'The Very Best Me' by Marin Canaday Empowers Children with OCD to Embrace Their True Selves

Award-winning children’s book uses storytelling to help kids and caregivers navigate the challenges of OCD with hope.

CA, UNITED STATES, August 21, 2025 /EINPresswire.com/ -- Author Marin Canaday is breaking new ground in children’s mental health literature with her acclaimed book The Very Best Me, a powerful and compassionate story that gives voice to young readers facing Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD). Named one of the best children’s books on mental health for 2024 by the Child Mind Institute, the book presents OCD through the metaphor of a growing monster—making the internal struggle visible, relatable, and, most importantly, speakable.

Written to support both children and the adults in their lives, The Very Best Me fosters critical conversations around mental health and encourages readers to recognize that their challenges do not define them. With thoughtful storytelling, the book opens the door for children to express what they’re feeling inside while also equipping parents, teachers, and caregivers with insight into how to support their loved ones with empathy and strength.

Marin Canaday brings personal experience and heartfelt authenticity to the page. Having silently battled OCD from early childhood and only receiving a formal diagnosis as an adult, she understands the power of feeling seen. Despite her struggles, Marin graduated at the top of her class in both high school and college, and was a national volleyball champion at Fresno Pacific University. After two intense adult episodes with OCD, she turned to writing as a form of healing and advocacy.

“I didn’t have books like this growing up,” Marin says. “I often felt ashamed and alone. I wrote The Very Best Me so kids wouldn’t have to feel that way—so they could see that they’re not alone and that their OCD doesn’t have to hold them back.”

Marin is also the author of My Little Monster: A Story About OCD, and continues to write with plans for more books in the future. Her work is dedicated to encouraging children to live with purpose, supported by a strong circle of family, friends, therapists, and educators.

The Very Best Me is more than just a story—it’s a source of hope, understanding, and empowerment for any child navigating life with OCD.

To learn more, visit www.mylittleocdmonster.com.

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Global Book Network - Marin Canaday, author of The Very Best Me

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