Criss Cross: A Newbery Award Winner

By Lynne Rae Perkins

Book Overview

Winner of
the Newbery Medal - New York Times Bestseller - An ALA Notable Book - An
ALA Best Book for Young Adults - School
Library Journal Best Book - Booklist
Editors' Choice - Kirkus Reviews
Editors' Choice - Horn Book Fanfare
Book - New York Public Library Book for the Teen Age

In this acclaimed,
award-winning, and timeless national bestseller, Newbery Medalist Lynne Rae Perkins
explores the crisscrossing lives of four teenagers on the verge of adulthood. The
unique format incorporates short vignettes, haiku, Q&As, and illustrations
by the author. Written with love and humor, Criss
Cross is an unforgettable story of friendship, family, and growing up.

"It's hard
to write a book this good. Lynne Rae Perkins makes it seem easy."--Kevin Henkes,
New York Times-bestselling author of the Newbery Honor Books Olive's Ocean and The Year of Billy
Miller

"Brilliantly
captures the adolescent-level Zen that thoughtful kids bring to their
assessment of the world."--Bulletin of the
Center for Children's Books (starred review)

"Best of
all are the understated moments, often private and piercing in their
authenticity, that capture intelligent, likable teens searching for signs of
who they are, and who they'll become."--ALA Booklist
(starred review)

"Written
with humor and modest bits of philosophy, the writing sparkles with inventive,
often dazzling metaphors."--Kirkus Reviews
(starred review)

"Like a
lazy summer day, the novel induces that exhilarating feeling that one has all
the time in the world."--The Horn Book (starred review)

"A gentle
story about a group of childhood friends facing the crossroads of life and how
they wish to live it. Young teens will certainly relate."--School Library Journal (starred review)

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0060092726
• ISBN13: 9780060092726
• Release Date: August 2005
• Publisher: Greenwillow Books
• Length: 352 Pages
• Weight: 1.18 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.4" x 5.9" x 8.2"
• Age Range: 8 to 12 years
• Grade Range: Grades 3 to 7

Customer Reviews

Don't bother looking for a plot

Firstly: This book is unique. There only the barest shadow of a plot, and very few action sequences. The whole book is character development. If you're a reader that skims all the descriptions to get to the action, you could read this book in five minutes. That being said, if you go into this book with the intention of simply reading it, then you will be amazed. I was hooked simply by the second chapter title, "Hector goes into a sponge state and has a satori". This book, simply put, is about growing up and dealing with the world. The descriptions are evocative and really show how the characters think, especially with their bizarre analogies. It plays with the basic form of novels by writing some chapters in dialogue form, some in haiku, some in columns, etc. And the illustrations fit the characters perfectly. If you love reading for the sake of reading, for enjoying a story to its fullest then this is your book. If not, then you probably will hate this book and wonder why it won a Newbery, and it's your loss. If you do decide to read this book, read it with an open mind, and maybe you'll get it.

Review from an English teacher

I am flabbergasted by the low reviews of this book. I feel validated in my evaluation that this is a phenomenal book by reading the reviews of young people on this forum, who mostly say "FANTASTIC!" I couldn't put this book down in the bookstore, devouring the first 20 pages before I left. I bought the book and read it quickly, amazed that such a fantastic book would be so deservingly awarded. It's hit and miss sometimes with Newbery books. In "Criss Cross" I loved that "nothing happens," to use the biggest criticism posters have made. That's the point. If you look at the average life of a person, on a given summer, you won't likely see huge external events taking place. More likely, you'll maybe find the characters a little different on the inside. Especially if they're middle schooler. I read "All Alone in the Universe" after I read "Criss Cross," and I loved it as well. Both books share Seldem and Debbie, but I wouldn't call them "sequels." They're more like stories about the same person around the same time. You might understand some of the quietness and details about Debbie more if you read "Universe" first, but it isn't necessary. Perkins is a gifted author, and I'm now a devoted fan. I will definitely use her books to teach Middle School Language Arts classes, especially "Universe," which holds as its central theme the idea of friendship and what happens when your best friend finds a new best friend and you are left heartbroken. It's beautiful.

Worthy of the Newbery Medal

First of all, I noticed a lot of reviewers complained that "no kid would ever read this". Being twelve-years-old, I can happily prove them wrong! I read "Criss Cross", and, unlike most people who reviewed the book, actually understood why it won the Newbery Medal! Let me tell you why. The summary on the copyright page says something like "Teens in a small town search for the meaning of love and life". This already gives you an overview of the book and explains what "Criss Cross" is truly about-if you look. I agree with several people who commented that they didn't enjoy the fact that the publishers put Debbie's "she wished something would happen" lines on the cover. This made "Criss Cross" seem like a fairytale, when really it's the opposite. A lot of books out there seem to follow one laid-out storyline throughout the book, but real life doesn't always follow that pattern. Sometimes, we can put together certain fazes of our life into a story, but sometimes, life just goes on, without major problems like death, divorce, moves, etc. That was one thing I really liked about "Criss Cross". The author made several funny and intellectual observations, and by the end of the book I was able to smile and say, "That's so true." I think the reason this product received such low reviews is that the readers were expecting a straight-forward story kind of book, instead of one that was more about life in general than a special time in life. I can appreciate that some readers might fidget, bored by the book, but I think you just have to go in reading "Criss Cross" with an open mind. I found that it was honestly written and well...what can I say, I really liked it! It's just one of those books that you can take out and smile. I was very offended by some of the reviews, but as I said earlier, "Criss Cross" is not your "normal" book. If you're expecting a "normal" book, I wouldn't recommend this, but if you're open to books where you have to work a little harder to get, this book is for you. My mom is going to read "Criss Cross" next and I am looking forward to talking about it when she's down, because it's the sort of book that's fun to talk about. So why do I think "Criss Cross" won the "Newbery Medal"? "Criss Cross" is funny, observant, and honest. It makes sense. It's definitely much better than most of the books in Teen Literature, which are only about dating and popularity cliques. Sure a few of the girls in "Criss Cross" are into boys, but I still enjoyed them as characters. Some girls do like boys and I was able to respect the girls portrayed in "Criss Cross", instead of gagging like I usually do after reading about boy-crazy girls in some books. I was pleased to find a book for my age group that I could enjoy, as I often read adult books because of the limited interest level of books for kids my age (I recently read "My Sister's Keeper"-great book!). Just keep an open mind reading "Criss Cross". You have to think every so now and then, but I guarantee th

It's Like A Dream!

I am so glad Criss Cross won the Newberry Award because the book is artful, honest,and a step away from the norm, and it works beautifully as a novel. The book takes risks with form and technique, risks that challenge and play with the readers, leaving the readers with a different sense of image that one may normally experience after putting a book away. I believe this book will encourage teens to take risks with their own writing, and also with their own lives. Pick up a guitar. Sing a song. Do something different. It's a positive book. I just finished teaching an Adolescent Literature course, and we read several award-winning books, but when you read them one after another, often times, the books tend to feel loaded with misery, which is why it's wonderful to have an uplifting book earning this award. Teachers will love using this book in the classroom. What a fantastic book for showing their students what life was like when they were younger, yet, be a book that feels like it's taking place today for the students who are reading it. I love the fact that both parents and teens will enjoy reading the same book. It's a delightful book that takes the readers on a funny self-discovery journey. If it was an action-packed thriller it wouldn't be this gem of a book.