Challenger Deep

Caden is a 14 year old boy who struggles with descent into the world of mental illness. Readers follow his journey through his anxiety issues at school and hospitalization for paranoia and delusions, and are introduced to his parallel metaphoric journey to the depths of the Marianas Trench. This unique look at mental illness will resonate with many readers and provide with a better understanding of the complexity and impact of mental illness. May be used in literature circles or as an independent read with students in grades 9-11.