The Best Worst Thing

Lane, Kathleen. The Best Worst Thing
June 7th 2016 by Little, Brown Books for Young Readers
E ARC from Edelweiss Above the Treeline

Maggie is already worried about many things, but after a convenience store clerk is shot and killed at a store near her home, she becomes even more anxious. She worries about her father being killed when he is at work, frets about things that could go wrong at school, and becomes obsessed with the rabbits a neighbor is raising. She eventually decides she needs to free the rabbits, since they are being sold for food. Her sister is a teenager and becoming more distant, and her mother seems a bit anxious as well, so Maggie doesn't have much in the way of support. While she is not exactly identified as exhibiting Obsession Compulsive Disorder, her rituals for staying safe indicate that this is a likely diagnosis. 

Strengths: Right on target with the current trend in middle grade literature to examine depressing issues in great detail. I believe this got a starred review from School Library Journal. 
Weaknesses:Not much happens, and Maggie's personality is consumed by her worry, making this a slow read. 
What I really think: Readers who are NOT anxious will find Maggie hard to put up with, and readers who ARE anxious won't really get any comforting thoughts from Maggie's experiences. Will pass on this one.