In the Company of Crazies

IN THE COMPANY OF CRAZIES by Nora Raleigh Baskin
Illustrated by Henry P. Raleigh
Category: Contemporary
Age Recommendation: Grades 6+
Release Date: 8/8/06
Publisher: HarperCollins
Reviewed by: Jocelyn Pearce
Rating: 5 Stars

When Mia Singer's life gets to be a little too much too handle after a volleyball teammate dies, it changes drastically. When
she's caught shoplifting, her family has had enough, and she is shipped off to an "alternative" boarding school, Mountain
Laurel. Mountain Laurel is home to the "crazies" mentioned in the title, and it's nothing like any school Mia has ever attended.

Much of their time at Mountain Laurel is devoted to journal writing, and the snippets from Mia's journal included in the text
make an interesting addition to this book. The characters in the story, Mia included, are wonderful, and the idea of the story
is interesting enough, yet much of the book lacks the "spark" that would make it fabulous. However, Mountain Laurel is a
very interesting setting, and the issues addressed in the book make it smart and thought-provoking, as well as a good read.

IN THE COMPANY OF CRAZIES is a very well-written book, enough so that I'd consider reading other books by Nora
Raleigh Baskin, but not so much that I'd spend much time actively seeking them out. Still, though, it's certainly worth reading!