Gr 4–8—Middle school student Livy's worries are so intense, they take the form of Viola, a sinister imaginary twin
who sneers at Livy's every misstep. Fung's busy, vibrant illustrations immerse readers in Livy's mindset—her woes
and fears yet also her passions and joys as she forges connections. A refreshingly forthright and reassuring
depiction of anxiety.

Wow, this book is fantastic! It actually made me cry a little. But mostly for good reasons. Living with Viola is about a girl in 6th grade who has started at a new school but things really don’t seem to be going right. Everything she tries to do, there’s a voice in her head (Viola) who shoots Livy down telling her she isn’t good enough, she doesn’t deserve friends, everyone is mad at her and hates her, etc. At times she is able to chase Viola away by doing things she loves and spending time with her parents and friends having fun together. But as things seem to add up, it gets harder for her to enjoy things she normally does and to keep the negative thoughts (Viola) away. It’s harder for her to reject those thoughts and she begins to accept some of them as the truth.

By the end, Livy fees able to open up to her parents and to get help and the book even talks about some of the techniques she learns at therapy for overcoming her anxiety and panic disorder. I really love that it shows some of those techniques and how going to therapy was able to truly help Livy be able to cope with day to day stress. I also love that this book was written about a 6th grader and for a middle grade audience because I feel like a lot of people don’t think about kids when they think about mental health disorders like anxiety. But in actuality, the average onset of anxiety disorder is 7 years old, that’s 2nd graders in the US! Also, going into 6th grade is a huge change in a lot of ways and opens up a lot more stress for kids in general. Whether or not they have a mental disorder like anxiety or depression or whatever else, therapy can be really helpful to learn these sorts of coping techniques.

It was so heartwarming to see how supportive Livy’s parents were of her and even when the rest of the family was looking down on some of her behaviors and what the family thinks means a lot to her parents. Anxiety is a scary thing and it’s scary to tell people about it because not only is there a very real stigma, but the anxiety itself makes you think of all the awful things people will think about you if they knew. A book like this where a young girl is able to finally open up about it regardless of her fears is just so amazing ( )

I read this in one sitting and honestly it took me back to when I was in the 6th grade. The only difference is my parents weren't great and I didn't get help with my anxiety until my late 20's. I wonder how different my life would have been if I have sought help. Excellent read, the subject matter was handled nicely and I recommend everyone with anxiety to read it. The artwork was good as well.

-

I received a copy of this book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. ( )

Livy has a terrible voice in her head that says mean things to her all the time -- she manages to fight "Viola" off most of the time, with the things she loves, but eventually gets overwhelmed and seeks help.

This is very much in the realistic fiction with friendship drama vein, and I like that the girls involved manage to sort their various disagreements and hurts out. There are clearly points when they don't like each other very much and their friendships suffer, but it doesn't devolve into overt bullying as so many other books do.

But mainly, the huge appeal of this book is a focus on mental health that is totally appropriate for upper elementary -- naming the challenge makes it so much easier to talk about these things, and the art really effectively conveys Livy's internal struggle. I think many people can relate to Viola's personal attacks and Livy's valiant efforts to fight them off, and I think this message is particularly needed right now.

Also, Livy struggles with being the child of hard working immigrants and the pressures that many people experience -- anxiety that your home isn't nice enough, that your food is weird, that your parents have multiple jobs, that your parents want a better life for you and interpreting that as a need to achieve good grades and focus on high paid professions when your passions lie elsewhere, criticism from other family members.

Really, this book is just like the dumplings Livy makes with her mom-- a delicious synthesis of many strong ingredients in an appealing package. Just right.

Advanced Reader's Copy Provided by Edelweiss. ( )

Livy's Chinese immigrant parents move her to a different school that will be better for her future. Livy feels all the insecurities of being the new girl and the pressure to succeed from her family. Her critical inner voice aka Viola shouts negativity and put-downs in her mind constantly. Livy's whirling thoughts exacerbates her anxiety and she has panic attacks. She is desperate to escape this hell but doesn't know how. She's aware that a cousin was "sent away" and she wonders if he has the same problem. Finally her parents realize something is wrong and Livy begins counseling. This is a stark and honest portrayal of anxiety and depression that will resonate with and reassure readers under similar pressures. I appreciated the scenes with the therapist and the descriptions of some of the activities Livy does to manage her anxiety, an effective way to help normalize the care of our mental health. ( )