Goldfish Boy

Description: Matthew Corbin suffers from severe obsessive-compulsive disorder. He hasn't been to school in weeks. His hands are cracked and bleeding from cleaning. He refuses to leave his bedroom. To pass the time, he observes his neighbors from his bedroom window, making mundane notes about their habits as they bustle about the cul-de-sac. When a toddler staying next door goes missing, it becomes apparent that Matthew was the last person to see him alive. Suddenly, Matthew finds himself at the center of a high-stakes mystery, and every one of his neighbors is a suspect. Matthew is the key to figuring out what happened and potentially saving a child's life... but is he able to do so if it means exposing his own secrets, and stepping out from the safety of his home?

Review: The Goldfish Boy is a multilayered mystery that is suspenseful and an eye-opening look at mental illness. Matthew Corbin has severe obsessive compulsive disorder and his illness has caused him to be agoraphobic, where he won’t go beyond his bedroom and the office across the hall. When he isn’t washing his hands and cleaning his surroundings, Matthew watches his neighbors in their cul-de-sac. He writes down his observations with meticulous care, and when his neighbor’s grandson, 15-month-old Teddy, suddenly goes missing, he realizes that he could have vital information. Reluctantly, he joins forces with neighbor and classmate Melody to solve the mystery.  
   While readers learn clues about Teddy's disappearance, Matthew comes to terms with the root of his condition and learns that everyone has secrets and stories. Matthew narrates the story with a voice that is initially slow paced, stilted and formal but which fills out as he lets go of his fears and develops compassion for his parents and neighbors. By locking into Matthew’s perspective, the reader gets a better understanding of his mental illness while also waiting for the book's suspenseful resolution regarding Teddy. While the ending is hopeful with Matthew on the road to recovery, the author does note that his mental illness will not miraculously disappear at the end of the book.

Rating: 4 stars


Words of Caution: None. Recommended for Grades 4 and up.


If you like this book try: Footer Davis is Probably Crazy by Susan Vaught