What I Liked: The author, Neal Shusterman, is on my list of “super-cool YA writers,” and this one didn’t disappoint. The story seamlessly integrates his delusions and the “real world” he is no longer a part of but which he is eventually able to reclaim. This is the story of his spiral into the clutches of schizophrenia, his family’s quest for finding help for him, and his own understanding of the real world. And he has been specially chosen to explore the depths of Challenger Deep and is part of a pirate-y crew sailing to the Marianas Trench. And he has a good relationship with his parents, even though he believes their bodies have been snatched and have impostors living inside them, impostors who want to hurt and control him. He is a great student, even though strangers in the hallway want to kill him. He protects his younger sister from harm–from the mural of dolphins painted on her wall. Summary: Caden Bosch has such promise as a young artist and explorer of the mind. Their Eyes Were Watching God $17.Specs: 308 pages, with Author’s Note and mental health resource page, Hardcoverĭiverse Elements: Protagonist with a mental illness written by Neal Shusterman who I believe to be a person of color unless he and his son are unnaturally tan (when questioned on his ethnicity, he has replied that he is “human,” so if anyone knows the answer to this, please advise so I don’t look like a big ol’ idiot).

Laurie Halse Anderson, award-winning author of Speak, calls Challenger Deep “a brilliant journey across the dark sea of the mind frightening, sensitive, and powerful. National Book Award and Golden Kite Award WinnerĪ captivating novel about mental illness that lingers long beyond the last page, Challenger Deep is a heartfelt tour de force by New York Times bestselling author Neal Shusterman.Ĭaden Bosch is on a ship that’s headed for the deepest point on Earth: Challenger Deep, the southern part of the Marianas Trench.Ĭaden Bosch is a brilliant high school student whose friends are starting to notice his odd behavior.Ĭaden Bosch is designated the ship’s artist in residence to document the journey with images.Ĭaden Bosch pretends to join the school track team but spends his days walking for miles, absorbed by the thoughts in his head.Ĭaden Bosch is split between his allegiance to the captain and the allure of mutiny.Ĭhallenger Deep is a deeply powerful and personal novel from one of today’s most admired writers for teens.

Book challenger deep