Remember to Forget

Gr 9 Up— Seventeen-year-old Australian high school dropout Levi Harrison is anxious, depressed, and plagued by mood swings. His mom has no choice but to send Levi to Maine to live with the father he has not seen in three years, leaving behind best friend Caleb and all that Levi ever knew. The protagonist's destructive behavior continues until he meets Delilah, an employee at his new therapist's office, and Aiden, a kid from the neighborhood. Through the painstaking patience and kindness of his friends, the love and support of his parents, and the medication Levi has finally decided to consistently take, the teen gradually awakens to life again and overcomes the guilt that has held him captive since losing his girlfriend Delia six months prior in a car accident; she was texting him while driving. The author's use of italicized flashbacks and first-person narrative draws readers deeper into the protagonist's innermost thoughts. Strong secondary characters add to the work. References to Disney's Frozen and the Say Yes to the Dress TV show could date the book, but they are well worth the risk.