While this book is shelved at my library in Teen, it reads much more like jfic. The subject matter is weighty, but it's told in a way that's not more shocking or frightening than Bridge to Terabithia.
Zelah Green's mom has died, her dad has disappeared, her step-mom has asked a neighbor to take Zelah away to be treated for OCD.
This book seems to be much more about communication than mental illness. No adults tell Zelah (who's 14) what's going on. As an adult, I understand that they are probably afraid of making her "routines" worse, but the lack of communication, the abandonment and the confusion she feels as a result seems much worse for her.
While it's a good book for talking about compassion in how we deal with mental illness, Zelah Green does make recovery seem a little too easy. The book wraps up a bunch of story lines very quickly, making it seem like recovery/therapy/healing work quite quickly. ( )

This was terrific. An exploration of some of the hard issues that affect kids, but couched in a safe, at times lighthearted, way. The young adults suffer from OCD, anorexia, sexual abuse and emotional abuse, but they all seem to support each other in a loving environment. A really good read. ( )

In my opinion a very good book, showing mental disorders not only in a sad and unfortunate light but in a good and optimistic way. This book is very good, and I would strongly recommend readers to read the sequel to Zelah Green. Great book. ( )

A super short book that makes a huge impact. It's full of fascinating characters and I can't wait to read the next one! ( )

Zelah's name was given to her by the place of her conception as she was told by her mother; her mother told her a great many romantic and happy stories surrounding her birth and upbringing. But Zelah learnt all too soon that these stories were just stories and that the reality of things was much different. But when that reality became too hard to cope with and Zelah's whole world shattered, Zelah began her rituals.

With so much that has happened to her, so much that has gone wrong, Zelah controls her life in the only way can, her rituals. Zelah has a number of odd rituals that she must perform daily or her day just doesn't go right. There is a proper term for what she has, what she does, but she prefers to call herself a cleanaholic then be labelled with any formal terms.

Zelah Green is a girl who through her rituals has found a way to cope with the tragedy in her life. But now her rituals are running her life and Zelah's not so sure she want a life without them, or if she can live without them. Her rituals of washing and cleaning everything around her, of not touching anything without a tissue, of not eating anything without her own cutlery or completing her day without her jumping might leave others thinking that Zelah is crazy but when it comes right down to it aren't we all a little crazy. An insightful and endearing read. ( )