Jacob Cummer - Catching Crazy Review

What started out as a bad day for 12 year old Thurman just kept getting worse. Being the class clown had already helped him get through his parents divorce, now maybe comedy could get him through forgetting to put on deodorant and smelling as bad as his dog. Now that very same dog is missing and Thurman realizes that there are only a few things he needs to make him feel normal again. Finding his dog, finding out if his dad really loves him and getting a new glove before baseball season starts. While looking for Smelly (the dog) he comes across his crazy neighbor Harlan. Harlan offers him a job. Maybe a job would help him accomplish the easiest task on his list, make money and buy his own glove. In the course of his new job, Thurman helps Harlan by answering the big questions of life.

What a strange bond to create for this young boy. This was a very good, sentimental journey for Thurman packed full of symbolism and hidden meanings. Adolescence dealing with divorce, lose and fitting-in leaves most kids feeling anything but normal and for this unlikely match that was what brought them together and allowed Thurman to find something of himself along the way. A touching and wonderful way to convey to any child who is trying to grow up “normal” that it really is ‘ok’ to be just a little crazy, maybe we all are anyway. I really liked this book, I am not sure who it is suppose to be geared for but I think that anyone from 9 up would find a bit of themselves with the help of Thurman and Harlan‘s work.