Coming July 30th, 2024 from Eerdmans Publishing Co; 336 pages
About the Author: “I grew up in an isolated mill town in eastern Oregon where I filled little locked journals full of scritch-scratchy poetry and yearnings to see the other side of the mountains. I didn’t appreciate it then, but I do now. It was an idyllic place to grow up. After a stop at University of Oregon to pick up a B.A. in Sociology, I headed to NYC to save the world. I never once had a job related to the degree, and the world remains unsaved. But along the way I taught students with learning challenges, honed my writing skills, married an Episcopal minister, and raised twin boys. Both my parents loved poetry and they passed that love on to me. That’s why both my YA novels are in free verse, and my most recent work is an adult poetry chapbook. I write from the heart about life experiences with the hope that readers can identify and say ‘yes, I’m not alone in this.’ I hope you find something to grab onto as you peruse my website, and if so, I’ll love to hear from you through my contact page” (Bio from author’s website).
Find Linda Vigen Phillips on the following platforms:
It’s April 1963, and fifteen-year-old Laura is struggling to balance her life at school with her life at home. At school, Laura’s life is almost normal; she has a best friend Beth, she excels in her art class and she is trying to decide whether or not she likes Dennis. But at home, Laura’s life looks very different; she paints to cope with her mother’s state of decline and her father’s inability to provide adequate care, and feels pressured to hide it from her friends. Without anybody to talk to about her feelings, Laura begins to believe that she will become like her mother—or worries she already has.
The tenth anniversary re-release of Linda Vigen Phillips’ award winning book, Crazy, gives readers a reason to revisit or discover (like me) this singular work of free verse poetry. Highly stylized and intuitive, Crazy is an exploration of the therapeutic nature of art and a window into the 20th-century stigmatization of mental health crises. What struck me about Phillips’ writing is how she uses vignettes to capture the anxiety of growing up during an era where the dialogue about mental health was in its infancy. There are moments where the structure of the prose becomes so fragmented that you feel like you are losing touch with Laura’s reality, but then there are moments that feel very honest and grounded, like a photograph, and I think those moments outshine the darker ones. This new edition not only invites readers to once again delve into Laura’s world but also includes discussion questions and recommended resources for teens. An exclusive interview with Linda Vigen Phillips provides a behind-the-scenes look into the creation of the story, offering readers a deeper understanding of its semi autobiographical origins and significance. For those seeking an authentic, resonant narrative, the tenth anniversary edition of Crazy should be at the top of their list.
Crazy releases from Eerdmans Publishing Co on July 30th, 2024.
Pine Reads Review would like to thank Eerdmans Books for Young Readers for sending a copy in exchange for an honest review. Any quotes may be subject to change before final publication.
Kasey Taylor, Pine Reads Review Writer
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Thank you for taking the time to review the re-release of Crazy! Let the conversation about mental illness continue to bring better mental health awareness into the light.