Read this when
Darius the Great Is Not Okay
For the guys who take their meds and still feel like they're not enough. Darius is not okay, and that's okay. 🍵
Who it's for
Darius's depression is present throughout but never the whole story, and he takes his medication without melodrama, which normalizes treatment, especially for boys who rarely see themselves in such stories.
Feelings it meets
What it is
Adib Khorram's 2018 debut young adult novel follows Darius Kellner, an Iranian-American teenager from Portland, Oregon, who lives with clinical depression and feels socially isolated. When his grandfather is diagnosed with a brain tumor, the family travels to Yazd, Iran, where Darius gets to know his grandparents and forms a close friendship with Sohrab, a neighbor's son.
Where to find it
In print; widely available from libraries (Libby/Hoopla, where held) and as an audiobook. Not public domain.
Before you start
Heads up: Depression and a grandparent's cancer.
Age: Ages 12+
Much of your pain is self-chosen.Kahlil Gibran, The Prophet, “On Pain”
