I liked other books by Schmidt that I read in the past and have used them for my kids book club. While Okay for Now is good, I didn't enjoy it as much as The Wednesday Wars or Lizzie Bright and the Buckminster Boy. The main character is Doug who has been transplanted from New York City to a small town where his abusive, alcoholic father found a job. Doug is trying to make himself into a good person and protect his mom, but with his father and a criminal brother, it isn't easy. A fascination with a rare book of Audubon bird illustrations leads to a friendship with the local librarian. His science teacher is also on his side. And Lil, the first person he meets helps him get a job for her father's store. His older brother returns from Vietnam physically and mentally scarred which leads to more drama in the family. There is a lot going on in this book and Doug's journey to be his own person is a heartfelt one. It's worth reading but not a choice for my book club this time around.
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