With frizzy orange hair, a plus-sized body, sarcastic demeanor, and "unique learning profile," Danielle Levine doesn't fit in even at her alternative high school. While navigating her doomed social life, she writes scathing, self-aware, and sometimes downright raunchy essays for English class. As a result of her unfiltered writing style, she is forced to see the school psychologist and enroll in a "social skills" class. But when she meets Daniel, another social misfit who is obsessed with the cult classic film The Big Lebowski, Danielle's resolve to keep everyone at arm's length starts to crumble.
There are good books, and there are great books, and then there are books with characters you’ll never forget. Vaughn’s debut about a high school senior whose struggle to fit in is compounded by the social quirks associated with her OCD is definitely one of those rare finds...A must-read. — Kirkus
Vaughn structures her debut as a combination of Danielle’s diary entries, e-mails, and the essays she writes for English class. Vaughn skillfully shows how making an actual friend and being introduced to the model of The Big Lebowski’s Dude (and his ability to “abide”) contribute to Danielle’s upturn. Her problems don’t go away, but her perspective on them and ability to cope shifts and improves. — Publishers Weekly
Vaughn employs various mediums such as emails, English essays, and letters to structure the plot of this novel. This literary style creates a multidimensional view of Danielle and humanizes obsessive-compulsive disorder. This novel would be a great addition to any classroom or library because adolescents will learn about perseverance from a typical teenager who has a unique way of viewing and interacting with world. — VOYA
