The Notations of Cooper Cameron by Jane O'reilly

Abstract

Reviewed by: The Notations of Cooper Cameron by Jane O'reilly Sarah Sahn o'reilly, Jane The Notations of Cooper Cameron. Carolrhoda, 2017 320p ISBN 978-1-5124-0415-9 $17.99 R Gr. 4-6 Ever since his grandfather died, eleven-year-old Cooper has carried the weight of the world on his shoulders, convinced that only he can prevent something terrible from happening to his other family members. He counts, he reads, he washes his hands in the air, and he tidies and organizes with maddening (to the people around him) precision. Medication hasn't helped curb his compulsions, and while his father [End Page 171] responds with anger, his mother tries to heed his doctor's advice to support him without judgment, taking Cooper and his fifteen-year-old sister Caddie to spend the summer at their grandfather's cabin. O'Reilly's rhythmic prose is evocative in its cadence and repetition, giving Cooper's struggle against his compulsions a poignant immediacy as he befriends an elderly neighbor and a teenaged boy who shares his love of reading and records his fears and observations in the notebook he always carries. The focus is on Cooper's OCD, but the emotional center of the novel is his relationship with Caddie, who is as fiercely protective of him as she is embarrassed by his strange behavior. Cooper's father's brief appearances are a dark spot in the warm family dynamic, and his fear and anger are credibly portrayed. The novel ends on a hopeful note, with Cooper cautiously overcoming his fear of the water with the encouragement of his friends and family. An author's note reveals that Cooper is based on O'Reilly's sister and explains the disorder in terms appropriate for young readers. SS Copyright © 2017 Board of Trustees of the University of Illinois