
bridge.
2 is the number of minutes
it took emergency responders to break the window.
2 is too many.
2 is the number of people
left in our home now that Mom is gone.
2 is not enough.

I recommend this poignant, deeply empathetic, accessible verse novel to middle grade students and up – it is perfect for the Year 7 & 8 students I work with, and it will be a popular addition to our library.

My heart was aching for Collin. Middle school is hard enough, but Collin is dealing with the loss of his mom, his clueless friends and a father who is coping with grief by hoarding things all over the house. What I really loved about this book is that it is a novel in verse which is a wonderful way to express deep feelings as well as making it an easier, less daunting task for students.

I love that this is a middle grade novel written in verse. I think it is a valuable introduction to verse and provides a great look into Collins life and hardships. The fact that he has to deal with real world issues really makes him relatable and liked.

Worst case collin was a heartbreaking lyrical story written in verse. I really enjoyed reading it and I thought that the writing style really elevated the plot as well.

The plot follows Collin who keeps a worst case scenario notebook since his mother died. He faces the impact of hoarding due to his dad and learns to step up against his bully. The story is well thought out and handles topics sensitively whilst providing a meaningful message.

The writing was great and so was the characters. I loved Liam and Georgia and their supporting nature! Overall this was a brilliant read and I would recommend it!

Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for the E-arc!

Middle school student Collin has a secret -- his father is a hoarder. Collin's mother used to keep her husband in check but she died in an car accident, leaving Collin with his mentally ill father and the growing collection of filth that Collin refers to as The Hoard. Now Collin is navigating middle school, bullies, and his own extreme fears of virtually everything while also hiding his increasingly intolerable home situation from his few (but deeply loyal) friends. The topic is dark and the verse-style narrative reinforces the encroaching claustrophobia that Collin himself feels at home, so some more sensitive readers may be triggered.

This novel in verse is a must-have for all MG classrooms and libraries. Colin is always looking at the worst case scenarios, but his best friends accept this part of him. After the death of his mother Colin must face up to his worst case scenario - his father's hoarding illness. Will it go too far?

Told in verse, we meet Collin who is a worrier after his mom has died in a crash. Collin carries around a notebook filled with worst case scenarios so he can avert disasters, if needed. Collin’s dad is hyper focused on solving a math hypothesis and loses sight of taking care of the house neglecting laundry, the garbage, and buying groceries. His dad is a hoarder and it’s become much worse since mom is gone. Collin’s two friends, Liam and Georgia, help him have fun and avoid a bully, but he doesn’t feel he can confide in them about the disasters at home. Then something happens which changes everything. Great book.

Collin's life has changed so much since his mother died. He's now worried about every worst-case scenario. He even carries a handbook and studies it so that he'll be prepared for anything. His father has started hoarding to fill the empty space in his life. It gets so bad that Collin can't move around the house without tripping. Collin tries to solve the problem himself, but it's beyond anything he can do. Unfortunately, it takes a catastrophe to get Collin's dad to wake up and make a change.

A great novel in verse for middle grade readers.

Thank you Charlesbridge and NetGalley for sharing this book with the LitReviewCrew. Anything Rebecca Caprara writes, I am here for. The Magic of Melwick Orchard was hands-down one of my favorite books I read a couple years ago and one I read to my class and we loved it. So, when I saw she had another book out, but it was IN VERSE, I was so excited. I knew her ability to craft beautiful words would show beautifully in a verse format and I was right.
Here are 3 things about this book:
1-You can't be prepared for everything
2-Book in verse
3-Everyone deals with grief differently

I definitely think everyone should read this book, but be mindful of the grief themes that may trigger some negative memories for some readers.

This was a great story, but it definitely does have several triggering issues that readers may want to be aware of such as death, grief and mental illness. I thought this book was a refreshing way to approach all three of those things. Middle school is hard enough without losing your mom and all of the fallout from that…
The way Colin chooses to handle and cope with all the various things life throws at him is what this book is all about. Definitely a great book about resilience. Will be adding this to our homeschool library.

Worst-Case Collin is a novel-in-verse middle grade story about what happens to a boy and his father in the aftermath of a car accident that kills his mother. Because of the way her accident occurred, Collin lives his life trying to be prepared for as many possible dangerous circumstances one might encounter by carrying around and studying an orange book full of "what to do if XYZ happens" scenarios. The survival advice for such circumstances is interspersed throughout the novel and helps to demonstrate some of the worries in particular on Collin's mind. While Collin attempts to gain control in this manner, he has little control over what is going on at home. His father is no longer letting go of anything, is collecting everything, and is filling their house with stuff (stench and filth included). How long can this go on?

Rebecca Caprara takes the reader into the mind of Collin, to help understand what he was thinking and feeling with beautiful poetic lines. Mom's presence and importance to Collin is not only clearly felt, but the snippets of his memories of her and some of the things she did and said interweave throughout the story in a way that honors how special she is and how much her presence is missed.

This heart-filled story will keep readers engaged and empathetic, reminding us that we often don't know the whole story of what others are experiencing in their lives.

Collin has a plan for every worst case scenario you could possibly think of. He keeps all these plans in a little orange notebook. Following Collin, Liam, and Georgia’s life after the loss of Collin’s mom, Collin faces the worst case scenario of his life he didn’t even imagine. Collin’s mom died tragically in a car accident and was the glue that held his family together. Now his dad, a highly intelligent mathematician, struggles with grief in a way that is a lot more common than talked about. Collin’s dad starts collecting, everything. Collin knows it’s not okay, but would telling his best friends also take them away too, and then would child services take away his dad. He would lose everything.
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This is a wonderful novel in verse exploring grief in multiple ways. I also love how it shines a light on how every single person has something, a secret so to speak, that separates them from the rest - even your best friends. I can’t wait to share this story with my students.
Recommended 4th and up.
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Thank you NetGalley for allowing me to read this gem of an intermediate book. Unusual format (free verse) and content (a parent hoarder). Collin has middle school to deal with as well as the death of his mother. To cope he keeps a notebook of Disaster Preparedness. His brilliant mathematician father meanwhile has resorted to hoarding. Dealing with bullies and friends seems like a minefield, but the story is positive in the long run. I loved this one. Definite Newbery material.

Wow. This book was heart wrenching. Collin's story was powerful. His friendships felt genuine and sincere. Loose ends are never completely tied up, just like in real life. For kids going through similar circumstances, Collin's story is sure to be a light in the darkness. His daily life was so real, so vibrant, so utterly heartbreaking. #netgalley

Quirky middle-grade novels are almost always right up my street and something about this book spoke to me. The cover is very intriguing and I knew that I’d meet some loveable characters between these pages.

Collin has a plan for every worst-case scenario and is constantly prepared to survive whatever life throws at him. However, his home life is fast becoming a huge disaster zone that not even he has a plan for avoiding. Since his mom died, Collin’s life has been turned upside down and his dad seems to be slowly drifting away into immeasurable grief. He is desperate for his best friends Liam and Georgia to not see what’s really going on at home but can Collin eventually learn that not everything in life can be carefully controlled?

There are passages in this book that really took my breath away and broke my heart into tiny pieces. I wondered if Collin had ever really let himself process what happened to his mom and grieve her properly. It’s clear that his dad hasn’t really (or at least not healthily) and I think Collin may have picked up on that.

Collin’s best friends Liam and Georgia are wonderful kids and my favourite parts were just watching the three of them be 12-year-olds. I could sense a cute crush dynamic between Collin and Georgia from the beginning but they were both too shy to admit to it. Although first love isn’t really what this book is about, I think I would have liked that to have been built a little more. Collin’s interactions with his friends are adorable, funny and very authentic for kids of their age. I had no doubt that they were real kids trying to navigate their pre-teen lives.

Collin’s dad has a hoarding problem and this is what Collin is ashamed of. The house is a well of chaotic sadness and it’s understandable that he wouldn’t want anyone to come in and see the reality that his dad is living. However, the truly upsetting thing is that Collin can’t understand why he himself isn’t reason enough for his father to carry on through grief. I just wanted to reach through the book and reassure Collin that his dad did love him and that his mind was just lost right now.

Anyone who has ever suffered from anxiety or thought spirals will relate to Collin. He is a naturally nervous kid with an intense desire to control everything in order to limit damages from things going wrong. Reeling off ‘what if’ after ‘what if’ is exactly what an anxiety disorder does constantly and it seems that Collin has always suffered from this type of thinking, even before his life changed forever.

I loved the profound, philosophical parts that got more frequent towards the end. Middle-grade books that include these little spurts of beautiful wisdom are so important because they directly teach young readers valuable life lessons to live by. These lessons are especially important to remember during times such as bereavement, mental health crises and huge life changes, so the earlier we have these words in our arsenal, the better.

Worst-Case Collin is a funny, moving book with a cast of lovely characters and an ending full of hope and heartwarmth. The issue of hoarding is rarely explored in books and certainly never in children’s books or from the perspective of someone other than the hoarder, so I loved that it was dealt with so sensitively and honestly here. The spare, well-crafted verse that the book is written in is perfect for depicting the intense emotion of the story and I know it will resonate with so many readers, young and old.

Worst-Case Collin
By: Rebecca Caprara
Pub. date: Sept. 28, 2021
Review date: Sept. 30, 2021
Many thanks to Charlesbridge & to NetGalley, for allowing me access to this arc in exchange for my honest opinion..

Worst-Case Collin sure does tug at the heartstrings.. This boy has so many things going on his little life. Collin’s mom passed away & I don’t think he ever grieved properly. I mean, how Could a child even Know How to work through something So Painful, when their dad doesn’t even know how to? His dad has begun hoarding as His coping mechanism & Even at such a fragile age, Collin is Well-Aware that this just Isn’t the answer. It causes Collin embarrassment & he just wishes everything could go back to normal again. Because he Needs to feel like he’s got Some sort of control over anything that might come his way, Collin creates a plan, basically a How To Survive Any Worst-case Scenario Imaginable Plan.
Collin’s friends are really great kids who have his back through it all. Every character is so believable, so realistic & life-like.
I give this wonderful book a Solid 5 stars, I just Love Everything about it.
#WorstCaseCollin #NetGalley

“Worst-Case Collin” by Rebecca Caprara hits the shelves today and I’m confident many of you will fall in love with this middle grade book as I have! Collin’s Mom died a few years ago and while his friends have helped him manage his grief journey and his snowballing anxiety, his Dad is really struggling. In fact, Collin feels as though he is the adult and pulling his Dad along most days. Additionally, Collin is hiding a secret about his Dad. Since his Mom died, Collin’s Dad’s compulsive hoarding has gotten much worse and Collin fears the consequences of anyone finding out just how bad.

I appreciated the author’s tenderness as she introduced multifaceted characters dealing with real emotions and real diagnostic issues without losing sight that the characters also have strengths, weaknesses, and interests that have nothing to do with their emotional functioning. Without spoiling the storyline or ending, I do wish to acknowledge that I appreciate when authors write a satisfying ending without making all hardships faced by the characters throughout the book disappear. I admire that the ending doesn’t gloss over the challenges Collin’s Dad will face down the road as compulsive hoarding is often treatment-resistant but instead leans into insight building and the process of therapeutic intervention.

Contemporary Fiction | 10-14
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Twelve-year-old Collin lost his mother to a car accident two years ago. Because of how it happened, he keeps an orange notebook where he records strategies for surviving innumerable worst-case scenarios, from avalanches and riptides to killer bees and surviving in the woods. But his book doesn’t help with the problems in front of him – a relentless bully, puppy love, and a dad who copes with his grief by hoarding. Written beautifully in achingly sparse verse, Collin’s story is also one of friendship with Liam and Georgia. They understand, support, defend, and tease him, as friends should. But they don’t know about The Hoard, and Collin doesn’t know how to solve the worst-case scenario of all. However, Collin’s preparedness makes him a hero when he knows exactly what to do during an emergency. You might call it a best-case scenario, in fact. What a lovely story! I wouldn’t be surprised to see this earn several awards – it garnered a starred review from <i>School Library Journal</i>, and is already on several recommended reading lists. There’s also an author’s note about mental health and specifically hoarding, apparently a far more common situation than we realize. This novel in verse is an empathetic and touching story of friendship and grief that will resonate with young readers. Just lovely. And a great cover, too! My thanks to Charlesbridge Publishers for the digital reading copy provided through NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.
More discussion and reviews of this children’s novel: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/53218574

Worst Case Collin is my twin separated at birth. As someone who walks around with the anxiety of every worst-case scenario, this book delighted and horrified me. :) It's on my shortlist for my MG Bookish Roundtable in Fall of 2022 just so we can discuss all these worst-case scenarios together.

It's hard to imagine kids around Collin age being neglected by his parents and cause anxiety that follows.

This book was a toughfully crafted story in verse. It's almost perfectly describe how anxiety and deppresion feels like for kids and adult alike.

Thankyou Netgalley for the ARC.

This was such a great, real middle grade novel. This story touches on a topic that I know several kids can relate with, but you don't see in MG novels often -- hoarding. Collin lost his mom in a car accident and his dad is struggling mentally and coping by hoarding. Collin has the best friends to lean on, but is so embarrassed by the state of his house. This broke my heart for Collin and all the other kids that deal with this situation in real life.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.