Don't Call Me Crazy

 

A. Bibliographic Data

Jensen, Kelly. 2018. (DON’T) CALL ME CRAZY. Algonquin Young Readers. ISBN: 9781616207816

B. Summary

In (Don’t) Call Me Crazy, thirty-three actors, athletes, writers, and artists offer essays, lists, comics, and illustrations that explore a wide range of topics:

·       their personal experiences with mental illness,

·               how we do and don’t talk about mental health,

·       help for a better understanding of how every person’s brain is wired differently,
and what, exactly, might make someone crazy.

C. Critical Analysis

 I find this book enlightening as many experience types of mental illness, and it makes us think are we crazy? I mean I can call myself crazy, but I don’t want others to call me crazy. I found the chapters to be named well such as:

·         What’s Crazy?

·         Where “Crazy” Meets Culture

·         The Mind-Body Connection

·         Beyond Stress and Sadness

·         To Be Okay

This book is a great conversation starter but also a way to lighten your heart on how you feel about yourself. I found the way the book was laid out is done well by including a wide range of mental illnesses. Often only depression and anxiety are discussed but there are so many more. I found some of the sections about those who pull their hair and eyebrows out very enlightening as I have taught students who have done this but wasn’t sure what to do to help them. Each person shares their experiences with “Crazy” and I like how the title of each person's writing is also defined. This is helpful for young adults who may not be sure about some of the words. I find the shares of what they experienced as YA themselves would be comforting to other YA who are reading this book. I liked how Ashley Holstrom’s writing shared resources out there that you can look up yourself to help you learn more about different mental health issues. I feel this book is put together very well with sporadic photos, including a variety of mental health issues, having people of all ages, races, and genders share their experiences. This book would be a great read for anyone (not just YA) who is going through mental illnesses, or you are around those with a variety of health issues. It helps you understand better what you are going through and/or what your family/friend/student is going through.

D.  Book Reviews

A Washington Post Best Children’s Book of 2018

“Jensen has brought together sharp and vivid perspectives concerning mental-health challenges. Featuring writers such as Shaun David Hutchinson, Libba Bray, Adam Silvera and Esmé Weijun Wang, this book asks questions and provides real-life experiences and hope for the future.”
—Washington Post, “Best Children’s Books of 2018”

“This (crucially!) diverse essay collection spans race, gender, sexual orientation, career, and age to hopefully reduce the stigma around mental illness.”
—Bustle

“Empowering . . . deeply resonant . . . With this diverse array of contributors offering a stunning wealth of perspectives on mental health, teens looking for solidarity, comfort, or information will certainly be able to find something that speaks to them. Resources and further reading make this inviting, much-needed resource even richer.”
—Booklist

“Lively, compelling . . . the raw, informal approach to the subject matter will highly appeal to young people who crave understanding and validation . . . This highly readable and vital collection demonstrates the multiplicity of ways that mental health impacts individuals.”
—Kirkus Reviews

E. Connections

-       I would use this book to relate to other books the students have read.

-       You could use this book to open the discussion of what mental health is, how we should be acting towards others who are struggling, how we should treat ourselves, and so much more.

-       I think you could even read just a few of these at a time to get a discussion going or to get your students thinking about themselves. It could lead to great journaling or discussions.