ADHD Month Meets Halloween: Acclaimed 'Promising Young Man' Honors Authenticity Alongside ADHDers' Favorite Holiday

Educators Praise Elias Axel's Vibrant, Honest Coming-of-Age Story That Explores ADHD, Teen Angst, and the Universal Search for Authenticity

CHICAGO, IL, UNITED STATES, October 9, 2025 /EINPresswire.com/ -- It's October, which means two things: ADHD Awareness Month and Halloween—a holiday beloved by ADHDers for its perfect storm of creativity, imagination, and a temporary reprieve from social masking. My Delightful Life Press celebrates both with Promising Young Man by Elias Axel, a novel that captures the beautiful, messy, exhilarating reality of living with ADHD while exploring the timeless struggle every young person faces: figuring out who you really are and how to live authentically.

Published February 11, 2025, and edited by Julian Josip, Promising Young Man introduces Oscar Danielsson—an unforgettable 18-year-old whose candid, witty voice has led readers to call this a modern Catcher in the Rye, and compare Oscar to Holden Caulfield.

Through an intergenerational road trip with his grandmother that's full-Americana and "favorably recalls the feel of classic 1970s road films" (Kirkus Reviews), Oscar grapples with the questions that drive teen (and middle-aged) angst: Why am I here? How do I fit in? And how do I navigate a world that doesn't always understand me?

His journey becomes a powerful exploration of identity, belonging, and finding your path forward—challenges that resonate whether you have ADHD or are simply trying to figure out this thing called life.

EDUCATORS PRAISE OSCAR'S ILLUMINATING JOURNEY
Teachers, learning specialists, and psychologists applaud Promising Young Man as both a joy to read and a revelation about ADHD and the teen experience.

Samuel Durr, Learning Specialist at William C. Goudy Technology Academy (a 2025 Top Magnet School of Excellence), calls it "a quiet masterpiece" where Axel "resists the temptation to over-explain or sensationalize" and instead "lets the complexity of ADHD reveal itself through everyday frustrations, distracted thoughts, and small triumphs that feel monumental." He notes the book "balances its emotional weight with lightness. There's humor, warmth, and a deep sense of humanity in every chapter."

Elizabeth Fox, a retired English Teacher at Oak Park and River Forest High School, lauds this "inspiring novel" that "deals masterfully with neglected topic of ADHD" and offers "a wakeup call about the hardships but also valuable attributes of this condition." She emphasizes that the book's "tenderly written, vividly sketched" intergenerational journey "revolves around haunting questions about life with a capital 'L' that will appeal to male and female readers of adolescent age through elder years."

Dr. David George, Professor of Modern Languages Emeritus at Lake Forest College, describes the experience of reading as "traveling with [Oscar], inside his mind as it were"—a journey that is "both harrowing and beautifully poetic." He notes that "Oscar grows steadily on the road and through his mistakes and doubts travels toward self-knowledge and manhood." The result? "A damn good read."

A STORY THAT SPEAKS TO EVERYONE
Despite rising ADHD diagnoses, authentic representation in contemporary literature remains surprisingly rare. Promising Young Man, a Kirkus Reviews "Get it" and BookLife Reviews Editor’s Pick, fills this gap with honesty, humor, and heart. But it isn't just about ADHD—it's about being seen, understood, and finding the courage to be yourself in a world that often feels chaotic and overwhelming.

Sarah C. Maza, American Academy of Arts and Sciences Member and Professor of History Emerita at Northwestern University, praises this "deeply moving, sharply observed account of a troubled young boy's journey of self-discovery on the cusp of adulthood." Its "candid, absorbing, and often witty intergenerational plot" makes it "truly enjoyable and will appeal to readers of all ages."

Psychologist and author Douglas A. Bolton captures what makes Oscar so special: "Oscar's voice is unforgettable. As a psychologist, I was touched by his humor, depth, and vulnerability. I think of him long after I read the last page."

WHY THIS OCTOBER MATTERS
Just as Halloween celebrates fun, creativity, and embracing what makes us different, ADHD Awareness Month invites us to recognize and honor those living with ADHD. Promising Young Man does both while tapping into something even bigger: the universal teenage experience of searching for purpose, wrestling with self-doubt, and learning to live authentically. Oscar's story alongside his freewheeling Grammy reminds us that whether dealing with ADHD or simply navigating the chaos of growing up (or getting older), the path to self-discovery is rarely straight—and always worth taking.

Samuel Durr sums it up perfectly: "Promising Young Man is not just a story about ADHD, or about a car ride, or about a grandmother and grandson—it's about what it means to be seen and understood. It's a book that lingers long after the last page, and one I'll be recommending to anyone who values honest, character-driven storytelling."

###

Title: Promising Young Man
Author: Elias Axel
Editor: Julian Josip
Pub Date: February 11, 2025
Publisher: My Delightful Life Press
Length: 240 pages
ISBN (paperback): 979-8-9920656-0-2
Price: $17.99
Distributor(s): Ingram, Baker & Taylor, Overdrive, Amazon
Availability: Paperback and eBook available worldwide at major retailers and select libraries and indie bookstores.
Audiobook coming 2026 (narrated by Julian Josip )

Media Contact: adrian@mdlpress.com for review copies, interview requests, or author talks.
Press Kit: eliasaxel.com/press-kit
Educators/Libraries: get Promising Young Man through Edelweiss, Ingram, and IAP Select and BookLife Elite Collections

Listen to the "Promising Young Man" Playlist on Apple Music, featuring "New Home" (ARAYA, She Was Silver, & Jaki Nelson), and follow Oscar's emotional and musical journey through America's Midwest, South, and West. From Chicago to Tennessee to California - EDM, country, rock and blues: a multi-genre sampling of regional greats that also pays homage to the ones we lost too soon.

Julian Josip, SAG-AFTRA member and Chicago-area actor, is part-owner of Evanston Games & Café and an aspiring writer. He’s scheduled to perform in the staged reading of Character Assassination at Piven Theater (Evanston, IL) in November, and his latest on-camera project, playing Tommy in Jack Kenny’s feature film "Tears to a Glass Eye", is in post-production.

My Delightful Life Press is a new, micro publisher of coming-of-age fiction with heart, humor, and authenticity. Future publications include "Ashes to Ashes" (working title) by Emmy Award-winner Chris Canaan. Learn more at mdlpress.com.

Learn more about Trinley Pictures and Emmy-nominated filmmaker Tom Trinley at trinleypictures.com.

Patricia Stankovic
My Delightful Life Press
patricia@mdlpress.com

Promising Young Man Book Trailer (Trinley Pictures)

Legal Disclaimer:

EIN Presswire provides this news content "as is" without warranty of any kind. We do not accept any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright issues related to this article, kindly contact the author above.