This is a great audiobook. (I liked the narrator so much, I'm likely to listen to another of his books in the future, regardless of what the book is about.)

Seventh grader Matthew has been struggling with an intense fear of germs and illness for years (he's afraid to leave his house and compulsively washes his hands over and over). Because he's always inside looking out his window, people call him "Goldfish Boy." But when a toddler neighbor is kidnapped he tries to overcome his phobia to help find the missing child.

I think the Kirkus review summed up my feelings: "Thompson strikes the perfect balance, seemingly without compromise, between an issue-driven novel and one with broad, commercial appeal. This empathetic debut is a middle-grade whodunit with a very special heart."

...which is to say this story is both compelling and enjoyable. It had some really funny moments. All of the characters felt fully human. I loved that the book's villains had understandable motivations.

I'm looking forward to booktalking this for 5th and 6th graders. ( )

This book is a refreshingly accessible look into the world of a preteen who suffers from OCD. Matthew can no longer attend school because his OCD has gotten so overwhelming, forcing him to wash and sanitize endlessly. He spends his days in his upstairs bedroom, recording the goings on of the small community that shares his English cul de sac neighborhood. He records notes about the activities of his neighbors and former friends to pass the time. As the story opens, his elderly next door neighbor has been asked to watch his grandchildren Casey and Teddy. Teddy is only 15 months old and needs supervision––something elderly Mr Charles isn’t good at. When Teddy goes missing, Matthew, aided by his neighbor Melody who he initially communicates with by computer, decide to try to find him. The descriptions of Matthew’s OCD and his therapy are bang-on, and the ending of the story offers the promise of recovery. The mystery is well-plotted and carries the story on with just the right amount of suspense. This book would be excellent for grades 5-8. Amazingly, this is a debut novel. ( )

This is a good thoughtful book that covers a lot of topics, has a few twists and turns along the way and was well written. I think Milly was a little too young to fully appreciate it at the time we read it together, so hopefully she'll come back to it at some point. ( )

There's something to be said for mysteries involving a neurodivergent sleuth -- and this one manages to involve 3 kids who are struggling with various things to work together and show their strengths. I particularly liked that compassion towards the bully changes friendship dynamics, and I appreciate the depiction of a caring psychiatric professional. Good red herrings, unexpected neighbor support. I do wish the jerk of a PE teacher had got his comeuppance, but I have a suspicion that parenthood may change him, too. Solid and engaging. ( )

This book contains Pregnancy, Loss of Baby during birth, OCD, Abduction This is a revealing book about the struggle of OCD. It's a pretty easy read that kids and adults alike can read this and it will give you some rear window vibes.
I liked the characters as they weren't perfect, in fact, there was not one perfect character.
It got an interesting enough mystery but I felt it could have been written better and I can admit I wish that for the people who did the crime, that they actually had evidence against them.
I admit that the revelation of whodunnit is supposed to shock people but the revelation of who the abductors were wasn't shocking whatsoever.
( )