The Crazy Man facts for kids
First edition
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| Author | Pamela Porter |
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| Cover artist | Karine Daisay (design) |
| Country | Canada |
| Language | English |
| Genre | Children's Literature |
| Publisher | Groundwoods Books/House of Anansi Press (first edition) |
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Publication date
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2005 |
| Media type | Print (Hardback & Paperback) |
| Pages | 214 pp (first edition) |
The Crazy Man is a Canadian children's novel from 2005, written by Pamela Porter. This story is told in a special style called free verse, which means it doesn't rhyme or follow a strict rhythm. It's a realistic family story that has won many awards, including the important Governor General's Literary Award.
The book is about a girl named Emaline who lives on a farm. Her family faces a very tough time after a serious tractor accident. Emaline's father accidentally runs over her leg, leaving her with a permanent injury. Feeling very guilty, her father sadly takes their dog's life and then leaves Emaline and her mother alone. The story follows Emaline as she learns to deal with her injury, the fear she feels, and her father's absence. She also learns about how people can sometimes judge others unfairly.
Contents
What Happens in the Story?
The Crazy Man takes place in 1965 in Saskatchewan, Canada. The book shows how life was tough during that time. People were also thinking about big world events like the Vietnam War and the Cold War. Money was often hard to come by for many families.
The story starts by introducing Emaline, who is twelve years old. Like many kids her age, she loves playing with friends and going to school. One day, while on her family's farm, a terrible tractor accident happens. Emaline tries to save her dog, Prince, from the tractor her father is driving. She saves Prince, but her leg gets caught, and she is seriously hurt.
Emaline's father, Cal, feels terrible about the accident. In his grief, he sadly takes Prince's life. Then, he leaves the farm, his family, and all his responsibilities. He blames himself for Emaline's injury and also blames the dog for what happened.
Emaline struggles to understand why her father left her and her mother. She often thinks about him and wonders if he will ever come back. She even starts to blame herself for him leaving.
Since Cal is gone, there's no one to plant the farm fields. Farming is the family's only way to make money. Emaline's mother, Clarice, needs to find someone to help. She ends up hiring a big man named Angus. Angus used to be a patient at a special hospital for people needing help with their thoughts and feelings.
The people in the town are very upset about this. They think Angus is dangerous and will cause trouble. Emaline's mom even tells her to stay away from him.
Townspeople often drive by Emaline's house to make fun of Angus. Frank, the town mechanic, calls him names like "sub-human" or "The Gorilla."
But the townspeople don't realize that Angus is actually a very kind and gentle person. He would never hurt anyone.
Angus is a great farmer and gardener. He treats everything with care and respect. However, the townspeople can't look past his past. They often accuse him of stealing from the local store, but these accusations are always proven wrong.
One day, Harry Record, a man from town, tries to make Angus suffer. He drives Angus far away and leaves him in a snowstorm. On his way back to town, Angus finds Joey Record, Harry's son, freezing in the snow. Even though Angus has been treated badly, he takes Joey to the hospital and saves his life.
When the town hears what Angus did, they finally realize he is not dangerous. They see that he is brave and caring, just like anyone else.
The story ends with the farm fields growing beautifully, better than ever before. Emaline, Clarice, and Angus are happy. They dance under the amazing Northern Lights, enjoying life together, even without Cal. As Emaline's teacher, Miss Tollofsen, always said, "Every day is a fresh start."
The main message of the book is to treat everyone with kindness and respect. It doesn't matter what their background is or how they look.
About the Author, Pamela Porter
Pamela Porter is a well-known Canadian writer and poet from British Columbia. She studied English at Southern Methodist University and later earned a special writing degree from the University of Montana.
Pamela Porter was born in Albuquerque, New Mexico, on July 14, 1956. She lived in many different places in the United States, like Texas and Washington. Eventually, she settled down in North Saanich, British Columbia, Canada, after meeting her husband.
Every summer, Pamela Porter and her family visit her husband’s farm in Saskatchewan. They help with the farm work and enjoy relaxing vacations. This is interesting because her novel The Crazy Man is set on a farm in Saskatchewan.
Awards for The Crazy Man
Pamela Porter's novel The Crazy Man has won many important awards. Some of these include:
- The Governor General’s Literary Award
- The Canadian Library Association Book of the Year Award
- The Bilson Award for Historical Fiction
- The TD Canadian Children's Literature Award
Meet the Characters
Here are some of the main characters you'll meet in The Crazy Man:
- Cal Bitterman: Emaline's father and Clarice’s husband. He leaves the family after Emaline's accident and goes to work on the railroad.
- Prince: Emaline's beloved family dog, who sadly dies after the accident.
- Clarice: Emaline's mother and Cal's wife. She works hard to keep the farm going.
- Emaline: The main character and the person telling the story. The book focuses on her feelings about Angus and her father.
- Reverend Douglas: The preacher and Mayor of Saskatchewan. He helps make sure Emaline's hospital bills are paid.
- Miss Sadie Tollfsen: Emaline's sixth-grade teacher and friend. She visits Emaline in the hospital and encourages her art.
- Jamie Record: A school friend and neighbor of Emaline's. He is Harry and Vida Record's son.
- Joey Record: Jamie's brother and another school friend of Emaline's. Angus saves his life during a snowstorm.
- Harry Record: Jamie and Joey's father. He strongly dislikes Angus and tries to harm him.
- Vida Record: Harry's wife and the mother of Jamie and Joey.
- Mei Wang: Emaline's friend from school, whose family is Chinese.
- Dr. Phillips: Emaline's doctor, who helps her heal her leg after the accident.
- Angus: The "Crazy Man" hired by Clarice to work on the farm. He has a mental illness and is not accepted by the town at first.
- Frank: The town mechanic who often teases Angus and Emaline's family.
- Mr. McGilivary: The town grocer who wrongly accuses Angus of stealing.
- D’Arcy Pettit: The Chief Police Officer (RCMP).
- Miss Griffin: The town librarian.
- Mr. Sidlosk: Angus’s doctor from the hospital. He helps Angus get a special shoe for Emaline.
- Louise: A secretary at the El Rancho Motel, where Emaline's father Cal stays for a while.
- Mr. Liddle: Emaline's seventh-grade teacher. He encourages her to volunteer at an animal shelter.
- Mrs. Spiske: The owner of the animal shelter where Emaline volunteers.
- Meeka: Emaline's new dog, who she gets from the animal shelter.
