I Think I Think a Lot by Jessica Whipple and Josée Bisaillon

Happy, happy Tuesday! Jessica Whipple stopped by to celebrate I Think I Think a Lot's book birthday. As someone who was clinically diagnosed with Obsessive Compulsive Disorder at thirteen, this picture book really resonated with me. I wrote the words in purple, and Jessica wrote the words in black. Thank you, Jessica! 

I Think I Think a Lot tells the story of a girl like me—a girl with OCD (although that’s discussed only in my Author’s Note.) She is aware that her thoughts seem different than those of her classmates and friends. But she realizes “there’s a good part.” I wrote this book to share the discovery that sometimes on the underside of suffering, you can find something beautiful.

Josée Bisaillon’s illustrations are wonderful because she depicts the main character’s emotions and anxiety in a subtle yet poignant way, so as not to overwhelm the reader (who may tend toward worry!)

Empathy and understanding are key to living in relationship and in community.

Story is something that helps us to approximate lived experience.

John Schu, you should have asked me where I got the idea for the book. I would have answered this way: I wanted to write a book about my experience having OCD, but I wanted it to be something kids could find in libraries and bookstores--something that’s more widely available than the clinical, workbook-type books I’d encountered in therapists’ offices. You could say that I wanted “story” to be at the heart of the book. Secondly, I remembered a moment early-on in my treatment when a therapist asked me what good might have come from my having OCD. It was a challenging question to which I’ll be observing answers all the days of my life.

Borrow I Think I Think a Lot from your school or public library. Whenever possible, please support independent bookshops.