by Meg Rosoff
First published 2006
David Case finds his younger brother balanced on the edge of their apartment balcony. The near accident shakes him completely. Life feels dangerous now, full of threats he cannot control. David decides he must become someone else to survive what feels like coming disaster. He renames himself Justin Case and throws away his old clothes, his old friends, his old self. Justin creates an imaginary dog named Boy as his companion. He makes new friends and falls for Agnes Day, a girl who draws him in despite his fears. But changing his name and identity cannot stop Justin from seeing danger everywhere. He prepares constantly for the worst possible outcomes. The world still feels like it wants to hurt him and everyone he cares about.
Genres: coming-of-age, contemporary, psychological-thriller, family-drama
Vibes: intimate, suspenseful, thought-provoking
Tropes: fish-out-of-water, unreliable-narrator
Setting: Apartment
Period: Contemporary
256 pages · Hardcover · Wendy Lamb Books
Content warnings: anxiety, mental-illness