Crazy

A compelling novel in verse about mental illness Laura is a typical fifteen-year-old growing up in the 1960s, navigating her way through classes, friendships, and even a new romance. But she?s carrying around a secret: her mother is suffering from a mental illness. No one in Laura?s family will talk about her mother?s past hospitalizations or increasingly erratic behavior, and Laura is confused and frightened. Laura finds some refuge in art, but when her mother suffers a breakdown after taking painting back up again herself, even art ceases to provide much comfort. Eloquent and compelling, this powerful novel-in-verse tackles complex themes in a way that will have readers rooting for Laura to find the courage to get the answers she needs. From School Library Journal Gr 7 Up-"To my mother, whose fault it never was, and to my sister, my soul mate in survival," reads the dedication to Phillip's compelling debut novel that is loosely based on the author's experiences growing up around bipolar disorder. It's 1963 and 15-year-old Laura has always been told that her mother suffers from nervous breakdowns. So while other mothers are baking cookies for the PTA fundraiser and helping their daughters sew dresses for home economics class, Laura's mother spends the day sitting in a rocking chair with a vacant stare. No one in Laura's family, particularly her father, will discuss her mother's frightening behavior. There's a palpable tension in Laura's house as everyone tiptoes around her mother, waiting for her to snap. The teen never feels at ease and so she naturally comes to hate her mother, even hate her life. Laura pushes away her passion for art and her best friend, for fear she will end up just like her mom. It isn't until the protagonist finally seeks support that she sees light in the darkness of her mother's mental illness. Told in first-person free verse, Crazy is a beautifully written and emotionally impactful novel about growing up around bipolar disorder in a time period when even doctors didn't truly understand the ramifications of such a disease. Laura's shame about her family and her guilt for hating her mother for something she cannot control are heartrending. Phillips's poetry coupled with her personal experiences truly make this a poignant read. It should be in the hands of anyone-teen and adult-who has ever felt powerless at the hands of mental illness.-Kimberly Garnick Giarratano, Rockaway Township Public Library, NJ Review Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books "Will resonate widely with contemporary readers as they seek avenues of support through their own struggles to remain sensitive to mothers who sometimes disappear, and almost always to some degree disappoint."Karen Harrington - Author of Sure Signs of Crazy and Courage for Beginners "Crazy is an absorbing, tender and often heartbreaking look at the toll mental illness takes on one family in the 1960s. The best books will leave you better and more compassionate for reading them and this is one of them. I loved it!"Louise Galveston - Author of By the Grace of Todd "[T]he gorgeous and powerful language and verse structure moved me. Such a rich reading experience!"Patti Gauch - Former VP and Editor at Large of Philomel Books "Combining poetic form with a compelling narrative, CRAZY is a story of truth and authenticity and, often, beauty."School Library Journal "Beautifully written and emotionally impactful."Kirkus Reviews "This is worth a read for the text's vivid link between emotions and fine art."Booklist "Phillips' accessibly written chronicle will resonate with teens who understand the desire to protect themselves from their families' inner truths."The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books "Phillips' free-verse poetry has a meaty narrative solidity that, while keeping readers focused on Laura's emotional state, nevertheless captures the period with materi