Not As Crazy As I Seem

Devon Brown won’t eat in the school caf (a germ swamp). He covers his hands before opening doors, eats things in groups of four (his lucky number), and hangs up his shirts (with all their buttons buttoned) by color. Some kids say Devon’s crazy, but he knows better—these are the tricks that keep bad things from happening, and he can’t imagine giving them up. Devon calls it “controlling things.” His doctor calls it obsessive-compulsive disorder. When Devon starts at a new school, his compulsions start to get him in trouble, and before long he realizes that his only choice is to confront his behaviors and the events that trigger them. In a compelling story of growing up different, George Harrar introduces us to a boy who just might change the way we think about “crazy.”

What happens when the only way to fit in is to face the very things that make you different?

Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder: From eating in fours to buttoning every shirt by color, Devon’s rituals are the only thing keeping his world from falling apart. Or are they the problem? Unlikely Friendship: Tanya isn’t afraid of Devon’s "crazy." She’s the kind of friend who will challenge him, support him, and maybe even drag him into the dreaded school cafeteria. Self-Discovery: More than just a story about OCD, this is a heartfelt journey of a teen boy learning that what makes him different might also be what makes him strong. Family Relationships: With a well-meaning mom who doesn’t always understand and a distant dad who struggles to connect, Devon often feels more alone at home than anywhere else.