Finding Perfect
By Andrea Beach,
Common Sense Media Reviewer
Common Sense Media Reviewers
Hopeful story of likeable tween's struggle with OCD.
A Lot or a Little?
What you will—and won't—find in this book.
Where to Read
Community Reviews
Based on 1 parent review
No real climax of the story
Report this review
What's the Story?
After her mom moves to another country to take a job for a year, 12-year-old Molly becomes convinced that FINDING PERFECT balance in the things around her is the only way to keep her family safe. This means her pencils have to be sharp, her erasers clean, her markers in rainbow order, and her collection of glass figurines aligned with a ruler. As she starts to suspect that her mother may have meant to move away for more than just a year, Molly's less and less able to control her compulsions, and more afraid people will think she's crazy and won't want anything to do with her. But what if she is crazy? How can she get the help she so desperately needs?
Is It Any Good?
Author Elly Swartz's rock-solid voice for 12-year-old Molly creates a compelling and likeable hero whose struggle with anxiety will really resonate with tweens. They'll learn a lot about what it's like to suffer with OCD, and they'll be encouraged to see the person and not the disorder.
The well-structured story keeps the pages turning as Molly negotiates the hazards of school and home life. Tweens will find a lot of hope during a time of big changes in their own lives as Molly learns that she'll be OK even without Finding Perfect, and how to live in a world where so many things are outside her control.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about how Finding Perfect shows what it's like to have OCD. Do you think Molly is crazy? Do you think you could be friends with someone who has OCD?
Why was it so hard for Molly to get help before things got out of control? Have you ever needed help but didn't know how, or want, to ask for it? What happened?
Did you like Molly's poems? Why, or why not? What is slam poetry?
Book Details
- Author: Elly Swartz
- Genre: Coming of Age
- Topics: Brothers and Sisters, Friendship, Middle School
- Book type: Fiction
- Publisher: Farrar, Straus and Giroux
- Publication date: October 18, 2016
- Publisher's recommended age(s): 8 - 12
- Number of pages: 304
- Available on: Nook, Hardback, iBooks, Kindle
- Last updated: July 13, 2017
Did we miss something on diversity?
Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by suggesting a diversity update.
Suggest an Update
Where to Read
Our Editors Recommend
Coming-of-Age Books
Books That Feature Characters Living with Mental Illness
Common Sense Media's unbiased ratings are created by expert reviewers and aren't influenced by the product's creators or by any of our funders, affiliates, or partners.
See how we rate