2018 seemed to be full of non-fiction anthologies in YA – and I am totally here for it. There’s nothing like seeing your favorite authors get real on the page. (don’t) Call Me Crazy is such a great example of this, which struck me personally as an advocate for breaking the mental health stigma. I can’t recommend this book enough.

With sections like, “What’s ‘crazy'”, Beyond Stress and Sadness, and “To Be Okay” (the chapter on hope), readers will find a variety of mental health experiences and normalities on the page. In addition to the authors experiences are lists such as, “Top 10 Horror Films about Fear” written by Stephanie Kuehn, a YA queen of terror (PS I also had no idea so many people were bothered by seemingly normal sounds. Glad it’s not just me!) and art. There are stories about comorbidities in mental health, healing after a school shooting, addiction, and body dysmorphia from a male perspective. It’s a well rounded anthology full of diverse perspectives but is clear that these are personal experiences so a reader’s experience may be different or not represented at all.

The takeaway message is in the opening chapter – a person’s mental health does not define them and there is hope and treatment out there. Plus there’s a badass essay from S. Jae-Jones on being a woman and how that can directly impact our mental health. Oh, and if you missed editor Kelly Jensen’s recent essay about her mental health journey and the book, be sure to check it out here!