Popcorn

Popcorn tells the story of a day in the life of Andrew Yaeger. But this isn’t any old day, this is a day of epic catastrophes – one disaster after another. It’s school photo day, and Andrew is determined to get a nice photo, but that seems less likely by the minute.

Andrew struggles with anxiety, which he likens to a kernel bouncing around, getting progressively hotter and hotter until it eventually pops. He’s had a panic attack before, and he is terrified of having one at school – he thinks that it would be the worst thing that could happen. But as the day goes on, surely his kernel is going to explode.

Popcorn is a cleverly written, impactful narrative. It deals with a serious issue, but in an incredibly relatable and humorous way that will have its readers laughing out loud. The story is accompanied throughout by cartoons and captions describing Andrew’s thoughts and feelings as his anxiety levels increase, as well as providing helpful tips on coping with anxiety.  A core wellbeing read for middle grade pupils