Review: Black Box - Julie Schumacher

Where I got it: Library
Rating: 3.5 stars 
Cover Rating: 3 stars (It's interesting but not eye-catching.)
Genre: Young Adult  
Publication Date: March 9, 2010
Publisher: Delacorte Books for Young Readers
Page Count:  164 p.

Elena and her sister Dora have always been close. Lately however, it seems like Dora isn't as open to her sister as she once was. When Dora sinks into a depression, Elena has no one to turn to. All of the people she knows at school are Dora's friends and they aren't really close. Then one day Jimmy Zenk, who failed a grade, starts talking to Elena about her sisters depression. He really seems to want to be there for her, but Elena is not sure how she feels about his presence. Elena wants her sister  to get better, but maybe she can't save Dora, especially if Dora can't open up to her.

This was an interesting novel from the perspective of the sister of someone suffering a mental depression. It was nice to read from the perspective of someone outside the illness trying to help that person. It was also sad that Elena was not able to really do that much, because there wasn't much that she could do. Dora needed help and Elena couldn't provide the help that Dora needed. This was a touching read that spoke of the people we connect with even if at first they seem like the least likely candidate. Jimmy wasn't Elena's ideal person, but he ended up being able to help her through the emotions that her parents and her therapists were unable to touch upon. I recommend this book to anyone who is struggling through a similar situation to Elena, it might give some hope to a sad circumstance.

First Line:
"We can hear someone screaming as soon as we get off the elevator."

Favorite Line
"'A drowning person doesn't rescue herself,' I said, because whenever I thought about the game Dora and I had played when we were little, I pictured Dora struggling and drowning."