Edward the "Crazy Man"

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Description

Edward the "Crazy Man" is a touching, funny, and humane tale of one boy's efforts to help one man and change perceptions about homelessness and schizophrenia. Everyone called him "the Crazy Man." But Charlie loved the sparkling blue eyes and fantastic outfits of this strange man on the street. One day Charlie overheard another kid making fun of the Crazy Man and a fight broke out. Charlie was punched and fell into the path of an oncoming car, but just in time he was snatched out of the way by the Crazy Man. Years later, Charlie gets the chance to repay the Crazy Man. He hires Edward-the man's real name-as a designer at his costume factory, and Edward's creativity saves the day. A brief afterword by the author engages children in the real-life stories of others like Edward.

Reviews

Marie Day writes with great passion and concern for those who have schizophrenia.--Zoe Johnstone Guha"Resource Links" (04/01/2002)
This book is about more than homelessness and mental illness; it is also about the difference a friend can make. Author/illustrator Marie Day's story is very readable. Children will want to know what happens to these characters. The illustrations are a little crazy too, rendered in a mixed media including pencil, markers and pencil crayons. This is an excellent book for starting a discussion with children about homelessness and mental illness. It is now becoming more acceptable and necessary to discuss these social problems with children. Therefore, there is an increasing demand for children's books that deal with these topics. The author's personal note at the back of the book allows the reader a glimpse into why the author wrote this story. Edward the Crazy Man is a recommended purchase for public libraries and classroom collections. Recommended.--Catherine Hoyt"Canadian Materials" (05/10/2002)

Author Bio

Marie Day is the author and illustrator of two books, "Dragon in the Rocks" and "Quennu and the Cave Bear." For many years she was an award-winning costume and stage designer for operas and plays all over North America, including the Stratford Festival.