The Opposite of Music
Grade 7 Up—Billy's father isn't sleeping well, isn't going to work, and walks through the house like a zombie. A diagnosis of depression is met with optimism by the 15-year-old and his mom and sister, who hope that medication will provide the cure and life will get back to normal. Billy is dismayed when his father has nightmares and breaks out in a rash from the pills. The boy's social life takes a backseat as the illness becomes all-consuming, and he becomes responsible for babysitting his father on nights when his mother works. When Billy goes to a concert with a friend, he learns the hard way that it isn't safe to leave his father alone for 30 minutes. As the story evolves, the family tries remedies such as light therapy and a brain-food diet, to no avail. When the man admits he would like to die, they become desperate enough to try electroshock therapy. The mounting concern is suspenseful, as Billy worries about losing his father and whether he will have depression, too. While the subject matter seems dark, Billy's character is empathetic and he describes some situations humorously, such as when he watches his sister squeeze lemons for therapeutic "wafting." A hopeful ending for Billy's father is shared by the teen's own return to normalcy. Attention to medical detail and advocacy for counseling will definitely put this title on bibliotherapy lists.—Vicki Reutter, Cazenovia High School, NYCopyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.