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Giddy Barber Explodes in 11
Giddy Barber knows with certainty she’s going to become a mechanical engineer. What she doesn't know is the last time she smiled.
With her parents overworked and unavailable, it falls to Giddy to make sure her siblings stay on track. But she’s exhausted. When you’re the person everyone else turns to, what do you do when you hit a wall?
Giddy finds an answer online—if you can’t handle how things are going, shake them up. Is it sound advice? Unclear. But is Giddy willing to try anything? Absolutely. Putting eleven days on the clock, she’ll change her routine. But soon it becomes clear that some problems are bigger than what an online column can fix—her family is fracturing, her anxiety is mounting, and all she knows is this: Something. Has. To. Give.
In Dina Havranek’s Giddy Barber Explodes in 11, a long-time teacher dives into the issues of depression, overwork, and lack of support many of her students are dealing with. In a results-obsessed society, how much are we demanding of teens? And what happens when their burdens become too much?
With her parents overworked and unavailable, it falls to Giddy to make sure her siblings stay on track. But she’s exhausted. When you’re the person everyone else turns to, what do you do when you hit a wall?
Giddy finds an answer online—if you can’t handle how things are going, shake them up. Is it sound advice? Unclear. But is Giddy willing to try anything? Absolutely. Putting eleven days on the clock, she’ll change her routine. But soon it becomes clear that some problems are bigger than what an online column can fix—her family is fracturing, her anxiety is mounting, and all she knows is this: Something. Has. To. Give.
In Dina Havranek’s Giddy Barber Explodes in 11, a long-time teacher dives into the issues of depression, overwork, and lack of support many of her students are dealing with. In a results-obsessed society, how much are we demanding of teens? And what happens when their burdens become too much?
352 pages, Hardcover
First published October 8, 2024
5 people are currently reading
2583 people want to read
About the author
Dina Havranek
2 books19 followersDina Havranek is a middle school Science teacher, a community theater actress, an avid gamer and a lover of all things Lego. She lives in the Houston area with her husband, daughter and a pair of ungrateful cats.
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Displaying 1 - 29 of 29 reviews
October 11, 2024
Got an arc from the publisher!
It took me a hot minute to get into this (the behavior of the kids at school felt so outlandish?? But hey the author’s a teacher she was probably in a school more recently than I was lmao) but as the story progressed…OW. My heart hurts for this girl and so many of her feelings were deeply relatable, the stuff with her horrible friends mostly, and if I’d had this when I was the target age for it maybe I wouldn’t have felt so miserable.
A couple of clunky moments and questionable choices bring this down to a four but I really like that it ends with her going to therapy and not some magic fix
It took me a hot minute to get into this (the behavior of the kids at school felt so outlandish?? But hey the author’s a teacher she was probably in a school more recently than I was lmao) but as the story progressed…OW. My heart hurts for this girl and so many of her feelings were deeply relatable, the stuff with her horrible friends mostly, and if I’d had this when I was the target age for it maybe I wouldn’t have felt so miserable.
A couple of clunky moments and questionable choices bring this down to a four but I really like that it ends with her going to therapy and not some magic fix
May 28, 2024
I was super excited to get Giddy Barber Explodes in 11 from Peachtree Teen to do a blurb for it because a) I like getting things in the mail b) I’m super flattered any time I get asked to do a blurb ever (this is my second one ever) and c) I had the feeling this one was going to sucker punch me. And I was, in fact, correct, which is why you’re getting this like a week and a half after I finished reading it.
This one was actually kind of hard for me to read (don’t stop reading the review now because I DO mean in a good way!!) because it reminded me so much of when I felt like I was the one holding my family together with my bare hands, and I hadn’t realized how much I’d almost kind of forgotten those feelings.
I don’t want to reduce it to something pithy like The Eldest Daughter Book, but I think Giddy is a character that will resonate with the exact people who don’t want you to see how much they’re struggling, and I think it means a lot to have a narrative about prioritizing your own happiness even when it’s ‘easier’ to sacrifice it because ‘you can handle it’. On a less serious note, there were hijinks, and I LOVE hijinks. ‘Stressed out overachiever makes a series of bad decisions’ is maybe, perhaps, a favorite of mine.
On a more technical note, I loved how fast-paced this book was and how much it deliberately invoked the feelings Giddy was experiencing through her stress and depression and desperation to feel better. From page one, you really feel it yourself, and it makes Giddy's journey that much more satisfying to experience.
This one was actually kind of hard for me to read (don’t stop reading the review now because I DO mean in a good way!!) because it reminded me so much of when I felt like I was the one holding my family together with my bare hands, and I hadn’t realized how much I’d almost kind of forgotten those feelings.
I don’t want to reduce it to something pithy like The Eldest Daughter Book, but I think Giddy is a character that will resonate with the exact people who don’t want you to see how much they’re struggling, and I think it means a lot to have a narrative about prioritizing your own happiness even when it’s ‘easier’ to sacrifice it because ‘you can handle it’. On a less serious note, there were hijinks, and I LOVE hijinks. ‘Stressed out overachiever makes a series of bad decisions’ is maybe, perhaps, a favorite of mine.
On a more technical note, I loved how fast-paced this book was and how much it deliberately invoked the feelings Giddy was experiencing through her stress and depression and desperation to feel better. From page one, you really feel it yourself, and it makes Giddy's journey that much more satisfying to experience.
November 16, 2024
In this book, written by a teacher who clearly gets it, we meet Giddy, a teenager caught in the kind of pressure-cooker of responsibility that feels all too real for anyone who’s ever had to balance homework, family expectations, and the anxiety of simply being. Giddy’s life is a tangle of obligations—her parents both work full-time, and her mom has a laundry list of demands, one of which is that Giddy essentially becomes the second adult in the house. She’s expected to take on tasks like cooking dinner and making sure everything runs smoothly at home, even though she’s just a kid, still figuring out who she is and how she fits into the world.
Enter opposition therapy. It’s a strange concept—essentially, Giddy decides to do the opposite of what she’s expected to do for 11 days. At first, this seems like a wild experiment, like a teenager’s fantasy of flipping the bird to the system. But as Giddy starts sitting with different people at lunch, not answering questions in class, and letting the house fall into some mild chaos, we begin to see something deeper unfold. Giddy, in her rebellion, is testing the boundaries of her own identity, trying to figure out who she is apart from what her parents and society expect her to be. And that’s something we all go through, isn’t it? Trying on new versions of ourselves, throwing out the old scripts, and seeing which ones feel right, even if it’s uncomfortable.
What this book gets so right is the way it captures the quiet rebellion of adolescence—not the kind with loud, dramatic explosions, but the smaller, subtler kind where a kid steps out of the mold they’ve been shaped into and dares to try something else. It’s a story about family, about identity, and about the courage it takes to be different, even when you’re not sure what that difference will mean.
In the end, Giddy’s 11 days don’t provide a neat solution to her problems, but they give her the space to ask the right questions—and sometimes, that’s all we really need.
Enter opposition therapy. It’s a strange concept—essentially, Giddy decides to do the opposite of what she’s expected to do for 11 days. At first, this seems like a wild experiment, like a teenager’s fantasy of flipping the bird to the system. But as Giddy starts sitting with different people at lunch, not answering questions in class, and letting the house fall into some mild chaos, we begin to see something deeper unfold. Giddy, in her rebellion, is testing the boundaries of her own identity, trying to figure out who she is apart from what her parents and society expect her to be. And that’s something we all go through, isn’t it? Trying on new versions of ourselves, throwing out the old scripts, and seeing which ones feel right, even if it’s uncomfortable.
What this book gets so right is the way it captures the quiet rebellion of adolescence—not the kind with loud, dramatic explosions, but the smaller, subtler kind where a kid steps out of the mold they’ve been shaped into and dares to try something else. It’s a story about family, about identity, and about the courage it takes to be different, even when you’re not sure what that difference will mean.
In the end, Giddy’s 11 days don’t provide a neat solution to her problems, but they give her the space to ask the right questions—and sometimes, that’s all we really need.
March 12, 2025
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5. I stumbled blindly upon this one and guys, it’s a sleeper hit for me. Giddy, high school…sophomore(?), bears the bulk of responsibility at home while her parents work long shifts at the hospital. She gets her siblings off to school, causing her to be late every day, makes dinner, does most of the chores, and lately she hasn’t been feeling like herself. She finds a post online from someone who says to try doing the opposite of what you would normally do for eleven days. So she does. And what happens is freeing, but when her mom realizes what has been happening. While Giddy is reckoning with that, secrets from the rest of her family start pouring out, leading to a blow up during a crisis. I absolutely HATED her mom, and felt for this kid. And while there were a handful of f-bombs, everything else about the book is completely appropriate for middle school. I would recommend it for mature 6th grade and up.
March 31, 2025
I started and finished this within a single day—and the ending had me sobbing my eyes out. The big sobs that hurt your ribs. I really, really hope Giddy Barber is finding her audience with the teens who need to read her. The book captures the struggle of overlooked mental illness so deftly—frustration, simmering anger, and emptiness bleed from the page—but so does the catharsis when Giddy finally learns to put her needs first.
Incredible debut. I hope the author keeps publishing.
Incredible debut. I hope the author keeps publishing.
October 22, 2024
Rounded up
November 26, 2024
Scrumptious book. But it made me so sad.
August 1, 2024
What an excellent book written by a teacher who truly understands the responsibilities and problems students have at home, at school, and with friends. Giddy’s parents both work and her mom expects Giddy to do so much around the house including preparing dinner. Giddy finds out about opposition therapy, which is to try and do something different every day, and decides to try it for ten days. Once she starts, Giddy feels different and likes doing different things every day such as sitting with different people at lunch, not answering questions in class, and not doing what’s expected of her at home. Mom gets mad at Giddy, and says I’m counting on you and Giddy says no and refuses to do what she had been doing to help out. When something happens to a family member it changes things for everyone, Did the 11 days solve anything for Giddy?
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the eARC of this book. All opinions are my own.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the eARC of this book. All opinions are my own.
July 30, 2024
I was just emotionally eviscerated.
From the freaking stomachaches to the nemesis named Hunter to the complete overwhelm and confusion about why everything feels like a struggle, this book ripped into my heart and dug for the truth.
It's an incredible book and I wanted to sob though the whole thing.
From the freaking stomachaches to the nemesis named Hunter to the complete overwhelm and confusion about why everything feels like a struggle, this book ripped into my heart and dug for the truth.
It's an incredible book and I wanted to sob though the whole thing.
January 24, 2025
I have mixed feelings about this book, it was good, but then at times I felt like what’s the purpose or where is this going? I think this book could resonate with a number of teens, so I still think it’s worth my recommendation. The book starts off clean but about a third of the way through the F bombs let loose.
July 24, 2024
Thank you Netgalley and Peachtree Teen for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!
“Giddy Barber Explodes in 11” is a powerful exploration of a teenager’s struggle under the weight of expectations and the quest for personal happiness amidst chaos. Dina Havranek, drawing on her experience as a long-time teacher, accurately portrays the pressures faced by today’s youth, particularly those who bear heavy responsibilities at home and school. I think this book will be extremely relatable to younger readers, especially those who are the eldest children and find themselves faced with immense amounts of pressure and responsibility. The characters, especially Giddy, felt so authentic and real with their raw emotions. I found myself connecting with Giddy throughout and finding myself feeling the strong emotions that Giddy experienced.
From the outset, the story grips you with Giddy’s palpable anxiety and determination. The book is fast-paced, mirroring Giddy’s frenetic attempts to regain control of her life. The vivid depiction of her stress and desperation ensures that readers feel every bit of her turmoil, making her journey toward self-discovery and relief deeply satisfying. Giddy’s growth in the end of the book gave me a big sense of relief and made me enjoy the book even more.
Havranek’s writing excels in balancing serious themes with lighter moments of humor. Giddy’s series of bad decisions and unconventional actions are not only entertaining but also serve as a stark reminder of the lengths to which individuals will go when pushed to their limits, especially teenagers who don’t have anyone present in their lives to guide them. Giddy’s struggles were very relatable, even for me who graduated from high school over 10 years ago. The book emphasizes the importance of prioritizing one’s own happiness, even when it seems easier to sacrifice it for others. This theme is especially important for readers who may see themselves in Giddy’s shoes, feeling the pressure to hold everything together at the expense of their own well-being, which is why I highly recommend this book should be placed in MG/HS libraries and English classrooms in order to help those readers who may connect with Giddy.
One of the book’s strengths is its realistic portrayal of family dynamics and the complexity of interpersonal relationships. Giddy’s interactions with her parents and siblings are depicted with authenticity, highlighting the often-unseen burdens carried by the eldest child in a family. The introduction of opposition therapy, where Giddy tries to do something different every day, adds an interesting dimension to the plot, showcasing her attempts to break free from her routine and find a new path. However, the book does not offer easy solutions. Giddy’s eleven-day experiment is not a magical fix but a catalyst for deeper reflection and change. The conclusion, marked by a family crisis, underscores the ongoing nature of Giddy’s journey and the reality that some problems require more than just a temporary shake-up.
Overall, “Giddy Barber Explodes in 11” is an insightful and heartfelt novel that delves into the struggles of adolescence, mental health, and the importance of self-care. Dina Havranek’s compassionate and realistic approach to storytelling makes this book a must-read.
“Giddy Barber Explodes in 11” is a powerful exploration of a teenager’s struggle under the weight of expectations and the quest for personal happiness amidst chaos. Dina Havranek, drawing on her experience as a long-time teacher, accurately portrays the pressures faced by today’s youth, particularly those who bear heavy responsibilities at home and school. I think this book will be extremely relatable to younger readers, especially those who are the eldest children and find themselves faced with immense amounts of pressure and responsibility. The characters, especially Giddy, felt so authentic and real with their raw emotions. I found myself connecting with Giddy throughout and finding myself feeling the strong emotions that Giddy experienced.
From the outset, the story grips you with Giddy’s palpable anxiety and determination. The book is fast-paced, mirroring Giddy’s frenetic attempts to regain control of her life. The vivid depiction of her stress and desperation ensures that readers feel every bit of her turmoil, making her journey toward self-discovery and relief deeply satisfying. Giddy’s growth in the end of the book gave me a big sense of relief and made me enjoy the book even more.
Havranek’s writing excels in balancing serious themes with lighter moments of humor. Giddy’s series of bad decisions and unconventional actions are not only entertaining but also serve as a stark reminder of the lengths to which individuals will go when pushed to their limits, especially teenagers who don’t have anyone present in their lives to guide them. Giddy’s struggles were very relatable, even for me who graduated from high school over 10 years ago. The book emphasizes the importance of prioritizing one’s own happiness, even when it seems easier to sacrifice it for others. This theme is especially important for readers who may see themselves in Giddy’s shoes, feeling the pressure to hold everything together at the expense of their own well-being, which is why I highly recommend this book should be placed in MG/HS libraries and English classrooms in order to help those readers who may connect with Giddy.
One of the book’s strengths is its realistic portrayal of family dynamics and the complexity of interpersonal relationships. Giddy’s interactions with her parents and siblings are depicted with authenticity, highlighting the often-unseen burdens carried by the eldest child in a family. The introduction of opposition therapy, where Giddy tries to do something different every day, adds an interesting dimension to the plot, showcasing her attempts to break free from her routine and find a new path. However, the book does not offer easy solutions. Giddy’s eleven-day experiment is not a magical fix but a catalyst for deeper reflection and change. The conclusion, marked by a family crisis, underscores the ongoing nature of Giddy’s journey and the reality that some problems require more than just a temporary shake-up.
Overall, “Giddy Barber Explodes in 11” is an insightful and heartfelt novel that delves into the struggles of adolescence, mental health, and the importance of self-care. Dina Havranek’s compassionate and realistic approach to storytelling makes this book a must-read.
October 23, 2024
Public library copy
Giddy's parents, a nurse and an orderly, work such long hours that all of the household responsibilities fall on her shoulders. She has to wake up her much younger siblings, Tig and Tad, and make sure they are fed, dressed, and taken to the bus stop. She even has to make sure that slightly younger brother Dougal gets out of bed. Older brother Jax is in college, so absolved of most responsibilities. As a result of all of this work, Giddy is always late to school, and has symptoms that probably point to a gastric ulcer. She gets good grades, because she wants to be an engineer, but she is not happy. Reaching a breaking point, she comes across an article that recommends doing everything different to snap out of her slump. In Giddy's world, this means not getting Tig, Tad, and Dougal off to school one morning, even though it ends with the dog pooping on the floor, the kids trying to clean up, and nobody having a good day. She even starts eating things that aren't on help self prescribed ulcer diet, like sardine and ketchup sandwiches. Her friends, who are so unpleasant and unsupportive that they don't deserve to be named, give her a hard time when she sits with others in the cafeteria, and her grades suffer when she switches her concentration to classes like language arts and history where she normally doesn't excel. Chaos starts to pile up at home, and her mother finally lays down the law about what Giddy needs to be doing... but she refuses to obey. Calling her parents on her habits, Giddy lays down the law on her own so that she can survive.
Giddy's parents are benignly horrible, and I'm almost surprised that Children's Services wasn't called. It's clear that the author is a teacher who has seen plenty of students like Giddy who have to take care of their households. The mother is SUPER angry, especially since the father was also supposed to become a nurse but wouldn't buckle down and study, remaining an orderly with a lower salary. I found it a little hard to believe that she would have let Jax out of household work, because he reminds her of the father. You would have thought she would have come down harder on Jax and Dougal, but she coddles Dougal because of his dyslexia. I was a little surprised that Giddy never goes to a doctor to take care of her really bad stomach issues.
This was definitely a young adult novel, peppered with f-words, and has lots and lots of details about Giddy's daily life and class schedule. I would buy this for a high school collection, but will pass for middle school, although would love a middle grade version of this. (I'm sure there are some that are similar, just can't think of them at the moment.)
Giddy's parents, a nurse and an orderly, work such long hours that all of the household responsibilities fall on her shoulders. She has to wake up her much younger siblings, Tig and Tad, and make sure they are fed, dressed, and taken to the bus stop. She even has to make sure that slightly younger brother Dougal gets out of bed. Older brother Jax is in college, so absolved of most responsibilities. As a result of all of this work, Giddy is always late to school, and has symptoms that probably point to a gastric ulcer. She gets good grades, because she wants to be an engineer, but she is not happy. Reaching a breaking point, she comes across an article that recommends doing everything different to snap out of her slump. In Giddy's world, this means not getting Tig, Tad, and Dougal off to school one morning, even though it ends with the dog pooping on the floor, the kids trying to clean up, and nobody having a good day. She even starts eating things that aren't on help self prescribed ulcer diet, like sardine and ketchup sandwiches. Her friends, who are so unpleasant and unsupportive that they don't deserve to be named, give her a hard time when she sits with others in the cafeteria, and her grades suffer when she switches her concentration to classes like language arts and history where she normally doesn't excel. Chaos starts to pile up at home, and her mother finally lays down the law about what Giddy needs to be doing... but she refuses to obey. Calling her parents on her habits, Giddy lays down the law on her own so that she can survive.
Giddy's parents are benignly horrible, and I'm almost surprised that Children's Services wasn't called. It's clear that the author is a teacher who has seen plenty of students like Giddy who have to take care of their households. The mother is SUPER angry, especially since the father was also supposed to become a nurse but wouldn't buckle down and study, remaining an orderly with a lower salary. I found it a little hard to believe that she would have let Jax out of household work, because he reminds her of the father. You would have thought she would have come down harder on Jax and Dougal, but she coddles Dougal because of his dyslexia. I was a little surprised that Giddy never goes to a doctor to take care of her really bad stomach issues.
This was definitely a young adult novel, peppered with f-words, and has lots and lots of details about Giddy's daily life and class schedule. I would buy this for a high school collection, but will pass for middle school, although would love a middle grade version of this. (I'm sure there are some that are similar, just can't think of them at the moment.)
April 8, 2025
Giddy Barber Explodes in 11 by Dina Havranek is one of the best YA books I have ever read. I say this as someone who has read a lot of YA. To summarize the book: teenager Giddy Barber is unhappy with her obligations to her family; her unpleasant friends; and her performance in school, so she decides to participate in "opposition therapy" - an experiment where she makes opposite choices for eleven days as an attempt to feel better. This experiment allows Giddy to explore her identity by escaping the expectations of others - as well as herself - in new and exciting (and awkward, and funny, and awful) ways.
This premise is just fantastic. Good YA fiction reflects the adolescent experience; chief among this is the exploration of one's identity. Adolescence is the first opportunity many of us get to try new things, experiment with our beliefs, and form ourselves into who we want to be. This can be an important milestone in our lives. What is particularly impressive about this book is how author Havranek thinks to combine the premise of opposition therapy with a deadline for Giddy's personal change - thereby condensing this aspect of the teenage experience into a short eleven days. Every second of these days is accounted for in this novel, yet not a single moment can be considered tedious or meaningless. In her bid to seek personal growth, Giddy makes mistake after mistake while also learning what she really values and what she needs in life - both from others and from herself.
Though I give out five-star ratings fairly rarely on Goodreads, I rarely consider most of these books perfect. In my personal rating system, these books tend to be in the 4.5-4.9 range - rarely is there ever a 5.0. That being said, I don't really think there is a single thing I'd change in GBEI11. This book is perfection, through and through. And you know what's great? I didn't find this book on Goodreads, or on booktok, or bookstagram. I found it by browsing through Libby. Browsing and trying random books will forever remain the superior way to find books. (But seriously - THIS is the type of book that influencers need to be spamming us with. The fact that this book has so few ratings and reviews is appalling.)
If you want to read a book that is heartbreaking yet heartwarming, filled with devastating yet hopeful moments alike, read this book. I am VERY excited to see what else Dina Havranek writes in the future.
This premise is just fantastic. Good YA fiction reflects the adolescent experience; chief among this is the exploration of one's identity. Adolescence is the first opportunity many of us get to try new things, experiment with our beliefs, and form ourselves into who we want to be. This can be an important milestone in our lives. What is particularly impressive about this book is how author Havranek thinks to combine the premise of opposition therapy with a deadline for Giddy's personal change - thereby condensing this aspect of the teenage experience into a short eleven days. Every second of these days is accounted for in this novel, yet not a single moment can be considered tedious or meaningless. In her bid to seek personal growth, Giddy makes mistake after mistake while also learning what she really values and what she needs in life - both from others and from herself.
Though I give out five-star ratings fairly rarely on Goodreads, I rarely consider most of these books perfect. In my personal rating system, these books tend to be in the 4.5-4.9 range - rarely is there ever a 5.0. That being said, I don't really think there is a single thing I'd change in GBEI11. This book is perfection, through and through. And you know what's great? I didn't find this book on Goodreads, or on booktok, or bookstagram. I found it by browsing through Libby. Browsing and trying random books will forever remain the superior way to find books. (But seriously - THIS is the type of book that influencers need to be spamming us with. The fact that this book has so few ratings and reviews is appalling.)
If you want to read a book that is heartbreaking yet heartwarming, filled with devastating yet hopeful moments alike, read this book. I am VERY excited to see what else Dina Havranek writes in the future.
October 9, 2024
With potency and honesty, this read brings to light the stress of trying to hold everything together when it's already falling apart.
Giddy is the glue in her family and tries to keep everything running while her parents do their best to handle their jobs and support the large family. She steers her siblings through life, contributes heavily in the household, stays a good student, and simply is in over her head. While she knows she's sinking fast, her stomach acts as a constant reminder of how bad the stress truly is. Online advice has her ready to change things up, but there's more going on than a little shake up can help.
The problem of balancing school, family, friends, and other expectations is often overlooked in the realm of teens, and this novel exposes this issue loud and clear. Giddy is an amazing person, and her determination to help her family is inspiring...even if it's more than she can (and should) handle as a fifteen/sixteen-year-old. The constant chaos is revealed in an entertaining and pointed way, making it easy to sympathize with Giddy as she finds herself sinking deeper and deeper into the unsurmountable problems and responsibilities. The situations come across naturally and realistically, making it easy to relate to her struggles and world.
The tale maintains a steady pace the entire way through as Giddy deals with one situation after the next. There are several important messages and also food for thought. More than a few readers will see themselves in Giddy and relate with her struggles, fears, and hopes. It's an engaging read for fans of teen problems, family relations/struggles, and books with tons of heart.
Giddy is the glue in her family and tries to keep everything running while her parents do their best to handle their jobs and support the large family. She steers her siblings through life, contributes heavily in the household, stays a good student, and simply is in over her head. While she knows she's sinking fast, her stomach acts as a constant reminder of how bad the stress truly is. Online advice has her ready to change things up, but there's more going on than a little shake up can help.
The problem of balancing school, family, friends, and other expectations is often overlooked in the realm of teens, and this novel exposes this issue loud and clear. Giddy is an amazing person, and her determination to help her family is inspiring...even if it's more than she can (and should) handle as a fifteen/sixteen-year-old. The constant chaos is revealed in an entertaining and pointed way, making it easy to sympathize with Giddy as she finds herself sinking deeper and deeper into the unsurmountable problems and responsibilities. The situations come across naturally and realistically, making it easy to relate to her struggles and world.
The tale maintains a steady pace the entire way through as Giddy deals with one situation after the next. There are several important messages and also food for thought. More than a few readers will see themselves in Giddy and relate with her struggles, fears, and hopes. It's an engaging read for fans of teen problems, family relations/struggles, and books with tons of heart.
October 20, 2024
For full disclosure, I consider the author a good friend.
Fifteen-year-old Giddy Barber has two major, interlinked problems as her story begins. One is that, as she has been deemed the most “responsible” of five siblings, her often absent mother and father have dragooned her into parenting her younger brothers and sister. The second is that she is living with undiagnosed depression. The way Dina Havranek depicts this is masterful — not in terms of sadness, but in terms of simply seeing the world through a haze of gray, without any hope of improvement.
That is, until she stumbles across an online post describing something called “oppositional therapy.” It leads her to try an experiment. For 11 days, she will upend her life, do the opposite of her normal routine: putting her energy into classes she ordinarily sleeps through while ignoring the ones where she usually shines, sitting away from her regular friends at lunch, telling her younger siblings to get themselves to school on time.
Giddy winds up making a series of terrible decisions — some of which work out, but some of which come back to haunt her. Her experiment explodes her toxic relationships with both friends and family members. And what was meant to be an 11-day affair has multiple life-changing consequences.
Giddy isn’t always an admirable person, but she is a brilliantly developed character who shows tremendous growth in the face of adversity on multiple fronts. It’s classified as a young adult novel, but this is a book that should appeal to anyone who has gone through the cauldron of secondary education. I can’t wait to read Havranek’s next book.
Fifteen-year-old Giddy Barber has two major, interlinked problems as her story begins. One is that, as she has been deemed the most “responsible” of five siblings, her often absent mother and father have dragooned her into parenting her younger brothers and sister. The second is that she is living with undiagnosed depression. The way Dina Havranek depicts this is masterful — not in terms of sadness, but in terms of simply seeing the world through a haze of gray, without any hope of improvement.
That is, until she stumbles across an online post describing something called “oppositional therapy.” It leads her to try an experiment. For 11 days, she will upend her life, do the opposite of her normal routine: putting her energy into classes she ordinarily sleeps through while ignoring the ones where she usually shines, sitting away from her regular friends at lunch, telling her younger siblings to get themselves to school on time.
Giddy winds up making a series of terrible decisions — some of which work out, but some of which come back to haunt her. Her experiment explodes her toxic relationships with both friends and family members. And what was meant to be an 11-day affair has multiple life-changing consequences.
Giddy isn’t always an admirable person, but she is a brilliantly developed character who shows tremendous growth in the face of adversity on multiple fronts. It’s classified as a young adult novel, but this is a book that should appeal to anyone who has gone through the cauldron of secondary education. I can’t wait to read Havranek’s next book.
November 1, 2024
I cold not put this book down, and I also had no desire to skip to the end--somewhat of a rarity for me. Giddy Barber, a high school sophomore, seems to have things together and be on the road to STEM success as a mechanical engineer, but as the book opens (and she pops some antacids), she and the reader realize that she has completely lost herself. Aside from the burning pain in her stomach, she's experiencing no feelings at all and has built an heavy suit of emotional armor that doesn't seem to protect her from fears of judgment by her peers.
Between school, social, and especially family pressure, she has been pushed beyond her breaking point, so break she does, with an innovative system called opposition therapy. Before she is done with her 11 days of doing exactly the opposite of her old routine plus one unexpected thing per day, friendships will be broken, her family will be split wide open, and she will have come a lot closer to finding out who she really is.
There is so much of intest in this book besides its fascinating main character, as we discover new things through her eyes, including the power of opera, the value of going beyond assigned reading, and quite a bit about Joyce's Ulysses.
This book is an engrossing story that not only will leave readers of all ages with philosophical points to ponder but also does a great job of portraying how distracted (by screens and life's hectic pace) we all are, and the unique pressures facing today's teens and young adults.
Between school, social, and especially family pressure, she has been pushed beyond her breaking point, so break she does, with an innovative system called opposition therapy. Before she is done with her 11 days of doing exactly the opposite of her old routine plus one unexpected thing per day, friendships will be broken, her family will be split wide open, and she will have come a lot closer to finding out who she really is.
There is so much of intest in this book besides its fascinating main character, as we discover new things through her eyes, including the power of opera, the value of going beyond assigned reading, and quite a bit about Joyce's Ulysses.
This book is an engrossing story that not only will leave readers of all ages with philosophical points to ponder but also does a great job of portraying how distracted (by screens and life's hectic pace) we all are, and the unique pressures facing today's teens and young adults.
March 21, 2025
This is a review of an ARC from Edelweiss.
Giddy Barber has it all under control. Barely. She takes care of her three younger siblings, aces her classes, and keeps up with the minutiae of her friend circle, sending the obligatory memes and chats in the mean girl circle. So why is there always a roiling pit in her stomach, and why can't get her anxiety under control? When she reads an online article suggesting changing your routine to break you out of a bad cycle she figures why not? She's got 11 days to see if changing everything can fix everything.
I really liked the idea of this. So many kids at the school where I work are Giddy - little bundles of stress just trying to get through the day. I appreciatedGiddy's growing realization that many of the times she was convinced people were judging her it was actually all in her head. And I did like that she didn't just automatically get better - she failed, multiple times, until she got it right. But this needed more shaping. Too many of the characters are one note - her friend group is straight out of mean girls, with no redeeming qualities, and the new friend group is ALL redeeming qualities. And the pacing is off, groundhog's day repeats take the first two thirds of the book, and then a rushed "oh no emergency" tropey ending that ties a magic bow on her terrible, terrible family (seriously her parents are and brothers are AWFUL)
Giddy Barber has it all under control. Barely. She takes care of her three younger siblings, aces her classes, and keeps up with the minutiae of her friend circle, sending the obligatory memes and chats in the mean girl circle. So why is there always a roiling pit in her stomach, and why can't get her anxiety under control? When she reads an online article suggesting changing your routine to break you out of a bad cycle she figures why not? She's got 11 days to see if changing everything can fix everything.
I really liked the idea of this. So many kids at the school where I work are Giddy - little bundles of stress just trying to get through the day. I appreciatedGiddy's growing realization that many of the times she was convinced people were judging her it was actually all in her head. And I did like that she didn't just automatically get better - she failed, multiple times, until she got it right. But this needed more shaping. Too many of the characters are one note - her friend group is straight out of mean girls, with no redeeming qualities, and the new friend group is ALL redeeming qualities. And the pacing is off, groundhog's day repeats take the first two thirds of the book, and then a rushed "oh no emergency" tropey ending that ties a magic bow on her terrible, terrible family (seriously her parents are and brothers are AWFUL)
August 18, 2024
I recieved a free eARC of this book. Thank you for the opportunity to read it!
Giddy is the one who holds her family together...but she's falling apart. She can't remember the last time she smiled, last time she had fun. So, she decides to change not just one thing, but everything. To become irresponsible, to eat food even though she struggles with abdominal pain and nausea, to blow off the classes she loves and focus on the ones she hates, to do things she'd never done.
Many, many of the teens I know are ready to blow. Giddy is that teen. The one who is too responsible, too perfect, too future focused to live day to day. This book is for them.
I admit to being angry a lot while reading this book. Angry at Giddy's "friends" who not only didn't support her but ridiculed her. Angry at Giddy's parents who didn't see how close their child was to totally falling apart and found her efforts to feel...something....as a disappointment.
But, at the same time, her younger brothers and sisters step up and try to help. So do some of her classmates. Even new friends. She is more creative, more involved....more successful.
This is a wonderful book. There are a lot of kids who will benefit from it. I hope it gets that chance.
Giddy is the one who holds her family together...but she's falling apart. She can't remember the last time she smiled, last time she had fun. So, she decides to change not just one thing, but everything. To become irresponsible, to eat food even though she struggles with abdominal pain and nausea, to blow off the classes she loves and focus on the ones she hates, to do things she'd never done.
Many, many of the teens I know are ready to blow. Giddy is that teen. The one who is too responsible, too perfect, too future focused to live day to day. This book is for them.
I admit to being angry a lot while reading this book. Angry at Giddy's "friends" who not only didn't support her but ridiculed her. Angry at Giddy's parents who didn't see how close their child was to totally falling apart and found her efforts to feel...something....as a disappointment.
But, at the same time, her younger brothers and sisters step up and try to help. So do some of her classmates. Even new friends. She is more creative, more involved....more successful.
This is a wonderful book. There are a lot of kids who will benefit from it. I hope it gets that chance.
December 31, 2024
Uber achiever Giddy Barber has had it. With a tummy that constantly rumbles unhappily, constant late arrivals at school due to home responsibilities, an untrustworthy friend group, and a bullying classmate in her history class, she knows that something has to change. After learning about something called opposition therapy online, she decides to act in unexpected ways for 10 days. For Giddy, this means leaving her younger siblings to fend for themselves, choosing strange foods for her meals, and mentally checking out of her favorite math and science classes. Needless to say, her new behaviors cause concern among teachers, family and friends, eventually leading to several conflicts. And Giddy isn't even sure what the point of any of this even is. There can never be enough YA books featuring characters who seem to have it all together but are secretly falling apart or on the verge of exploding. This one is, by turns, humorous and heartbreaking, well written with a distinct narrative voice, and a protagonist who makes readers want to wrap in their arms or in a soft comforter while offering a soothing cup of warm tea and a moment to rest. This novel is a 3.5 for me.
March 19, 2025
Giddy has a lot of family expectations on her because her parents are both in the medical field and are gone a lot. She is expected to get her siblings to school, get their lunches packed, get meals ready, keep her grades high, etc. However, all of these things come at a cost - Giddy's own mental well-being. She sees a post online one day about something called opposition therapy, where the person does the opposite of what is expected of them for 11 days. Giddy decides to try it out. It has surprising results. At least one of them is devastating...
This really is a call to awareness about teen mental health but that message gets bogged down in all the other details of the story. The ending was a super quick resolution that glossed over what the first 95% of the book belabored. I also don't see any resources listed for those who might be seeking help themselves.
This really is a call to awareness about teen mental health but that message gets bogged down in all the other details of the story. The ending was a super quick resolution that glossed over what the first 95% of the book belabored. I also don't see any resources listed for those who might be seeking help themselves.
August 3, 2024
I wanted to give this five stars, but the adults all made me very mad (especially the history teacher) and there was no real closure on that. Scenes were described as being icy and cold, but then why was the broken air conditioning in history class such a big deal? I still would have given it five stars but for how the book ended. It was too abrupt. I wanted another scene with Hunter. Things felt too unfinished. I give the author props though because Giddy’s character was very relatable. Reading the book has me questioning why I did some of the stuff I did as a teen. Why was I the responsible one? Was I like Giddy and just doing a favor that became an obligation? When you can see yourself in a book character, it is magic.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 14, 2024
I connected with the protagonist, Giddy, greatly. Being the one in school who seemingly has everything put together, but still struggles I thought was a great theme to explore in this book. Additionally, symbolism and intertextuality added depth throughout the story. The most interesting parts to me were when Giddy was navigating the relationships and expectations of her family members.
However, there were parts of the book that I felt started to get a bit repetitive. Mainly when Giddy was in school and the story went through what happened in each class of the day. I thought some variation in the pacing or structure could have made things more interesting in those parts.
However, there were parts of the book that I felt started to get a bit repetitive. Mainly when Giddy was in school and the story went through what happened in each class of the day. I thought some variation in the pacing or structure could have made things more interesting in those parts.
October 11, 2024
An important book about what happens to a high school girl when the pressures of school and family get too much. However, I couldn't get over how clueless/awful her parents were. (I know there are terrible parents out there but this particular situation just felt very off/unrealistic to me.) I think the same book could have been written without them being that bad. Having said that, I'm an adult reader who is a mom and teacher - I think teen readers won't be as bothered and might even feel a stronger connection to Giddy because of her bad parents. ARC courtesy of the publisher and NetGalley.
March 7, 2025
Giddy's life is cycling out of control, mostly because of things at home, so she impulsively sets out change her life by acting in opposition to what she normally does. She becomes less studious, less responsible, eats truly disgusting things, and stops being friends with her normal group of peers. Even though everything breaks down around her, Giddy is committed to this idea of opposition therapy, and the results are pretty disastrous.
The author of this book is a teacher, and I thnk she draws a pretty accurate portrayal of high school students' lives.
The author of this book is a teacher, and I thnk she draws a pretty accurate portrayal of high school students' lives.
January 26, 2025
3,5 stars rounded up. This was a solid, realistic YA story. It was definitely more character-driven than plot-driven. It wasn't a happy read, but I found it worthwhile overall. I liked the characters and found the story kind of cathartic in a way.
I read an ARC of this book from NetGalley. All comments are my own.
I read an ARC of this book from NetGalley. All comments are my own.
February 19, 2025
1 Star...would not recommend......unless you are a low level fifth grader...at highest......I mean....what is up with all the needless exclamation points at the end of simple sentences!?!?!?! I'm considering myself a hero for even finishing it.
August 24, 2024
Thank you to NetGalley and Peachtree for providing me with an eARC of this title in exchange for an honest review!
I had an idea going into this book, based on the blurb, that this was going to be a tough read for me— an eldest former daughter. I was right! “Giddy Barber Explodes in 11” focuses on the titular Giddy Barber, the eldest daughter of her family (but not the eldest child) and all the responsibilities that are placed on her sixteen-year-old shoulders because of this title. The pressures that Giddy experienced, the issues that she faced, the stressors and tension were so raw and real and well written that you couldn’t help but root for her (even when she was being a little shit, as teenaged girls are wont to do).
The book as a whole was poignant, well written, well plotted, and speaks so well to the pressures teenagers face both inside high school and outside of it. Anyone who was ever an eldest daughter should read this book, you’ll understand Giddy the way she needs to be understood.
I had an idea going into this book, based on the blurb, that this was going to be a tough read for me— an eldest former daughter. I was right! “Giddy Barber Explodes in 11” focuses on the titular Giddy Barber, the eldest daughter of her family (but not the eldest child) and all the responsibilities that are placed on her sixteen-year-old shoulders because of this title. The pressures that Giddy experienced, the issues that she faced, the stressors and tension were so raw and real and well written that you couldn’t help but root for her (even when she was being a little shit, as teenaged girls are wont to do).
The book as a whole was poignant, well written, well plotted, and speaks so well to the pressures teenagers face both inside high school and outside of it. Anyone who was ever an eldest daughter should read this book, you’ll understand Giddy the way she needs to be understood.
December 13, 2024
This YA book is the 3rd I read recently which focuses on a teenager having too many expectations placed upon her. I thought that it read more like a middle grade book, but Giddy is 15 and in high school. Her parents expect her to take care of her younger siblings even though getting them to their bus makes her late for school herself. Giddy decides to do an experiment where she does the opposite of what is expected for 11 days in hopes that the pressure on her will ease. Giddy learns that she can do well in the classes that are harder for her and that she can have interests of her own, but there are issues that arise from her not doing what her parents expect. I hated the way her parents blamed her for the behavior of her siblings and I wished that Giddy would have argued back!
Want to read
July 2, 2023Sounds like my entire high school experience
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