The Boy with the Butterfly Mind by Lorelei Brush follows Julie Crawford, who teaches high school algebra while trying to understand what is going on with her four-year-old son, Patrick. His impulsive behavior leads to his expulsion from preschool and an avalanche of concern at home. As medical appointments introduce terms such as attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and tic disorders, Julie pursues formal evaluations and structured interventions. Her husband Luke, facing disciplinary pressure at work and unresolved memories from his own childhood, reacts defensively to the possibility of a diagnosis and turns increasingly to alcohol. Conflicts escalate, culminating in a decision that alters the course of their family life. As she juggles coordinating therapy, medication trials, and parenting strategies, Julie must decide how to protect Patrick’s well-being in a household under strain. The story follows one family confronting behavioral uncertainty while seeking stability through medical guidance and accountability.

Lorelei Brush’s The Boy with the Butterfly Mind is a beautiful look at the way one family has no choice but to manage childhood ADHD and inherited trauma in the marriage, medicine, faith, and everyday domestic life. The novel is extremely thoughtful, with a balance of both heartening and emotionally jarring scenes. Julie is the rock of the family, a mother who will climb a playground tower to steady Patrick when he freezes, and abruptly end therapy when a doctor refuses to collaborate, choosing advocacy over deference. In a testament to her skill as a writer, Brush depicts Patrick wonderfully, resisting stereotypes. We are right alongside him at Disneyland when he panics on Thunder Mountain and shouts for the ride to stop, and when he arranges apple slices into a careful circle. Brush is also incredible in the art of the metaphor, using an immaculate apartment lined with crystal figurines, and the impact of a shattered elephant signifying the fragility of each moment. Elegantly written and composed, this is literary fiction at its finest. Very highly recommended.

The Boy with the Butterfly Mind by Lorelei Brush is the story of a mother navigating the complexities of raising her neurodivergent son. Julie Crawford is a dedicated wife, mother, and high school math teacher. When her four-year-old son, Patrick, displays signs of ADHD with his behavior at home and at day care, Julie seeks a proper medical diagnosis. However, her husband, Luke, is hesitant to put a label on Patrick's neurodivergence. Their clash of opinions soon threatens to drive a wedge between them. Meanwhile, Julie struggles to teach her students, and her relationship with the principal is strained. As Patrick's ADHD worsens, Luke turns to alcohol, and it adds more tension in the household. Can Julie find a way to treat her child and mend her marriage?

The Boy with the Butterfly Mind is a heartfelt slice-of-life story. Author Lorelei Brush tells a captivating tale that illustrates the struggles of a couple with a neurodivergent child and a mother who does everything to keep her family intact. The book highlights some key social issues that many families suffer from in the real world today. Brush paces the narrative very well, and it makes for an easy read. The characters feel like actual people living their lives in small-town America. ADHD is portrayed in a very nuanced and informative manner in this book. It's easy to sympathize with Julie's circumstances. As you're further into the story, you start rooting for her to overcome her struggles. All in all, I highly recommend this novel.