Written by Rob Harrell
Andrew Yaeger doesn’t know it, but he has a condition called Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD). He has to have everything a certain way or he starts feeling more anxiety. Cleanliness, counting, food, and smells. His abusive father has moved out and abandoned him. His grandmother, who he adores, is struggling with Alzheimer’s. She is not the same person anymore and she shares his bedroom. He is being bullied by a boy named Gene at school. His mom puts him into therapy to deal with his anxiety/stress and he learns some skills to help with his OCD.
His mom feels that his school pictures are very important and has purchased a new shirt and prettied him up before school. He feels that he is about to, “Pop his Kernal!” When he gets to school, Gene grabs him by the shirt and rips his collar. He then gets hit in the face with a basketball and is a bloody mess. His shirt is ruined, he is covered in blood, and he has a black eye. The school nurse say’s she will try to fix his collar for him. He goes to his lab class, and something explodes all over him and his teacher has to take him to the eyewash station. Purple goo all over him, a ripped shirt, covered in blood with a black eye. Can his day get any worse? It does…his grandma is missing! He tries to hold it together but even with his new skills, he… “Pops his Kernal” in class in front of everyone. He is surprised when his teachers not only knows how to help him but friends in his class tell him, “My brother gets anxiety attacks too!” “So does my mom!” His teacher tells him that he has OCD too.
They find his grandma and he learns that the school bully may be bullied at home. He finally decides to take his school picture in all of his bloody, black eye purple glory. He is not as different as he thinks he is.
Reviewed by Christie Haslam, Librarian, Gearld Wright Elementary
Review shared in February 2025
Rating: ★★★★★ (5 stars)
Interest Level: Grades 4-8
Popcorn
Written by Rob Harrell
Dial Books for Young Readers
269 pages
Release Date: September 3, 2024
ISBN: 9780593697924
A review copy was provided by the publisher.
