It's Kind of a Funny Story by Ned Vizzini

Ned Vizzini, It's Kind of a Funny Story, Miramax Books, New York, 2006, ISNB 078685196-1

Plot Summary
Craig Gilner is a teenager growing up in New York City. He studies hard to get into a prestigious exam school, gets in, and then spirals into a depression when the stresses of school start piling up on him. It's not just schoolwork that's getting him down--he also lusts after his best friend's Aaron's girlfriend, Nia, and spends an excessive amount of time in the bathroom because it's the one place where he feels comfortable. He begins to doubt his abilities to do just about anything and tries to escape his reality by riding his bicycle all over Brooklyn and getting stoned at his best friend's house. He checks himself into a mental hospital, and it is there, among addicts, cutters, and the chronically sad, that Craig starts to feel whole again and gains a clearer outlook on what it means to be human.

Critical Evaluation:
The novel is told in first person, and Craig Gilner seems like a trustworthy, albeit confused narrator. At times it seems hard to believe that neither Craig nor his parents pick up on the fact that attending a pressure cooker of a high school and hanging out with a stoner best friend to whom everything (girls, grades) comes easily is not doing Craig any favors. This reader wanted to jump in and say, "Leave that school! Ditch that "best friend"'! But Craig's realizations about what he needs to want to live are hard earned, and the honesty and warmth of his friendships with his friends on the psychiatric ward are a welcome contrast to the shallow and flighty Aaron and Nia. At the end of the novel, Craig's lists what he needs to do to maintain his center, "Run. Eat. Drink. Eat more.... Make a phone call. Open a door. Ride your bike. Ride in a car. Ride in a subway. Talk. Talk to people. Read. Read maps. Make maps. Make art. Talk about your art. Sell your art." (p. 443) That's pretty insightful advice on good living coming from a fifteen year old boy who's learned it the hard way.
 
Reader's Annotation:
Ever had a bout of sadness that just wouldn't go away? Want to learn more about mental illness & psychiatric institutions from the safety of your own couch?

Information about the Author
According to the author's web-site, "Ned Vizzini is the author of three acclaimed young adult books: It's Kind of a Funny Story (now a major motion picture), Be More Chill, and Teen Angst? Naaah.... Ned has spoken at over 200 schools, universities, libraries and organizations around the world about writing and mental health. He writes about books for the New York Times and the L Magazine. His work has been translated into seven languages."

About It's Kind of a Funny Story, the author writes,  "85% of It's Kind of a Funny Story is true. I based it on my own experience in Methodist Hospital in Park Slope, Brooklyn in late 2004. I was hospitalized for suicidal ideation like Craig in the book. Once I left the hospital, I started writing about it, but I fictionalized some important elements. Here is what I did: 1. I changed the names of the characters. 2. I changed the age of Craig, who is 15 when he goes into the hospital (as opposed to my age at the time, 23). 3. I added the love triangle."

Genre: Realistic Fiction

Curriculum Ties: Health Unit/ Mental Health in a Health class

Booktalking Ideas: Identify the stresses that Craig is dealing with and list some of his options. Read a brief excerpt from when he decides to check into a mental hospital. 

Reading Level: 14+

Challenge Issues: N/A

Why Included?
I included this novel because I think that many young adults struggle with the stresses of high school life. I think that reading about fictional characters' experiences with mental health issues is compelling for many teenagers and can be a comfort for those wrestling with depression or anxiety. Oh, and it helps that there's a film coming out based on the novel!