Social IssuesFriendshipPeople & PlacesGirls & Women
Top SellersNew ReleasesComing Soon
Anna Bloom is depressed—so depressed that her parents have committed her to a mental hospital with a bunch of other messed-up teens. Here she meets a roommate with a secret (and a plastic baby), a doctor who focuses way too much on her weight, and a cute, shy boy who just might like her.
But wait! Being trapped in a loony bin isn’t supposed to be about making friends, losing weight, and having a crush, is it?
In her fiction debut, Julie Halpern finds humor in the unlikeliest of places, and presents a character whose voice—and heart—will resonate with all of us who have ever felt just a little bit crazy.
Praise for Get Well Soon:
“I completely fell in love with Anna Bloom’s voice—it’s wry, romantic, and so, so true.” —Gabrielle Zevin, author of Elsewhere
“An upbeat story that offers a hype-free, realistic look inside a teen ward . . . As the novel progresses, readers will get a kick out of Anna’s snarky sense of humor and her capacity for self-renewal.” —Publishers Weekly
“[Anna] is endearing as a caustic damsel in distress. With Anna down the hall, landing in the ‘loony bin’ just might be a whole lot of fun.” —Chicago Tribune
“A funny novel about depression. That's the welcome, endearing product Julie Halpern offers readers . . . a never-didactic message about emotional growth and psychic healing.” —Kirkus Reviews Best Young-Adult Books 2007
“Debut author Halpern drew from her own teen experiences with depression, and Anne’s voice, filled with spot-on musings, sarcasm, slang, and swearing, is uproariously funny and authentic . . . Many teens will connect with the vague anxiety that lands Anna in treatment as well as her subtle, realistic sense that her life is her own to value and shape.” —Booklist
“. . . funny, easygoing prose . . . an appealingly comic cousin of Carolyn Mackler’s The Earth, My Butt, and Other Big Round Things.” —Kirkus Reviews
“There is a lovely sweetness in the blooming relationship between Anna and Justin . . . Halpern creates a narrative that reflects the changes in Anna with each passing day that includes self-reflection and a good dose of humor. Readers will cheer for Anna as she gains confidence in herself, dares to rebel a little, and gets well as she goes back to her life.” —VOYA
Julie Halpern is middle school librarian in suburban Chicago. She is the author of the children’s book Toby and the Snowflakes. Her likes include road trips, board games, and eating. Her dislikes include traffic, insomnia, and meanies. Julie lives in Northern Illinois with her husband, illustrator Matthew Cordell, and their squeezably soft Siamese cat, Tobin.
Day 1
I am sitting at a desk in the middle of a hallway, and all of the lights are off. No one will tell me what they’re going to do with me or how they’re going to help me or how long I have to be here. They just plunked me down in this freaky place, told my parents not to worry, and now I’m stuck.
They told me to write.
Julie gives three helpful hints in case you find yourself in a mental hospital.
Visit our UK site
