Ben and his family have moved to a new town and Ben is about to start at a new school. It's meant to be a fresh start for everyone. A chance for Ben to blend in, to be 'normal'. But the bully in Ben's head has followed him and is making the no-standing-out part really hard. Sometimes Ben's brain makes him count to 4 to prevent bad things happening. Sometimes it makes him tap or blink in 4s. Most of the time, it makes the smallest things feel like mammoth tasks.

Even though Ben is trying his hardest, his family members don't help. His older brother is moodier than ever, dad is absent and mum is battling her own demons - Ben feels more out of control than ever. But then he meets April, and with his new friend, Ben might finally figure out how to stand up to the bully in his brain, once and for all.

This is such a powerful and important read from Lily Bailey about living life with OCD. It's a story about friendship and navigating family relationships, about addiction and fighting your demons, about belonging and accepting yourself. It's a book every parent and teacher should read.

With relatable characters and a captivating plot, you'll be engrossed in Ben's story. A word of advice - have your tissues handy!

I received a free copy of this book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Ben has OCD and is worried that if he doesn’t follow his routines, something awful will happen to his family. The trouble is, something awful already is and it seems he can’t do anything to change it. When he starts at a new school, he makes friends with April, another “freak” who helps him navigate teenage relationships and face up to his fears.

This is a lovely story about friendship, living with OCD, alcoholism and family relationships. I loved the way Ben’s counsellor gently unpicks aspects of Ben’s mixed up thinking and encourages him to challenge his compulsions.

I would have given the story five stars had it not been for some glaring inconsistencies which I would have expected to be picked up by an editor. As this was an ARC, perhaps these will be corrected before publication.

1. The story is supposed to be set in a high school, but no high school that I’m familiar with have pegs to hang coats; nor would a form teacher teach so many different subjects. The whole school setting lacks authenticity.
2. Early on in the book it mentions school finishing at 5pm and art club starting then. Later in the book, the time changes to 3:30.
3. After counselling mum suggests going for ice cream before heading back to the car, but they went there on the bus.
4. Mum picks Ben up from the hospital and drives him home, but he later says that dad took the car when he left home.
5. Mum’s group is on a Monday but just before the first session, April reminds Ben that it’s art club tomorrow. Art club is on Friday.

It is such a shame that these errors spoilt what is otherwise a great story.

When I see Blue by Lily Bailey is a masterpiece! I know this is quite a dramatic statement to make, but it is such a wonderful example of how Middle Grade stories can delight, inspire and open up our understanding of the experiences of others, or offer reassurance, reflection and advice to those who live the experience too.

Sharing Ben’s journey as he experiences a new school, new home, new friendship, challenging home life and therapy sessions for his newly diagnosed OCD, was an emotional journey and I was cheering him on (and aching for him to speak up) on the sidelines. I imagine children will fall in love with Ben too and his rebel friend April - their budding friendship is written with genuine warmth. April is a fabulous character – a real inspiration, but with her own troubles and flaws as we all have.

There is something for every reader to connect with – we all have brains that don’t always do right by us after all – but I can’t imagine what a book like this could mean to a child and family who are living with OCD. The way it captures the experience and follows Ben’s therapy is fantastic, while never feeling forced – it’s all about the story, and there is so much to take from this story, not least the warm, lovable characters that I think may have taken up permanent residence in my heart (it’s getting busy in there 😊),

It is pitched perfectly for an upper middle grade audience (10-12) and is the kind of story I wish I could have read when I was a bubble of adolescent uncertainty in need of some reassurance! A window of compassion and understanding in an often huge, scary world, and a jumbled, growing mind.

There is so much going on – Not only does it shine a light on Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD), and particularly how this manifests in children. but it also delves into the complexity of family and parental relationships, friendship, alcoholism, bullying and more. But above all, it is such a gorgeous novel, handled with sensitivity and warmth.

It’s also a massively satisfying story with compassion at its heart and I encourage teachers and parents everywhere to buy, borrow and share this with the children in your life (and enjoy it yourself too!)

Sometimes, very occasionally, I read a book which makes me feel like a better person for having read it. Books such as A Kind of Spark, No Ballet Shoes in Syria and more recently, The Light in Everything. When I see Blue is amongst these. I was utterly engrossed in the world of Ben, a boy living with OCD, and feel enriched as a person, and as a teacher, after reading it.

Stepping inside Ben’s world is a painful reminder of the difficulties faced by people living with OCD. It offers an unfiltered view of the struggles the young boy faces and the anguish it causes him, whilst also dealing with parental alcoholism and separation. This book deals with these very difficult issues sympathetically and also shows the difference friendship, understanding and compassion can make.

I firmly believe that When I See Blue should be placed on every UKS2/LKS3 bookshelf to help our pupils see themselves, and the difference they can make, reflected in its pages. Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC and congratulations to Lily Bailey on what is sure to be an incredibly successful and transformative book.

Thank you to Netgalley for the advance copy in exchange for an honest review.

Much is being done about diversifying school libraries and this book needs to be on every school library shelf. An 'own voices' account of OCD.

Ben is in Y8 - new school, new city. As if this weren't complicated enough, things at home start to unravel. It offers an unflinchingly honest view of OCD - allowing us in to Ben's thoughts and actions. It is clearly well researched and seeking to address the many, many misunderstandings around OCD and it presents a full and vivid picture without crossing into non-fiction or preaching.

Ben's character is well fleshed out - as are his family and his best friend, April.

I will be adding this to our school library the day it comes out!

Thank you Netgalley for this early review book in return for an honest review

Now we still have a wait for this book as it doesn’t come out till June! But boy are you in for a treat.

This book focuses on a boy, Ben, who has just moved schools and is also dealing with OCD and an unsettled home life. He is in year 8 and loves Doctor Who and struggles to fit in with others. That is until April, a girl who has bright red hair and loves to draw, sits next to him and adopts him as her friend.

I really loved this book! First of Doctor Who! I know it’s not the main point of the book, but as a whovian it made this book so much fun for me on a personal level and I could fan girl whilst reading.

Second this book tackles a really important and tough topic that is often not talked about, misunderstood and often joked about. This book talks about the reality of living with OCD, how it effects a child’s daily life and their relationships with friends and family. Instead of just seeing the physical OCD reaction, it talks about what is actually causing it, the intrusive thoughts and stress and panic that people who have OCD have to go through. It does a good job of tackling a few other difficult topics too and how these can affect our main character too.

A well written, enjoyable and at time, sad story that is emotional and heart warming too. I loved the doctor who references and the way the character uses the doctor to be brave. An insightful and informative look at a topic that is vastly misunderstood.

Only thing I didn’t completely understand was the school system, is it a private school? The times the school end were quite late and the same teacher teaching multiple subjects is not what I’m familiar with in secondary schools. Either way it didn’t completely take away from the story but did have me questioning a bit more about the story.

Wow, not often I start with that but I his book truly deserves it. I couldn't put this down, I was drawn into the mind of a child coping with OCD and somehow I feel I've finished the book with some degree of understanding. What an amazing gift to give you teenagers to start to help them understand neuro-diversity. I will definitely be getting a copy of this for my teenagers to read. Superb characters and beautifully written.

It was a privilege to read When I See Blue. I was thoroughly emersed in the story and it has stayed with me since I finished it. Doctor Who fan Ben lives with obsessions and intrusive thoughts which with his OCD have made his old life and now new school, very difficult. He has a new friend in April and their friendship is pure and eventually full of acceptance and honesty. This book was full of insight into his world, and I found Ben’s counselling session thought provoking. His loving Mum is also dealing with alcohol and this was also deeply moving. This book will definitely be added to my school staffroom bookshelf for other school staff to read.

Thank you, Lily Bailey, for telling Ben’s story and for giving children a voice. Thank you NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.