Usually, one of the main drawbacks to graphic novels is the difficulty they have in depicting internal struggles. Print novels have the luxury of a narrator explaining what's happening in a character's head whereas the primarily visual nature of graphic novels restricts that ability for some authors.

Not so for Sattin and Hickman, who use several visual tricks to show the internal conflict of Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, not just the habits but the uncontrollable and invasive thoughts and feeling of total loneliness that OCD habits bring on.

Isaac, a middle schooler recently diagnosed and beginning treatment for OCD, is plagued by intrusive and invasive thoughts; his world is frequently depicted in black and white with the thoughts, shown as swarms of bees buzzing around his head, providing the only pops of color. They don't just grab attention with what they say - they grab attention by being a distraction from the rest of Isaac's world and turn down the volume on everything else.

This play with color is a theme throughout the novel; you find Isaac and his surroundings in monochrome when he's least at ease - in class, where he struggles, at home, where his mom obsesses over his diagnosis and treatment almost more than Isaac does, and in the hallways at school, where the only attention Isaac receives is negative, whether it's from other kids or from his own sister (whose life is similarly upended by Isaac's diagnosis and who tries desperately to get positive attention from the adults in her life who seem to care more about her brother's struggles than her own successes).

When Isaac is at ease, whether it's playing tabletop RPG's with his new friend group, exploring art, or discovering a new crush, not only are the pages filled with lush and vibrant color, but the bees are nowhere to be found. Isaac is fully engaged with the world and the reader is drawn in to his story of discovering community and identity to silence the intrusive negativity in his own head.

Highly recommended for middle school readers - whether as bibliotherapy for kids struggling with their own intrusive thoughts, empathy-building for kids looking to understand their classmates' struggles better, or just for anyone who has ever experienced self doubt due to an uncontrollable thought they just couldn't shake.

Samuel Sattin's middle grade graphic novel Buzzing follows Isaac, a middle schooler with Obsessive Compulsive Disorder. He particularly struggles with repetitive, obsessive, and negative thoughts. These thoughts are represented by illustrator Rye Hickman as bees buzzing around his head, communicating his doubts and worries. Things improve when he develops a new circle of friends with a common interest in a Dungeons and Dragons-esque game called Swamps & Sorcery. Buzzing is a compelling take on OCD in young people, but may be a tough sell for students who do not share the friends' interest in role playing games. I would recommend this book to readers who enjoyed Living with Viola by Rosena Fung.