A lot of people can relate to Matthew. They may be scared, not like some people's fear of spiders, like scared of the outdoors. They may feel like they are confined to their room, and that it is too dangerous to go to school or socialize. Many people feel like that, and I know many people are grateful for this book, which shows OCD is not just cleaning, it's SO much more. Although it's not every day a child on your street goes missing, it is every day you have the chance to be brave. And Matthew showed that no matter your feelings, gender, race, height, age, anything, you can be brave.
Recently, we read Goldfish Boy as our class novel, and everyone in my class (including our teacher) loved it. I have many reasons why this book is one of my favorites, the main one being that it tells the truth. It tells the truth about how children experience mental illnesses and problems and how hard it can be. However, it also shows that if you stay strong, you can get through anything, such as Matthew losing the wallpaper lion. It shows that you can face your fears, no matter how hard they may seem as you think about them. And finally, it shows that mental illnesses don't control you. Matthew found the courage to step out of his isolation and find somebody's child. If he can be that brave, so can anybody. That is why I loved this book, it proves that if you believe, you can achieve.