Crazy Fish [Paperback]

Norma Fox Mazer (Author)

Book Description

Age Level: 8 and up | Grade Level: 3 and up

Eleven-year-old Joyce lives with her reclusive uncle, Old Dad, who runs the town garbage dump--which is why the kids at school call her the Dump Queen. Her only friend is Mrs. Fish, the new school custodian whose wild outfits and uninhibited personality inspire her nickname, "Crazy Fish." When Mrs. Fish is around, everything in Joyce's life seems okay. So when fiercely independent Old Dad falls ill, Joyce must convince him to accept her friend's help.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"The most imaginative and impressive novel of Norma Fox Mazer's award-winning career."--Publishers Weekly

"Mazer is one of the best of the practitioners writing for young people today."--The New York Times

About the Author

NORMA FOX MAZER is an award-winning novelist and a faculty member for the Vermont College MFA in Writing for Children and Young Adults Program. Her many awards include a Newbery Honor, a Christopher Award, an Edgar Allan Poe Award for Best Juvenile Mystery, and a National Book Award nomination, among others. She lives in Montpelier, Vermont.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 8 and up
  
• Paperback: 160 pages
• Publisher: Sandpiper (November 1, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0152063730
• ISBN-13: 978-0152063733
• Product Dimensions: 8 x 5 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 4.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 2.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,798,319 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

NORMA FOX MAZER is the award-winning author of many novels for young people. She has been honored with the Christopher Award, a Newbery Honor, the Edgar Allen Poe Award, and a National Book Award nomination. She and her husband, novelist Harry Mazer, divide their time between Jamesville, New York, and New York City.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Families are where you find them., September 24, 1999

By 

Janice Lawry - See all my reviews

This review is from: Crazy Fish (Hardcover)

I liked the characters in this story precisely because they were different. Much is said about diversity these days but in reality we have very little tolerance for people who are different than the TV images that create us. But sometimes necessity forces us into unlikely alliances and once we get close enough to know one another...really, we can begin to care. Hopefully this story will encourage readers to look more kindly on those living at the edges of our society and take the risk of knowing them.

0 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Crazy Fish, June 20, 2005

A Kid's Review

This review is from: Crazy Fish (An Avon Camelot Book) (Paperback)

Joyce: Joyce has no mother or father. She lives with her uncle who she calls Old Dad.
Old Dad: Old Dad is Joyce's uncle. He works at the dump.
Mrs. Fish: Mrs. Fish is Joyce's best and only friend. She is really nice.

In the beginning Joyce doesn't want to go to school. She wants to help Old Dad at the dump. But when she goes to school she makes a friend. But when Joyce's friend finds out her uncle works at the dump she starts to hate Joyce. Then Joyce meets Mrs. Fish the janitor. They become best friends. When Old Dad falls and gets hurt Mrs. Fish helps out at the dump. Old Dad says he doesn't like Mrs. Fish but really he does. Mrs. Fish also likes Old Dad. Joyce tries to get them together and she does. So they all live happily ever after.

This book takes place in and around a city. The dump is the around the city part. The dump is very clean and neat. Everything has its place Mrs. Fish's house has a lot of "junk" in it but is very clean. Joyce's house is made of logs. Old Dad doesn't like plastic so everything in the house is ether wood or metal. The school is very clean to.

If you like slow books with almost no action this is the book for you. If you're like me and don't like those books then you'll hate it. In my opinion the book sucks. You might think other wise. Why don't you find out.