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alysonimagines's review against another edition
5.0
Dear Sarah Nelson,
I’m writing to tell you how much I enjoyed the story you share in your own words called Sure Signs of Crazy (by Karen Harrington, who helped you write it down). It makes me so sad that your mom tried to drown you when you were only two years old. How hard it must have been for you to grow up without your mom, since she was confined to a mental health facility. On top of that, when your dad drinks too much and forgets to take you out for your twelfth birthday, and the only best friend you have to confide in is a plant you’ve taken from one rental home to another as you and your dad try to stay one step ahead of the awful media that is always digging up your family’s past—well, it sounds to me like you’re in a really depressing situation.
But your buoyancy amazes and inspires me. You find joy in the little things, like collecting your favorite words, writing letters to Atticus Finch (the beloved father of Jem and Scout in your favorite book, To Kill A Mockingbird), and learning how to make King Ranch casserole. It’s not easy to have fun when you’re stuck in a small Texas town during the long, hot summer. You manage splendidly, though, and you even meet your first big crush.
Of course, you still think about your mom a lot. You wonder if you’re like her at all. You worry that maybe you’ll grow up to be crazy like her, and you keep watching for signs. When you receive a generic birthday card from her, you confess, “I ache to know more about my mother, while at the same time I wish she’d never send me any cards at all. Feeling two things at once must be one of the first signs of going crazy.”
Sarah, while I read your story you became as real to me as Atticus Finch is to you. I wish I could give you a big hug and tell you that you are not going crazy! You say, “I am not strong like Scout,” but you are much stronger than you realize. You find the courage to trust yourself, even when your feelings take you to uncomfortable places. You find the courage to forgive. And you find the courage to make new friends. Thank you for sharing your story and reminding me that no matter what happened in the past, the future is still wide open.
Sincerely,
A big fan
I’m writing to tell you how much I enjoyed the story you share in your own words called Sure Signs of Crazy (by Karen Harrington, who helped you write it down). It makes me so sad that your mom tried to drown you when you were only two years old. How hard it must have been for you to grow up without your mom, since she was confined to a mental health facility. On top of that, when your dad drinks too much and forgets to take you out for your twelfth birthday, and the only best friend you have to confide in is a plant you’ve taken from one rental home to another as you and your dad try to stay one step ahead of the awful media that is always digging up your family’s past—well, it sounds to me like you’re in a really depressing situation.
But your buoyancy amazes and inspires me. You find joy in the little things, like collecting your favorite words, writing letters to Atticus Finch (the beloved father of Jem and Scout in your favorite book, To Kill A Mockingbird), and learning how to make King Ranch casserole. It’s not easy to have fun when you’re stuck in a small Texas town during the long, hot summer. You manage splendidly, though, and you even meet your first big crush.
Of course, you still think about your mom a lot. You wonder if you’re like her at all. You worry that maybe you’ll grow up to be crazy like her, and you keep watching for signs. When you receive a generic birthday card from her, you confess, “I ache to know more about my mother, while at the same time I wish she’d never send me any cards at all. Feeling two things at once must be one of the first signs of going crazy.”
Sarah, while I read your story you became as real to me as Atticus Finch is to you. I wish I could give you a big hug and tell you that you are not going crazy! You say, “I am not strong like Scout,” but you are much stronger than you realize. You find the courage to trust yourself, even when your feelings take you to uncomfortable places. You find the courage to forgive. And you find the courage to make new friends. Thank you for sharing your story and reminding me that no matter what happened in the past, the future is still wide open.
Sincerely,
A big fan
karolina999w's review against another edition
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
hezann73's review against another edition
4.0
Strengths include realistic, multi-dimensional characters. It's kind of a quiet book for all the big issues in it. Good for 5th and 6th grade
chrisofcourse's review against another edition
Sarah Nelson, the twelve year-old heroine of "Sure Signs of Crazy" has such a wonderfully authentic voice and plucky attitude that I adored her from the very beginning. As she tackles the immediate challenges of a boring summer, a dreaded 7th grade project, and french kissing, she also delves into deeper issues, like her father's alcoholism, her mother's mental health, and her own fear that she may have inherited her parents' troubles. She expresses her most honest feelings in letters she writes to her favorite fictional character, Atticus Finch, which endears her even more to folks like me who love to read.
"Sure Signs of Crazy" will appeal to young readers "on the outside", the ones who feel different or who don't always fit in, as well as those who love words and literature, and those who are, perhaps, struggling with their own personal demons. It is an appropriate book for middle grade students, and would fit well in a text set with "Inside Out and Back Again", "Wunder", and "Star Girl." It covers themes including coming of age, mental health, courage, and uniqueness. My favorite quote is, "Before I put the book back in its place, I catch my reflection in a small space between the books. I am an unread book, too. I am waiting to know what happens to me."
"Sure Signs of Crazy" will appeal to young readers "on the outside", the ones who feel different or who don't always fit in, as well as those who love words and literature, and those who are, perhaps, struggling with their own personal demons. It is an appropriate book for middle grade students, and would fit well in a text set with "Inside Out and Back Again", "Wunder", and "Star Girl." It covers themes including coming of age, mental health, courage, and uniqueness. My favorite quote is, "Before I put the book back in its place, I catch my reflection in a small space between the books. I am an unread book, too. I am waiting to know what happens to me."
briannadaisies's review against another edition
5.0
Beautiful.
I kept forgetting that this was a book intended for 10-14 year olds (or somewhere in that range). The way death, alcoholism, and mental illness were seen through a 12 year old's eyes while being so frank and honest was brilliant. I loved the letters to Atticus Finch, and I could perfectly see Sarah's world. There were times phrases like "so yesterday" and "French kissing a boy" were used and I remembered I was reading a young adult/ middle school book. There was a definitive difference between the Sarah who belonged to the world of best friends who want to kiss boys, paint their nails, get their periods, and read gossip magazines, and the Sarah who wrote to Atticus Finch, talked to Plant, and wore a pillbox hat. Though the latter was the one I loved much more, the former popped up often enough to make this a coming of age tale for everyone.
I kept forgetting that this was a book intended for 10-14 year olds (or somewhere in that range). The way death, alcoholism, and mental illness were seen through a 12 year old's eyes while being so frank and honest was brilliant. I loved the letters to Atticus Finch, and I could perfectly see Sarah's world. There were times phrases like "so yesterday" and "French kissing a boy" were used and I remembered I was reading a young adult/ middle school book. There was a definitive difference between the Sarah who belonged to the world of best friends who want to kiss boys, paint their nails, get their periods, and read gossip magazines, and the Sarah who wrote to Atticus Finch, talked to Plant, and wore a pillbox hat. Though the latter was the one I loved much more, the former popped up often enough to make this a coming of age tale for everyone.
squeakadillo's review against another edition
4.0
Rachael Stein : what category am i describing:
1. talks to a plant, and says it's her best friend
2. loves the dictionary, and peppers her story with definitions
3. tragic past
Sam Eddington: crappy characters in kids' books?
Rachael Stein: YOU ARE A WINNER
I wanted to hate this book so much. I've read a lot of middle grade fiction these past few years, and if there's anything I hate more than folksiness that rings false, it's a Quirky Character. They always have tragic pasts, odd habits, and some kind of obsession that allows the author to frame the story in terms of word definitions, or household hints, or whatever. They always make me picture the author sitting in a writer's workshop, slaving away over a character sheet.
Sarah, the twelve-year-old protagonista of Sure Signs of Crazy, is Quirky all right. Tragic past? Mother tried to drown her in the sink when she was two, and succeeded in drowning her twin brother. Also, her father drinks a lot of Jim Beam. Odd habits? Talking to a plant and writing letters to Atticus Finch. Obsession? The dictionary. She keeps a list of what she calls "trouble words" - words that "will change the face of the person you say it to." A few pages in, I couldn't see this story going anywhere good.
I stuck with it though, and it didn't even take very long to win me over. I still think some of the Quirks should have stayed behind on the character sheet (though I was kind of attached to Plant by the end), but as artificial as she should seem, Sarah's voice is strong and genuine. Her words and her actions ring true, and she makes enough cringe-worthy mistakes to balance out her unusually perceptive letters to Atticus. Every one of the secondary characters is written gracefully as well. I hate when authors fail to respect their own characters, but Harrington writes with sympathy about even the least likeable members of her dramatis personae. That counts for a lot with me.
The settings are well-realized too. Living in a rental home myself, though not one as bleak as Sarah's, I recognize her descriptions of their less charming aspects (especially the cabinets). When she stands on the stump in her front yard and watches over her small town Texas neighborhood, I can see it clearly too, and she almost makes me like it.
Sure Signs of Crazy is getting a fair bit of attention, and it's certainly the type of book we think of as a "Newbery book" - missing mother, quirky girl (though not that many of the winners actually fit that profile). Depending on the committee's tastes, I can see it getting quite a few nominations for its distinguished characters and settings, and I wouldn't be surprised to see a silver Honor sticker on the cover next January.
1. talks to a plant, and says it's her best friend
2. loves the dictionary, and peppers her story with definitions
3. tragic past
Sam Eddington: crappy characters in kids' books?
Rachael Stein: YOU ARE A WINNER
I wanted to hate this book so much. I've read a lot of middle grade fiction these past few years, and if there's anything I hate more than folksiness that rings false, it's a Quirky Character. They always have tragic pasts, odd habits, and some kind of obsession that allows the author to frame the story in terms of word definitions, or household hints, or whatever. They always make me picture the author sitting in a writer's workshop, slaving away over a character sheet.
Sarah, the twelve-year-old protagonista of Sure Signs of Crazy, is Quirky all right. Tragic past? Mother tried to drown her in the sink when she was two, and succeeded in drowning her twin brother. Also, her father drinks a lot of Jim Beam. Odd habits? Talking to a plant and writing letters to Atticus Finch. Obsession? The dictionary. She keeps a list of what she calls "trouble words" - words that "will change the face of the person you say it to." A few pages in, I couldn't see this story going anywhere good.
I stuck with it though, and it didn't even take very long to win me over. I still think some of the Quirks should have stayed behind on the character sheet (though I was kind of attached to Plant by the end), but as artificial as she should seem, Sarah's voice is strong and genuine. Her words and her actions ring true, and she makes enough cringe-worthy mistakes to balance out her unusually perceptive letters to Atticus. Every one of the secondary characters is written gracefully as well. I hate when authors fail to respect their own characters, but Harrington writes with sympathy about even the least likeable members of her dramatis personae. That counts for a lot with me.
The settings are well-realized too. Living in a rental home myself, though not one as bleak as Sarah's, I recognize her descriptions of their less charming aspects (especially the cabinets). When she stands on the stump in her front yard and watches over her small town Texas neighborhood, I can see it clearly too, and she almost makes me like it.
Sure Signs of Crazy is getting a fair bit of attention, and it's certainly the type of book we think of as a "Newbery book" - missing mother, quirky girl (though not that many of the winners actually fit that profile). Depending on the committee's tastes, I can see it getting quite a few nominations for its distinguished characters and settings, and I wouldn't be surprised to see a silver Honor sticker on the cover next January.
riannasimons's review
5.0
25/8/15: (*Note I took a four month break with this book-don't take a four month break from such an amazing piece of literature!)
This book, by far, has been one of my favorite reads of this year. Though 'Sure Sign of Crazy' is a children's book it certainly didn't feel like it. I loved how the book was written from 12 year old Sarah's point of view and I loved how she grew throughout the book. At the start she was a girl without any real direction and by the end she had matured and sorted out all of her problems with boys and her dad's drinking and being naive.
One thing I really loved about the book was her narrative of her situation. She told it like it is and didn't attempt to sugar coat anything (Sarah also refused not to take no for an answer towards the end; which I loved).
Another thing I loved about the book were the relationships Sarah had with other characters. For example the friendship she had formed with Finn was gold. Sarah had the typical friend-to-crush transition and it was just lovely to read about. Also the friendship she formed with Mrs. Dupree was so sweet because it was almost like they had a mother-daughter relationship between them. I especially loved how Finn and Sarah helped Mrs. Dupree after her husband died-that was one of the highlights of this book. Along with this I also really loved the bond Sarah had with Atticus Finch and how she continuously wrote him letters as well as Harper Lee. Though I haven't read 'To Kill a Mockingbird' 'Sure Signs of Crazy' didn't ruin Lee's book for me-if anything this book has made me want to the best selling novel.
Overall the one thing I loved in this book was the relationship that Sarah had formed and then reformed with her dad after all his drinking. I thought it was a really nice and progressive for the plot and story. The very nature of the story and circumstance had a 'Gone Girl' vibe about it but it was told through a child's eyes which made the situation of Sarah and her father very enjoyable to read about.
In a weird way I felt almost as though I could relate to Sarah and that may have made me love the book even more.
I give 'Sure Signs of Crazy' 5 out 5 and recommend it to anyone who wants to read a good coming of age story and readers who also enjoy the works of Harper Lee.
This book, by far, has been one of my favorite reads of this year. Though 'Sure Sign of Crazy' is a children's book it certainly didn't feel like it. I loved how the book was written from 12 year old Sarah's point of view and I loved how she grew throughout the book. At the start she was a girl without any real direction and by the end she had matured and sorted out all of her problems with boys and her dad's drinking and being naive.
One thing I really loved about the book was her narrative of her situation. She told it like it is and didn't attempt to sugar coat anything (Sarah also refused not to take no for an answer towards the end; which I loved).
Another thing I loved about the book were the relationships Sarah had with other characters. For example the friendship she had formed with Finn was gold. Sarah had the typical friend-to-crush transition and it was just lovely to read about. Also the friendship she formed with Mrs. Dupree was so sweet because it was almost like they had a mother-daughter relationship between them. I especially loved how Finn and Sarah helped Mrs. Dupree after her husband died-that was one of the highlights of this book. Along with this I also really loved the bond Sarah had with Atticus Finch and how she continuously wrote him letters as well as Harper Lee. Though I haven't read 'To Kill a Mockingbird' 'Sure Signs of Crazy' didn't ruin Lee's book for me-if anything this book has made me want to the best selling novel.
Overall the one thing I loved in this book was the relationship that Sarah had formed and then reformed with her dad after all his drinking. I thought it was a really nice and progressive for the plot and story. The very nature of the story and circumstance had a 'Gone Girl' vibe about it but it was told through a child's eyes which made the situation of Sarah and her father very enjoyable to read about.
In a weird way I felt almost as though I could relate to Sarah and that may have made me love the book even more.
I give 'Sure Signs of Crazy' 5 out 5 and recommend it to anyone who wants to read a good coming of age story and readers who also enjoy the works of Harper Lee.
idontkaren's review against another edition
4.0
The main character is going through preteen years without a mother (mother has been in a mental institution her whole life) and an alcoholic dad. She worries that she will inherit her mom's mental illness. She has a bit of a sense of humor about it but is overwhelmed by her tumultuous home life. You feel pretty bad for her, but she is great at fending for herself and reading people. She sometimes does bad stuff, but her flaws make her more interesting. It is nice to see a smart character with a good sense of self worth. Would recommend to middle school age.
thelibrarykart's review against another edition
4.0
MORE DETAILS THAN THE BOOK JACKET/BUT NO HUGE SPOILERS:
Sarah Nelson has just turned 12 and like most girls her age she is struggling with identity issues. Sadly, Sarah has a harder struggle than her peers. She is famous, actually her mother is, from being crazy. When she and her twin brother were 2 their mother tried to drown them. Sarah survived the incident, her brother did not. Because of this incident Sarah and her father have had to move every time they are recognized as "that family."
During summer break Sarah has decided to launch an investigation into her family's "big secret." She records her thoughts in her diaries and through letters to her literary hero, Atticus Finch. (I wonder how the author of this book now feels after Go Set a Watchman.) She makes new friends, has her first real crush and becomes bolder and courageous in terms of standing up to her alcoholic father.
This book has a lot of heart and deals with some non-typical big issues but underneath those layers it is really just a story of growing up. I love the progression Sarah makes as a character from the start of the novel to end where anyone would be daft not to admire Sarah's gusto.
Because this book does deal with some sensitive issues I would recommend this book to middle grade readers, grades 6th-8th.