Cameron and the Girls

by Edward Averett

“Mad crashes into happy and sad bounces off of guilty until they all live in a big smoky heap in my mind.” Fourteen-year-old Cameron Galloway of Lexington, Washington, understands that he has schizophreniform disorder and needs to take pills to quiet the voices in his head. But he likes the voices, especially the gentle, encouraging voice of The Girl. Conflicted, he turns to his friend Nina Savage, who is clinically depressed and can relate to his horror of the numbing effects of medication. They make a pact to ditch the pills. At first they feel triumphant, but soon Cameron’s untreated mind goes haywire—to disastrous effect.

Genres: Young Adult, Mental Health, Realistic Fiction, Romance, Mental Illness, Contemporary, Middle Grade

224 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2013

About the author

I was born in the Pacific Northwest, in southwestern Washington State, but we moved around a lot when I was young. My father had migrated from the Oklahoma dustbowl to California in the 1930s, and migration never seemed to leave his blood. Adjusting to new schools, sometimes a few a year, was hard.

Reading got me through and became a passion. I gobbled up The Yearling by Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings, The Enormous Egg by Oliver Butterworth, The Black Stallion series by Walter Farley, and many others.

My love of stories soon became a zeal for "getting things down on paper." At age 11, I started my first novel, The Canadian Calf. I had just finished reading The Yearling, so I figured a novel about a young boy in Canada who adopts an abandoned moose calf would be just the ticket. When my younger brother, Doug, got his smelting pole hung up on an old piling and fell into the frigid, fast-moving floodwaters of the Cowlitz River, I came up with the idea for my second novel, The Swift Stream, which concerned the art of smelt dipping in the Cowlitz using a woman's nylon stocking as a net.

I knew from then on that my life's goal was to publish fiction. Through adolescence, college, marriage, and children, I never lost sight of it. Sometimes life can throw curves and wavy lines at us, and I've seen my share, but I've never strayed from writing for long. In fact, armed with visions of authoring the great American novel as an expatriate, in 1981, I moved my family to a small village in the hills of southern Spain.

We planned to spend one year and stayed for nearly four. I learned the craft of writing; my wife conquered the language and made fast friends. My daughter was the first foreigner ever picked to be queen of the annual village fair, and my son was soon indistinguishable from the other young boys in the village. One of my most prized memories is of the day my wife Ed and Mary Averett at wedding and I were matron of honor and best man at the wedding of some close friends in the village church. The high walls of the traditional Catholic church were hung with precious oil paintings that had been torn during the Spanish Civil War. And still they hung there. We felt privileged to be a part of such an important occasion. Our experience in that part of the world was life-changing and stays with us to this day.

My novels are about how families work through grief and loss, which can occur in many forms. Besides grieving loved ones who have died, one can also grieve over a divorce, friends from an old neighborhood after moving away, a favorite pet who has died or gotten lost, the loss of status in the community, even losing one's place in the world in general. My belief that people can get through these transitions and find a better way of life is what informs and inspires my writing. It is the primary issue in my novel, The Rhyming Season.

Reviews

[Ugnė Lukošienė · Rating 3 out of 5]

Knyga iš jaunimo skyriaus. Suskaičiau per du vakarus. Įdomu, sunku, vietomis painu bet... verta paskaityti jaunimui, yra apie ką pagalvoti.

[Dorian Jandreau · Rating 4 out of 5]

Galbūt niekada nebūčiau net sužinojęs apie šitokią knygą jei ne vienos merginos Instagram'o nuotrauka ir review. Pamačiau, kad tai istorija apie paauglį berniuką sergantį šizofrenija, kuris įsimyli dvi mergaites: vieną tikrą, o kitą... ne.

Sunku mane sudominti knygomis "iš niekur", bet tokiais retais atvejais kaip šis, susidomiu kitų žmonių skaitomomis knygomis. Būtent istorijos veikėjas Kameronas ir paskatino mane ieškoti šitos knygos, nes pajutau troškimą perskaityti šitą knygą. Vietiniame knygyne rasti tokią "seną" knygą buvo misija neįmanoma. Teko išgirsti: "Deja, bet šitos knygos tiražas išparduotas ir net užsakyti jos nebeįmanoma". Teko grįžti namo kaip šuniukui pabrukta uodega ir didžiulėmis ašarų pilnomis akimis. Tad vakare išliejau visą nuoskaudą draugui kaip trokštu šitos knygos ir man tai "gyvybės ir mirties klausimas" kur ją gauti. Draugas gan įtartinai sureagavo kam man prisireikė šitos knygos, bet... padėjo išieškoti "tą knygą, kuri man neleido miegoti jau savaitę". Taigi... visagalis internetas išsprendė mano problemas ir pradėjau skaityti vos tik parsinešiau namo siuntinį.

Po pirmų skyrių pasijutau kiek nejaukiai... bet tai įvyko tik todėl, kad knyga mane palietė mano asmeninį gyvenimą... Bet padėti knygos į šoną irgi nesisekė, tad kai pamačiau, kad sugebėjau per dieną perskaityti 107 lapus- pagalvojau, kad tikrai buvo verta jos ieškoti, nes ji sugebėjo išlaikyti mano dėmesį tokį ilgą laiko tarpą. Man itin patiko tai, kad skyriai itin trumpi! Itin paprastas stilius- irgi puiku. Na, o siužetas... nieko ypatingo. Tačiau rašant knygą tokia tematika veiksmo nepridėsi, žinau iš patirties. Galiu pacituoti ištrauką iš pačios knygos, kurią supras tik asmenys susidūrę su panašia liga: " Dabar nejaučiu nieko. Bandau prisiversti nusijuokti, bet nepavyksta. Bandau pravirkti, taip pat neišeina. Žnybteliu sau ranką, tačiau nieko nejaučiu." Būtent šita ištrauka parodo, jog autorius puikiai išmano apie tai ką rašo, ir puikiai sugebėjo perteikti savo veikėjo mintis. Dar viena ištrauka, kuri įrodo autoriaus puikias žinias ir supratimą: " Žmonėms atrodo, kad depresija- tai nuovargis ir tinginystė. Tačiau taip nėra. Jautiesi miręs, nors dar kvėpuoji. " Knyga tikrai realistiška, bet šitos dvi ištraukos tėra žodžiai... tų tikrųjų jausmų ir pojūčių neįmanoma perteikti paprasčiausiais žodžiais.

Na, o paskutiniame puslapyje radau puikią frazę: " Problema ta: kai žmonės yra susidarę apie tave tam tikrą nuomonę, labai sunku ją pakeisti. " Ir tai viską pasako... Labai džiaugiuosi, kad ją perskaičiau, nes ji man itin patiko, bet kita vertus gailiuosi, nes man tai buvo itin stiprus trigger.

[Alex Baugh · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cameron and the Girls is one of those rare books I chose to read without knowing anything at all about it - I was simply attracted to the cover and the title. I expected the story to be about a boy torn between two girls - and it is, but not in the way you would think.

Cameron Galloway is a 14 year old boy in the Emotionally Disturbed Program at the local junior high school. He has been living with schizophreiform for a while now, which is an acute form of schizophrenia that cause temporary breaks with reality rather than the constant break that occurs with chronic schizophrenia. When a psychotic episode does occur, Cameron hears the voice of the 'educated and knowledgeable' Professor. But Cam is supposed to take his meds everyday and as long as does that he has, no problems but he also has no feelings, no emotions, no voices.

So Cam stops taking his meds and now it has been 5 or 6 days and the comforting, familiar voice of the Professor has returned, but now so has another voice - the young, flattering voice that Cam calls the Girl. No girl has ever paid attention to Cam before and the Girl makes him feel good. But no sooner does the Girl come into his life, then another girl, Nina, does too. Nina is a new girl in his EDP (Emotionally Disturbed Program) class who suffers from depression and her mother's neglect.

Nina talks Cam in skipping school and going to the convenience store near her home. They begins talking and he finds himself oddly drawn to Nina. But as they get to know each other better, another voice comes along - the Other Guy. The Other Guy is dangerous, he taunts Cameron to be more of a man, to take what he wants, to take risks and behave in cruel ways. And the Other Guy begins to drown out the voice of the Professor and the Girl.

As Cam sinks into his hallucinations, Nina sinks into her depression, finally attempting suicide. Cam is the one who knows her the best, but will he be able to help the real girl in his life?

Cameron and the Girls is told from the first person point of view. This is refreshing because most novels about a young person with a mental illness are written from the point of view of a narrator on the outside looking in. But Edward Averett is a skillful clinical psychologist who knows how to take his readers into the mind of this young boy and really let them experience his life from the inside of Cam's head. Sometimes it is hard to understand that a person who hears voices in their head doesn't experience them as imaginary, but to people like Cam the voices they hear are real and so they respond to them as though they are a real presence. And yet, Cam knows his has schizophreniform.

Cam's story is at time funny, sad, disturbing heartbreaking and hopeful but it is always compelling. It is a coming of age story with a twist. Cam is not trying to find out who he is but he rather trying to make his own decisions about leading his life instead of having those decisions made from him by someone else. For most kids, making decisions about their lives is a maturation step that just comes naturally.

Cameron and the Girls is wonderful novel for that will leave a strong impression on all readers.

This book is recommended for readers age 14+
This book was purchased for my personal library

This review was originally published at Randomly Reading

[Jennifer · Rating 4 out of 5]

Summary:
Cameron is a 14 year old boy that is just going through puberty and discovering he is changing in ways he is not sure about. If that wasn't enough, he also has a schizophreniform disorder. This is must like schizophrenia, but the episodes are shorter. This disorder has basically been the focus of his entire life. He is on medication for it, in a special class for students with Emotional Disturbances, and his parents focus way too much attention on him. Up until now, he is gone along with everything, but now he is making the decision to stop taking his medication. The voices in his head make him feel less lonely and help him understand things differently. The hallucinations are interesting and he is embracing the normal of his life. He also is gaining an understanding of depression through his friend Nina, who he often finds in a comatose like state without the wish of being interrupted. As with any coming of age type novel, Cameron is beginning a new awakening of who he is and what role those around or inside of him play in that development.

My thoughts:
Based upon the cover, I really did not expect the direction this story took. It is an extremely introspective novel that dives deep into psychology and the world of mental disorders. The reader sees things through Cameron's eyes in a touching tale of rediscovery. There were several moments that I teared up, but equal enough moments that I found funny. As with any teenage boy, there are times when Cameron is irritating or annoying, but he is also endearing and caring. Through the first person narrative we also receive the perspectives of the voices within Cameron's head. It is an interesting twist within the POV. It's almost like being omniscient and narrow at the same time. For parents or teachers, there isn't anything overly offensive or adult-like; however, for younger (6th grade-early 7th grade) students/children, I would pay attention to how they react to the disabilities. If they seem to share a lot of empathy, then they would probably enjoy the novel. If they are chuckling at the disability itself, they may not be mature enough to dive into Cameron's head.

[Mrs. Palmer · Rating 4 out of 5]

A story about a boy with a severe mental illness and his struggles. It was a very unusual book, and I particularly enjoyed the epilogue, as well as a discussion of the main character's illness. This is not a book that trivializes or makes light of mental illness. While I can't speak to its accuracy, it did feel real to me, and the narrator's voice seemed authentic.

[Kalli · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cameron and the girls was a book that I read knowing nothing about it. When I picked up this book I was expecting something completely different, but none the less I really enjoyed it.

[Jenni Frencham · Rating 2 out of 5]

Cameron has schizophrenia, but he's only in junior high, so he and his family are hoping that his disorder will disappear as he grows up. Cameron decides to quit taking his medication; soon, his head is filled with various voices. He doesn't like all the voices, but he does like one of them, and he wants to know if he can keep that voice.

I do not think this is a good book for kids. Cameron and his buddy from school don't have any redeeming qualities at all. She encourages Cameron to skip school and not take his meds, which leads to him making some very dangerous choices. She also goes off of her meds, with disastrous results. The only thing I got from this book is that most 14-year olds are probably not mature enough to make their own decisions when it comes to taking medication. Cameron frequently lies about taking his meds, both to his parents and to his doctor.

I would be hesitant to put this book in my library's collection, even though it covers an illness not frequently found in YA books, because the main character goes off his meds, has some scary adventures, and comes home relatively unscathed. It's almost as if the author is encouraging children not to take medication prescribed to them, and that's. just. dangerous.

Recommended for: teens, those interested in books about mental illness

Red Flags: Cameron is 14, so his language isn't always the best and he starting to think about girls a lot.

Overall Rating: 2/5 stars

[Safara · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a young adult book with main character, Cameron, who has a mental problem. He has a schizophreniform, which is a more specific type of schizophrenia. He is currently 14 years old.

I can relate to his feelings about how he feels he can rule anything in this world without his parents' help. I mean, this is the age where it will be like that, right? But the problem is, his parents don't really understand what is going on. They don't have a helicopter parenting but rather watch it too closely I guess.. So there is no room for mistake, especially because he has a mental condition.

I don't like how the parents portray Cam as a serious rebel but I guess that is the part of being 14??? Slip out from school and have a girlfriend?? I think the heavier problem rather than Cam's condition is actually his friend, Nina, who has depression and been left by her mother.

This book also makes me think about segregation between disability children which can actually make it worse for the children themselves.

[Owen Norcross · Rating 5 out of 5]

Cameron and the girls is a store that deals with schizophrenia and a IGF (imaginary girlfriend)

Cameron is experiment with not tacking his pills that brings downs his voices. He is doing this as a experiment to here some nice voice. The three voice are like drugs. One is a voice that say smart things, the other is a girl that is like a Girlfriend, and the last one is a voice is the on who try to get in to trouble or go over the edge. Cameron see the two good voice as some thing good but other people in his family disagree like his mother. later in the story he befriends Nina, a girl who was diagnosis with dispersion. She have to tack a pill like Cameron, she does not like them. This two character see that they do like each our and through the story they become very close as they move fairer form realty. Cameron have the girl and Nina have Cameron. I live this book because of how it display a chose between living in realty or a perfect realty.

[Cathy Blackler · Rating 4 out of 5]

"Something is breaking down inside my head, and I can almost see my miniature self up there, running around with timbers and a hammer, keeping the walls from caving in. I get one edge secure and hear the crumbling of another. I'm exhausted without even leaving my mind." So says 14-year old Cameron, suffering from schizophreniform disorder. Averett has written an emotional story of the weight of mental illness. Cameron struggles to take charge while his family struggles to protect him from himself. Brutally honest read. REVIEW BASED ON ARC.

[Jessica · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very original, couldn't put it down. The story of Cameron, who has a schizo disorder. He begins to experiment with going med free, and the story becomes one of him and the girls.

[Alyssa S. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Cameron and the Girls is a great book about mental health awareness. This book is about a 14-year-old boy named Cameron, who suffers with schizophreniform disorder, a subgroup of schizophrenia that can cause both visual and auditory hallucinations. Cameron has many different types of voices. Those voices include The Girl, The Other Guy, and The Professor. The Girl is Cameron’s imaginary girlfriend and a type of security for him. The Other Guy is kind of like the little devil on Cameron’s shoulder who is always wanting to get into some sort of trouble. The Professor is like his guilty conscious telling him what is wrong and what is right, providing Cameron with advice, and guiding him towards success. In this book, we get introduced to a girl from Cameron’s EDP class called Nina. Nina has depression and starts to become close friends with Cameron. She seems to be there for Cameron no matter what he is going through even when she is struggling herself.

The adults that are introduced in this book are Cameron’s parents, and his therapist, Dr. Simons. Cameron’s dad isn’t very thrilled that he has a mental disorder at such a young age. His dad even says, “How can a kid the age of Cam be schizophrenic? He hasn’t lived long enough to go crazy from life.” Cameron’s mother seems to be overprotective and is always trying to figure out what is happening in Cameron’s life more than his older sister. Dr. Simons always seems to have Cameron’s mental health and interest in mind whenever Cameron comes to see him.

I have immensely enjoyed reading this book. As someone who has been learning about mental health in my Psychology class, I found that this book to be interesting, informative, and hard to put down. This book gives an in-depth look at what it is like for someone to deal with some of these mental disorders (ADD, depression, schizophrenia). The author’s style is believable and realistic. The author created characters that seem real and cover heavy topics that young adults face. All of the characters in this novel leave you at the edge of your seat ready to read what is going to happen next. This book is thrilling, eventful, and hard to put down!

[Pernia · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was mostly sad reading this story after one of my students recommended it to me.

Cameron has been diagnosed with schizophrenaform and takes medication for it. Until he decides to stop and experience all his feelings. He begins to hallucinate and hear different voices: the Professor who gives facts and tries to keep him out of danger, the Girl who he is in love with and declares his girlfriend (it is this voice in particular he does not want to lose) and the Other Guy who taunts Cameron and tries to get him to take risks, talk back and be cruel.

In school he attends a sped class where he meets Nina. They conspire together to stay off their meds and rebel against their parents. Nina takes meds to help her with depression. Her mother is away and has left Nina home by herself.

It was very concerning to read about Cameron taking increasing risks, being encouraged to rape Nina by The Other Guy, stealing his parents’ car and driving it illegally, and not being able to process his behavior because his thoughts are so jumbled.

The question of what is normal and should teens be in charge of what medications they take are questions that are well presented but not thoroughly explored.

[ash · Rating 3 out of 5]

I thought the writing in this was VERY good with some really interesting descriptive and metaphorical language and a very true-to-age narrator and a stream-of-consciousness narration that is pretty successful at making the reader feel what the narrator is feeling. There was nothing fun, funny, or pleasant in this, but not every book about mental illness needs to be to be accessible. Cameron is an engaging narrator and he is sympathetic, even though I spent much of the book feeling a VERY adult-level frustration with him. (I'm old! I'm starting to be the parent in YA books instead of the kid!) In my old age, I am trying not to feel like every story for young people needs to teach a ~lesson, but I do wish this had dealt more with the consequences of such a profound medical decision. In the end, Cameron chooses to take his medication and while I don't need him to be enthusiastic about it, I would have liked to see that he had more of a personal understanding of why he needed to take it, instead of mostly doing it out of half-hearted obligation.

[Gracemary Allen · Rating 3 out of 5]

Cutesy cover art hides a realistic, if at times disturbing look into schizopheniform disorders. I’ve seen complains that Cam’s behavior is unrealistic but believing that you don’t need the medication when it is doing the job it was prescribed to do and you lose symptoms is actually a fairly common occurrence in patients being treated for everything from depression to bpd. For an adolescent struggling to find his identity Cameron’s form of rebellion is even more understandable.

[Ayla Berrum · Rating 4 out of 5]

I saw someone say they thought this book would be about a guy torn between two girls, but not in the way you'd think, and they were exactly right. I love the sentimentality of this book and how it deals with real issues people have to go through. It has a lot of potential to ease the stigma around schizophrenia-like disorders I think. All of the characters were relatable in some sense. All of the ending of the chapters left me wanting to continue.

[Victoria · Rating 3 out of 5]

The actual book was meh. It felt a little rushed. Something I do really appreciate about this book, however, is how the title and cover may fool you, the book isn't as sweet or simple as you'd think. It's interesting how the appearance of this book leads you to think the plot is about one thing, but it's about something completely different.

[Michelle · Rating 4 out of 5]

Probably closer to 3.5 stars

This was an interesting read. Cam vacillated between being incredibly sympathetic and incredibly annoying, which I suppose is what happens when you're an adult reading a teen book. I only know the basics about schizophrenia, so I can't speak to whether or not this would be an accurate depiction, but it definitely made for an interesting one.

[Cranmionix · Rating 4 out of 5]

,,Galvoju, kad dabar žinau, kas yra tikrasis gyvenimas. Tavęs nepervažiuos traukinys su rąstais, prieš akis nešmėkščios klai- kūs vaizdai. Mano liga retkarčiais gali sugrįžti, bet dabar žinau. kad galiu daryti tai, ko anksčiau nė nesvajojau, ir dėl to esu lai- mingas."

[Elysia · Rating 5 out of 5]

Overall it was an amazing book. I did this book for a book report and was read in a matter of a few days. Even though there was a lot to read, it's just one of those books you just cant put down.

[Heather · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow! What a look into mental illness and teens... a first hand account that changes perceptions!

[Natalie Blank · Rating 4 out of 5]

Loved it. Just wish it were a little longer. I wanted more to happen.

[gabijape · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rekomenduoju perskaityti!

[Akira Vilaychtih · Rating 3 out of 5]

I thought it was a good story just the way it was delivered was very poor.

[Alice Blanchette · Rating 3 out of 5]

I bought this book for 3 dollars from the dollar store, I didn't expect it to be all that good. It surprised me by being a very good book!

[Sarah · Rating 3 out of 5]

I definitely enjoyed it but not as much as Shusterman’s Challenger Deep.

[Paul Danyluk · Rating 4 out of 5]

An engaging and sensitive young adult read about mental illness and the alienation it can cause.

[anabelle · Rating 4 out of 5]

this was really sad yet informational at the same time. actually really good

[Eglė Ramoškaitė · Rating 5 out of 5]

Knyga, keliaujanti į vieną lentyną kartu su „Tas keistas nutikimas šuniu naktį“, bet šita gal net dar paveikesnė, kadangi kalba ne apie abstraktų sutrikimą, o apie įvardintą: pagrindinis veikėjas – keturiolikmetis Kameronas, sergantis šizofrenija. Knyga vos pusnatro šimto puslapių, bet skaitėsi pakankamai sudėtingai, kartais net nelabai supratau, kas vyksta ir čia buvo geroji skaitymo ir įsijautimo patirtis, gi tikrai ne man suprasti (kad ir kaip stengčiausi) ligos paveiktą pasaulį, o ir pats Kameronas nesupranta. Šimto balų vertas pagrindinio veikėjo pasaulio perteikimas.

[Bookish Jen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Adolescence. It sucks. And it sucks even more when you’re struggling with a mental illness. Meet Cameron Galloway from Edward Averett’s young adult novel Cameron and the Girls. He’s 14 years old and suffering from schizophreniform disorder. Schizophreniform is a subset of the more serious Schizophrenia. Cameron has brief moments of hallucinations that he tries to control with medication.

Cameron takes special classes at his school that are designed for kids with mental health issues. It is here where Cameron strikes up a friendship with a girl named Nina. Nina suffers from depression and lives with her mostly absent and neglectful mother. Cameron and Nina grow close and support each other in a world that often looks at the mentally ill with guarded judgment.

At this time, Cameron also decides to stop taking his medication. Before long, two voices take up residence in his head. One is the Professor, a soothing presence who gives Cameron advice. The other voice is the Girl, a voice clearly based on Cameron’s friendship with Nina. Cameroon soon calls the girl his girlfriend.

Instead of being freaked out about hearing these voices, Cameron is comforted. They help guide and reassure him as he navigates his way through school, his friendship with Nina, and his relationship with his family. Cameron’s elder sister, Beth, tries to be protective of her little brother, but she knows he must take care of his mental illness. And when Cameron’s parents find out Cameron is no longer taking his medication, they flip out and struggle desperately to get their son to start taking his resume his medication.

But being a teenager, and finding the voices in his head, especially the Girl’s, soothing, not disturbing, Cameron refuses. The voices seem to provide him wise counsel and make him feel less alone. He’s convinced taking his medication will strip him of all that he believes he has gained from the voices. It isn’t long before he’s being dragged to the psychiatrist by his concerned parents and forced to take his medication through injection.

Cameron’s relationship with Nina deepens, but it also spirals nearly out of control as Nina’s depression gets worse and she’s often in a catatonic state. Will Cameroon and Nina situation become truly dire or will they find the coping mechanisms they so desperately need?

Cameron and the Girls is a sensitive and introspective novel that shows young people as they really are. They can be reflective, kind and compassionate. They can also be annoying, rebellious and difficult. This book also shows how mental illness can affect someone negatively without frightening us into thinking these young people will go off the rails and become dangerous and violent. Author Averett is a long-time psychologist working often working with child and adolescent mental health issues so he knows what he writes about. Cameron and the Girls may be a novel aimed at the teen crowd, but I think adults will find value in it and in learning Cameron’s story.

Originally published at The Book Self Blog:
http://thebookselfblog.wordpress.com/...