Reviews

"This has been a year of tremendous debut novels, and The Opposite of Music. . . deserves its place at the top of that list." Boston Sunday Globe

"Young writes with lyricism about a family's attempt to come to grips with a mental illness and its effects. . . . A well-written, starkly honest, important story." Booklist

"Authentic rather than programmatic. . . . This is a smoothly told and believably painful depiction of a family going down as it tries to save a drowning family member." Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books

"No reader can fail to be touched by the combination of determination, courage, and magical thinking that the Morrisons call forth when they realize their father has lost his way. Every family fights similar battles. But few families have an innovative and compassionate writer like Janet Ruth Young to chronicle the struggle." Lois Lowry, author of The Giver

"Without judgment, Young lays out the circumstances of Bill's illness and the repercussions on the family. Teens who have encountered similar issues will be able to relate to Billy's emotional ups and downs. . . . Billy articulates the family's fragile sense of hope, even as if he finds it difficult to relinquish his role as caretaker." Publishers Weekly

"The issue novel to end all issue novels." CMIS Fiction Focus

"The mounting concern is suspenseful, as Billy worries about losing his father and whether he will have depression, too. While the subject matter seems dark, Billy's character is empathetic. . . . Attention to medical detail and advocacy for counseling will definitely put this title on bibliotherapy lists." School Library Journal

"Janet Ruth Young offers an extremely realistic portrayal of depression and its effects on a family. It is definitely a book to recommend to teens living a life like Billy's. They will know that they are not alone." TeensReadToo

"Wonderful mental health insights from a family perspective. The health condition and suffering of one family member affects all members, just in different ways. I encourage all teens to read this book to understand peers who are going through a tough and typically hidden caregiving experience." Connie Siskowski, RN, PhD, Director, American Association of Caregiving Youth

"Creatively constructed debut . . . . [Young's] combination of conversational scripts, monologues, free verse, fictional articles and traditional narrative will undoubtedly impress many readers." Kirkus Reviews

"Crisp, poetic, and memorable prose. . . . This intelligently written first novel deals realistically with a very timely and serious subject." Book Sense

"Direct and compassionate, The Opposite of Music is an honest examination of the havoc that depression can wreak on a family." Denver Post

"A skilled and unsettling story of enmeshment in the extreme. Eerily absorbing!" Deb Caletti, author of The Nature of Jade

PEN New England Discovery Award
Book Sense Spring Pick 2007
Borders Original Voices Selection April 2007
TeensReadToo Hall of Fame 2007
American Library Association Best Books for Young Adults Nominee 2008
New York Public Library Books for the Teen Age 2008

Buy now from a Book Sense independent bookstore.