Using her wealth of experience as a Marriage and Family Therapist working with troubled children and teens, Margot Desannoy gives us an entertaining, enlightening look at the world of a twelve-year-old girl dealing with her father's alcoholism, her parents' separation and what the process of healing through psychotherapy is really like. The author packs Alex and the Amazing Dr. Frankenslime with insight, empathy and humor. She brilliantly describes the thoughts, feelings and comments of the rebellious and resistant Alexandra with accurate and hilarious teen speak as the young girl fights to avoid seeing a therapist and dealing with her pain. By the end of this riveting story, the reader gains considerable understanding of how a skilled and caring therapist can help a young girl begin to find a way out of turmoil. The well-researched appendices and lists of resources both for kids and parents offer extensive information about mental health issues. This is a great read for young people struggling with family problems, parents trying to understand their children - and themselves - and therapists looking to laugh, cry and learn. This book offers a message of hope.