Book Summary

Michael Schofield�s daughter January is at the mercy of her imaginary friends, except they aren�t the imaginary friends that most young children have; they are hallucinations. And January is caught in the conflict between our world and their world, a place she calls Calalini.� Some of these hallucinations, like �24 Hours,� are friendly and some, like �400 the Cat� and �Wednesday the Rat,� bite and scratch her until she does what they want.� They often tell her to scream at strangers, jump out of buildings, and attack her baby brother.�
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At six years old, January Schofield, �Janni,� to her family, was diagnosed with schizophrenia, one of the worst mental illnesses known to man.� What�s more, schizophrenia is 20 to 30 times more severe in children than in adults and in January�s case, doctors say, she is hallucinating 95 percent of the time that she is awake. Potent psychiatric drugs that would level most adults barely faze her.�

A New York Times bestseller, January First captures Michael and his family's remarkable story in a narrative that forges new territory within books about mental illness. In the beginning, readers see Janni�s incredible early potential: her brilliance, and savant-like ability to learn extremely abstract concepts. Next, they witnesses early warning signs that something is not right, Michael�s attempts to rationalize what�s happening, and his descent alongside his daughter into the abyss of schizophrenia.� Their battle has included a two-year search for answers, countless medications and hospitalizations, allegations of abuse, despair that almost broke their family apart and, finally, victories against the illness and a new faith that they can create a life for Janni filled with moments of happiness.�
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A compelling, unsparing and passionate account, January First vividly details Schofield�s commitment to bring his daughter back from the edge of insanity.� It is a father�s soul-baring memoir of the daily struggles and challenges he and his wife face as they do everything they can to help Janni while trying to keep their family together.�

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