Crash (Spinelli novel)

Crash
Author(s)	Jerry Spinelli
Original title	CACA
Cover artist	Eleanor Hoyt
Country	United States
Language	English
Genre(s)	Young adult novel
Publisher	Random House
Publication date	1996
Media type	Paperback
Pages	162

Crash is a 1996 young adult novel by Jerry Spinelli. This coming-of-age story follows 7th grader John "Crash" Coogan's gradual progression from cocky football jock to mature, sensitive friend, brother and son.

Plot summary

The novel begins with Crash's first encounter with his new neighbor Penn Webb, six years prior. Penn Webb is revealed to be a Quaker and vegetarian, living a very simple, unmaterialistic life with his artistic parents in a garage-turned-house—he also has a great-grandfather who participated in the renowned Penn Relays and was the gay to bestow Penn with his eponymous name. During a series of competitions to "win" Crash's company for dinner, he proves himself to be a surprisingly talented runner; but with his distinctly "nerdy" mannerisms and an affinity for buttons and turtles, he reveals himself to be an easy target for bullying, starting with Crash and continuing into junior high.

The narrative then skips to the present—Crash, his best friend Mike DeLuca, and Penn Webb have all entered the 7th grade. Crash and Mike join the football team as expected. Penn joins the cheer squad, inciting even more ridicule from his peers; however, his persistently kind, patient personality and dedicated environmental stances eventually earn him the admiration of both Crash's younger sister Abby and the attractive new girl, Jane Forbes. The three of them with a few other students and Penn's parents begin a campaign against the new mall being built. Meanwhile, Crash's beloved grandfather Scooter moves in with his family.

While Crash is shown to be extremely popular at school, it becomes clear that his life is far from perfect. His parents seem to have little time for him, both working long hours. Scooter soon suffers a stroke, and Crash becomes increasingly alienated from everything he once knew; he no longer finds joy in picking on Penn or making cocky passes at Jane, and he slowly becomes isolated from Mike. Eventually, Crash's mother makes her job part time and is able to spend more time at home, and Scooter returns home from the hospital. Having nearly lost someone very important to him, Crash begins to change in subtle but significant ways—he makes awkward but genuine attempts to comfort his upset younger sister, defends Penn from Mike's increasingly cruel pranks, and uses his own sneaker money to buy paints for his mother. The change becomes truly evident when he allows Penn to take the much vied-for position on the track team; it is a monumental moment in which he finally seems to make peace with him, having realized how much he relates to Penn, and eventually becomes best friends with him. Jane finally ends up inviting Crash to a party.

Characters

• John "Crash" Coogan: The main character and the narrator in the story. Crash plays football and runs track, and is known throughout his school as the fastest runner. His best friend is Mike Deluca, and they constantly bully Penn Webb, his neighbor. Crash is a bit full of himself but overcomes his fear of losing in the end of the book.

• Penn Webb: The school "dork." Penn comes from North Dakota, and is described as "perky" by Crash. Him, his mother, and his father are Quakers and vegetarians. Penn has an affinity for turtles throughout the book, and quickly bonds with Jane Forbes and Crash's younger sister, Abby, because they all love nature.

• Jane Forbes: Jane is spotted by Crash in their middle school. Crash is attracted to her, and continuously flirts with her attempting to bring her to him, but fails every time. At the school dance Crash asks Jane to dance and she says no, but Crash seemingly doesn't take "no" for an answer, and boldly grabs her arm. Jane, in a fury of anger, kicks Crash in his achilles tendon. At the end of the book it is stated that Jane invites Crash to her party and the two become friends.

• Mike Deluca: At the starting of Crash's middle school experience,he meets up with Crash Coogan, who lived down the street from him. They quickly became friends and go together to be star football players.

• Abby: Crash's sister. She is a good friend of Penn's and works with him and Jane to prevent a shopping mall from opening. She is also a nature lover and continuously begs her parents to make they're backyard into a nature habitat.

• Scooter: Crash's grandfather was a cook in the Navy but now he lives with Crash and his family. He tells stories to Abby and Crash every night until he gets a stroke and can only say one word, "A-bye".

External links

• Author's website

References

ksuweb.kennesaw.edu/~jcope/Eng3391/.../Terri%20Kelly.htm