Teen Justine just doesn't fit in with her family, and is about to leave for summer camp when a raccoon leads her on an unexpected adventure to a place called 'Crazyland' where she faces an unusual task: identifying the messages that have shaped her personality and life.
If this seems like ethereal thinking for a teen novel, consider the fact that My Journey to Crazyland is anything but a light adventure or fantasy read: it embeds philosophical and spiritual reflection into its story line and invites teens to think about their values, life goals, and influences as they follow Justine's entry into a crazy world where she observes lives "...either destroyed by ambivalence or renewed by the miracle of faith." The story is all about a young teen's consideration of wisdom and how it's found ("Circumstances don’t make who you are; your decisions of how to live despite your circumstances make you who you are, so choose wisely."), and as events evolve, so does Justine's consciousness and awareness of her choices in life, and their consequences.
Reasons for being, lessons to be learned, unconditional love, and a way out of Crazyland are all themes that enhance Justine's journey and educate teens about their life values and choices as Justine's adventure continues. As Justine questions everything, she reflects on words of wisdom she's heard in the past ("Grandma Jean once told me that some old people are simply old, not wise, and that true wisdom is a spiritual gift that cannot be earned from the number of degrees you have, or from anything else.")
More so than your usual leisure adventure, My Journey to Crazyland is especially recommended for teens seeking contemplative depth from their stories. It simply excels in this approach, crafting a story that should appeal to new adults, as well.