Crash (1996 novel)
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| Author | Jerry Spinelli |
|---|---|
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Genre(s) | Young adult novel |
| Publisher | HarperTrophy |
| Released | 1996 |
| Media type | Paperback) |
| Pages | 162 |
Crash is a 1996 novel by Jerry Spinelli.
[edit] Plot summary
John “Crash” Coogan, was a football and track star in his home town in Pennsylvania. At John's second birthday party he was given a football helmet and he rammed into his cousin Bridget knocking her out of the door, hence the nickname "Crash" was given. As John grew up, he met a odd, scrawny boy named Penn Webb, who was a vegetarian and a "quaker", and lived in a garage-sized house. Ever since Penn and his family moved in next door ,the summer before their first grade year, Crash tormented Penn to no end just because he was different from him and he didn't like the looks of him. Even though Penn had always tried to be his friend, he just thought Penn was a "human joke". Along with Mike Deluca, a friend he met upon entering sixth grade, both Crash and Mike picked on Penn to no end.
When they enter seventh grade, Penn tried out for cheerleading while Crash joined the football team. Crash maintained his aversion to Penn, even as the girl he was attracted to, Jane Forbes, became Penn’s close friend. Sadly, Crash got ditched for being a jerk. Crash also found that his sister, Abby, had been influenced by Penn’s beliefs. She showed it by giving up eating anything with a face, letting weeds thrive in the family backyard, and making a tiny house for a mouse that suddenly appeared. Abby wanted to have a tree fort built for her so she could see what animals were living in her habitat. Soon, Crash and Abby’s grandfather, Scooter, has a stroke while trying to build Abby's tree fort, causing the family great grief. As time went on, Crash’s animosity toward Penn seemed to simmer down, realizing that all Penn ever wanted to do was be his friend. However, as Crash seemed to lighten up towards Penn, Mike’s pranks started to go too far, such as drenching him with water until he nearly caught pneumonia and kidnapping his turtle. As the book ends, Crash says what changed since the beginning of the book, most notably Penn becoming his best friend, and Jane Forbes inviting him to her Fourth of July party.
[edit] Awards and nominations
- 1996 :Newbery Honor.
