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13th out of 83 books
—
140 voters
Kissing Doorknobs
During her preschool years, Tara Sullivan lived in terror that something bad would happen to her mother while they were apart. In grade school, she panicked during the practice fire drills. Practice for what?, Tara asked. For the upcoming disaster that was bound to happen?
Then, at the age of 11, it happened. Tara heard the phrase that changed her life: Step on a crack, bre...more
Then, at the age of 11, it happened. Tara heard the phrase that changed her life: Step on a crack, bre...more
Paperback, 149 pages
Published
March 10th 1998
by Laurel Leaf
(first published 1998)
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Kissing Doorknobs by terry Spencer Hesser
The book is a fiction book and it’s about a girl named Tara who has obsessive-compulsive disorder also known as OCD and how her illness gets in the way of her loved ones.
The book is how Tara copes with OCD and things she overcomes in the process. Tara has had OCD since she was ten years old, but she never knew or heard of OCD so she thought that she was going crazy when she always walk home by herself counting the cracks on the sidewalk, making her food...more
The book is a fiction book and it’s about a girl named Tara who has obsessive-compulsive disorder also known as OCD and how her illness gets in the way of her loved ones.
The book is how Tara copes with OCD and things she overcomes in the process. Tara has had OCD since she was ten years old, but she never knew or heard of OCD so she thought that she was going crazy when she always walk home by herself counting the cracks on the sidewalk, making her food...more
Let’s start with what I like: I like that this is a book about OCD, written for children. I think it’s important that they have a way of getting acquainted with mental illness and there is no better way than books.
There is, however, a better way than this book.
Tara, our main character, is an 11-year old girl who’s always scared and uses rituals and prayers to deal with her fears. Aside from her OCD as a reader you don’t learn a lot about her personality, which made it hard to get invested in h...more
There is, however, a better way than this book.
Tara, our main character, is an 11-year old girl who’s always scared and uses rituals and prayers to deal with her fears. Aside from her OCD as a reader you don’t learn a lot about her personality, which made it hard to get invested in h...more
Sep 01, 2012
Kaley Farrell
rated it
3 of 5 stars
Recommends it for:
Sherri Farrell
Shelves:
school-books,
book
This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it,
click here.
Feb 01, 2012
Vanessa Ornelas
added it
Well I thought overall this was a great book, i loved reading it. It seriously blew my mind how much this poor girl had to suffer. No one understood what she went threw suffering with OCD.
I liked this book in that it showed a young girl struggling to come to terms with her OCD, and how her family reacted to it. It made me really sad to see how the mom reacted though. She took things to the extreme even threatening to kill her if she did not stop with this kind of behavior. Tara has a OCD with c...more
I liked this book in that it showed a young girl struggling to come to terms with her OCD, and how her family reacted to it. It made me really sad to see how the mom reacted though. She took things to the extreme even threatening to kill her if she did not stop with this kind of behavior. Tara has a OCD with c...more
I do like books that show the effects of various psychological disorders in a way that young adults can understand. I think it's important that teens and children understand that they're not alone, that there are people out there like them, and that there are ways to find treatment for problems if they so wish.
I liked this book in that it showed a young girl struggling to come to terms with her OCD, and how her family reacted to it. Hesser also explained some of the compulsions Tara goes through...more
I liked this book in that it showed a young girl struggling to come to terms with her OCD, and how her family reacted to it. Hesser also explained some of the compulsions Tara goes through...more
What an interesting story. Tara is a young girl with undiagnosed OCD she feels crazy and her family thinks she’s crazy and her behavior is causing them to go crazy.
This was a fascinating look into the mind of someone with OCD how awful it must be to have these compulsions .
When Tara first hears ‘Step on a crack and break your mothers back’ it gets stuck in head and she cannot ever step on another crack and starts counting them.
The journey she goes on from there is so sad , her parents take her...more
This was a fascinating look into the mind of someone with OCD how awful it must be to have these compulsions .
When Tara first hears ‘Step on a crack and break your mothers back’ it gets stuck in head and she cannot ever step on another crack and starts counting them.
The journey she goes on from there is so sad , her parents take her...more
This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it,
click here.
There all kinds of stories about kids that are struiggling in the world....And they usually are kids that seem fairly average.
But KISSING DOORKNOBS, by Terry Spencer Hesser opened up a whole new world.
I felt like the writing in KISSING DOORKNOBS was very similar to MYTHIRTEENTH WINTER, by Samantha Abeel. Both characters were dealing with things inside of their heads, things that other people couldn't understand, and things that they couldn't control. It took over their lives, turned everything...more
But KISSING DOORKNOBS, by Terry Spencer Hesser opened up a whole new world.
I felt like the writing in KISSING DOORKNOBS was very similar to MYTHIRTEENTH WINTER, by Samantha Abeel. Both characters were dealing with things inside of their heads, things that other people couldn't understand, and things that they couldn't control. It took over their lives, turned everything...more
Tara is eleven when she experiences the first symptoms of OCD (Obsessive Compulsive Disorder). As the phrase, "Step on a crack, break your mother's back," repeats in her head, Tara becomes convinced that she must count every crack between her house and her school or something terrible will happen. As Tara's symptoms escalate, her relationships with family and friends fall apart and her parents grow ever more worried about her inexplicable behavior. After being diagnosed with a variety of random...more
This book is about obsessive compulsive disorder. One day a small girls starts realizing that if she steps on a crack in the sidewalk, the she will literally break her mothers back. And the story progresses from there. It shows how obsessions can become so ritualistic that people can't cope without them. And the fear of leaving those rituals was palpable. Interesting read but kind of disturbing.
1 like · like · see review
I thought that this book was interesting, but I did not like the style that it was written in. It wasn't very narrative, meaning that it had a lot of it was written like "Then this happened. After that, this happened," which made it a little boring. Sort of like a list. But, the plot was good. At one point, I was considering abandoning it. The book was basically a summary of the main character, Tara's life.
I think that if there was more details and dialogue in the chapters, it would have been mo...more
I think that if there was more details and dialogue in the chapters, it would have been mo...more
Tara's appointments with various psychologists label her as anorexic, having anger issues, and A.D.D, among other things.
Something helpful for OCD sufferers. (I'm one myself.) Revel in the victories. Give yourself credit for the tests you pass. Don't mourn the lost battles. This whole OCD thing is a war. Each step is an individual battle. You win some. You lose some. But joy-ing in the victories helps you get over the next time you are faced with the same battle. When you are faced with that s...more
Something helpful for OCD sufferers. (I'm one myself.) Revel in the victories. Give yourself credit for the tests you pass. Don't mourn the lost battles. This whole OCD thing is a war. Each step is an individual battle. You win some. You lose some. But joy-ing in the victories helps you get over the next time you are faced with the same battle. When you are faced with that s...more
Kissing Doorknobs, was about a girl, Tara, who was obsessed with rituals. In this book, Tara goes through many problems of teens at her age, but then Tara begins to feel that she is being forced to follow strange rituals in order to deal with the worries that threatens her life. The rituals to me seemed so dumb but to her it seemed as a matter of life or death. The rituals that she was cautious of were not only avoiding stepping on any cracks in the sidewalk but also endlessly counting them, so...more
Kissing Door Knobs
Terry Spencer Hesser
1998
Nonfiction
Tara Has OCD but doesn’t know it. She has strange habits that she performs, like when her mother curses (which was often) she would say a prayer, then make a cross over her chest. She performed it many times but didn’t know why. Tara’s mom was sick of it and so were her friends. She would make up excuses not to walk with her friends from school because she was embarrassed that she counted the side walk cracks (another habit of hers). Although...more
Terry Spencer Hesser
1998
Nonfiction
Tara Has OCD but doesn’t know it. She has strange habits that she performs, like when her mother curses (which was often) she would say a prayer, then make a cross over her chest. She performed it many times but didn’t know why. Tara’s mom was sick of it and so were her friends. She would make up excuses not to walk with her friends from school because she was embarrassed that she counted the side walk cracks (another habit of hers). Although...more
This book is on a girl with OCD and her dealing with it and not knowing what she has and thinking she is going crazy. I thought this book was pretty sad and some parts were uncomfortable. Her friend makes a REALY bad choice in the book. f don't know if i would recommend it because of the decision her friend made and how the story can affect you Emotionally. I don't know but after reading this book i felt a little OCD because I had to have the seats at church in the exact order they were in last...more
I learned of this book through a pedagogical textbook for my Teach Adolescent Literature course and the subject interested me enough to check it out. I liked the story overall and could connect with Tara and her friends. Even though it is a bit outrageous considering these are fictional characters, I do hope that Sam has a speedy recovery from his relapse. I liked his character so much and everything that he did for Tara, I just wish that positive aspect was validated a bit more at the end. Alth...more
This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it,
click here.
Tara is fighting tyrants in her head and no one understands. Her mother does not know what to do or how to help her daughter and doctor after doctor has a different diagnosis for her. She is loosing her friends and can't control the pull to do certain things. Her quirks start not only to effect her lives but the lives of her friends and her family.
This book took you into a life of a young girl with OCD. I was amazed that it took four years for anyone to figure out what was wrong with Tara...goo...more
This book took you into a life of a young girl with OCD. I was amazed that it took four years for anyone to figure out what was wrong with Tara...goo...more
Tara has Obsessive Compulsive Disorder and it is ruining her life and the lives of her parents and friends. She finds that her time is preoccupied with shifting rituals - fear of disasters, the need to pray incessantly, writing test answers perfectly and erasing them until they are perfect, counting cracks in the sidewalk - rituals that must be completed correctly a certain number of times. Interruptions require starting over. Finally she meets someone who can explain her disorder and show her t...more
"Don't step on a crack or you'll break your mother's back." Imagine having that childhood rhyme stuck in your head for a few hours...or all day...or the entire week...or for months! Tara Sullivan's compulsive thoughts preoccupy her mind and overwhelm her youth. While her friends are busy playing tag and riding bikes, Tara's counting the separations in the sidewalk. Though Tara's story has elements of sadness, it's really quite funny. Laugh-out-loud funny, in fact. Her sharp and witty humor is c...more
I loved this book! Hesser's Kissing Doorknobs explores the plights of a young girl who desparately longs to lead a normal life, but who is inhibited from doing so by her illness of Obsessive Compulsive Disorder. The protagonist falls deeper and deeper into the pit of obsession, compulsion, and the self-loathing that accompanies them. Her illness becomes her life and in inseparable from the rest of her personality so much that it overtakes it. An interesting look into the life of someone with an...more
This is an amazingly descriptive book that firmly and realisticly describes a teens lifr in the hands of OBSESSIVE COMPULSIVE DISORDER.
I know this since I have been personally affected with this torchering mental illness.
I strongly recommend the reading of this novel since I have not read any other that shows as much truthfulness and personality as any other book of this genre.¸
NOTE: OCD comes in many different and specific forms. This book, nor any other book could possibly describe ALL types a...more
I know this since I have been personally affected with this torchering mental illness.
I strongly recommend the reading of this novel since I have not read any other that shows as much truthfulness and personality as any other book of this genre.¸
NOTE: OCD comes in many different and specific forms. This book, nor any other book could possibly describe ALL types a...more
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I have never had any encounters with people with OCD or have known very much about this condition so my opinion may be inaccurate, but I felt I needed to write it out anyways.
Kissing Doorknobs is essentially about a young girl named Tara who one day hears a phrase that changes her life forever. Suddenly she can't seem to stop counting the cracks in the ground or praying at every moment or stop worrying ruthlessly about everything. In the way it told the life of someone with OCD, it was spot-on a...more
Kissing Doorknobs is essentially about a young girl named Tara who one day hears a phrase that changes her life forever. Suddenly she can't seem to stop counting the cracks in the ground or praying at every moment or stop worrying ruthlessly about everything. In the way it told the life of someone with OCD, it was spot-on a...more
Confessions review? Oh yeah.
I give Kissing Doorknobs by Terry Spencer Hesser 5/5 stars for being life changing and teaching me that I wasn't the only one suffering from this disease.
Kissing Doorknobs review:
Throughout my teenage years, I suffered from severe OCD (Obsessive Compulsive Disorder). I cannot even go into details the rituals I performed daily from this disease. I remember being in 8th grade and picking this novel at the library. I read the synopsis and immediately knew I neede...more
I give Kissing Doorknobs by Terry Spencer Hesser 5/5 stars for being life changing and teaching me that I wasn't the only one suffering from this disease.
Kissing Doorknobs review:
Throughout my teenage years, I suffered from severe OCD (Obsessive Compulsive Disorder). I cannot even go into details the rituals I performed daily from this disease. I remember being in 8th grade and picking this novel at the library. I read the synopsis and immediately knew I neede...more
This book was super interesting. It is about a girl with OCD and how she works to overcome it. It shows in detail all of the struggles she has and I could feel the pain, though I'm sure not all the way. It was described very well. I would never want to have OCD really bad, and I it helps me see the value of being a therapist. It also shows the value of family and the people around you, because the girl in this book does not get help until she is very far into her disease and her condition is bad...more
This was a fast read. There is a huge difference between having OCD and having an OCD personality. Many of us hate pictures hanging crooked, having songs and scenes playing over and over in our heads, and diving head over heels into something new and fun. This is nothing compared to the pain of an obsession that takes control over your life and won't let go. I'm glad I read it. I understand more about OCD. My 8th graders are reading this, and I wanted to be able to discuss the book with them.
Although I didn't think this was exactly the best book I've ever read, I definitely thought it was thoroughly interesting and it really opened up some new perspectives and new reading experiences to me, which I think is really important. This book was about a 12 year old girl suffering from Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, a serious disease that interrupts passages in the brain. The book is told from the main character, Tara's, perspective, and so the book really provides a lot of detail into wha...more
This book is about a girl named Tara. She has always been on the nervous side-but around 10 years old she starts developing some strange habits. These habits include counting cracks, kissing her fingers before she can touch the front door knob, and crossing herself. This takes place before OCD was a commonly known disorder, and the story betrays the emotions and feeling Tara had to live through.
This book was very good. It was short, (I read it within one school day), and the characters were very...more
This book was very good. It was short, (I read it within one school day), and the characters were very...more
Definitely a character-driven novel since the entire plot can be summed up in one sentence: "Young girl struggles with a disease that she can't understand or even name." So if you're looking for a plot-driven page-turner, skip this one. If you're interested in psychology or are interested in OCD, pick this one up. It is a bit slow to start, but it's a quick read so you can get to the conclusion relatively quickly.
This book will make you feel. It made me think. It made me scared. It made me relieved. I felt selfish. I felt worried. I felt anxious. And I don't have OCD. I can't imagine what it would be like if I did.
Seeing a neurological disorder from the perspective of someone going though it is eye opening. It is always that way but even more so when the person is a ten year old with unsupportive (though not uncaring) and uncomprehending parents. Tara has no one to turn to to help explain her thoughts....more
Seeing a neurological disorder from the perspective of someone going though it is eye opening. It is always that way but even more so when the person is a ten year old with unsupportive (though not uncaring) and uncomprehending parents. Tara has no one to turn to to help explain her thoughts....more
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“My friends tried to ignore my quirks since they didn't have a clue what to do about them. It didn't seem hard on them though. They were already trained to ignore their parents' alcohol abuse, constant bickering, serial marriages, and nonsensical advice.”
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5 people liked it
“We were always together. And we were happy. Looking at clouds. Rocking on the swings. Lying in the sun. We loved being busy doing nothing.”
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2 people liked it
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Oct 27, 2008 06:24am