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Criss Cross Lynne Rae Perkins Books

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Criss Cross Lynne Rae Perkins Books

If you've read some of my other reviews, you might already be familiar with the fact that I find a Newbery Award-winner to be, generally, an excellent read. Of course, even these vary somewhat in quality and appeal; however, I am rarely disappointed when I find that gold seal on the cover. In this case, I think the award is very well deserved. This is one of the better of the recent Newbery winners.

What appeals to me the most about this novel is the atmosphere. Ms. Perkins has a very personal prose style that stands apart from most other authors. There's almost a dreamy quality that hangs over this novel that doesn't stand in the way of giving it a very "truthful" feel. I was impressed by how strongly I was drawn to the young people and their very ordinary struggles.

To that end, there isn't a particularly strong plot here, but the characters are very well drawn and come across as much more like real young people than you find in most young adult novels. The fact is, that not a lot of "extraordinary" things happen in most lives. Still, to us, there is nothing more we think about than our own existence. This is something Ms. Perkins captures very well.

In the end, I can only say that this is a book I would be ready to sit down and read again. I don't say that about many books, but this one.


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Criss Cross Lynne Rae Perkins Books Reviews

Criss-Cross by Lynn Rae Perkins moved and inspired me. The book is about magic. The kind of magic in life that is subtle, that influences our path in life in ways we may not even be aware of, and connects us all. The loss of Debbie's necklace isn't a huge drama or tense mystery, it is there to make us feel magic, as the necklace makes a journey and is passed from person to person, until finally ending up in the hands of the person who may or may not, in a single moment, change Debbie's life. Criss-Cross. The idea of it stunned me, the realization of it's truth left me breathless. One single, seemingly inconseqential moment, can change the life course of another person, or our own life course, entirely. We are constantly "criss-crossing" each other's paths in our daily life, often oblivious to the magic we are making.

The book is also about yearning. Perkins captures beautifully the more subtle yearnings in life Hector noticing that he and his sister look so much alike and yet...she is more fully realized than he is, more completely her, and inside he yearns to become his full and complete self. Debbie yearns for "something" to happen, but more than that, for something wonderful, some kind of magic to infuse the fogginess of her day-to-day existence. She is oblivious to the loss of the necklace, oblivious to the long, meaningful journey it takes in the effort to fulfill her wish. She also yearns for her mother to see her, to really see the deep-down wishes of her heart for just one moment, to take the time to dig deep and care...

As each of these kid's internal lives are profiled, I began to understand and appreciate the wonder of their existence, the importance of their lives, and the impact they are each having on their world and each other.

It was clear to me, by the end of the book, that Lynn Rae Perkins has a tender love and empathy for young people. She recognizes that their lives are precious and meaningful, and this book seemed in part a quest to validate their importance, to say to them "Keep doing what you're doing. You're okay. You're doing great things."

I read this book myself, at first, then read it aloud to my husband. He is a truck-driver and, if he isn't listening to audio books, I read aloud many, many books to him as he drives. I often tell people he is a professional reader, and driving a truck is simply a way to support his real passion. When I read Criss-Cross to him, he wouldn't let me put it down, not even to take a drink of water. At the end, in the pivotal scene between Hector and Debbie, where the title of the book really comes to striking life, my husband said he got chills.

I feel it is unfair to say, "Kids would not like this book." Kids have individual tastes, just like adults. Some kids will savor this book, will get chills up and down their spine when they read it, and some kids will find it boring and pointless. Just like adults.

So what I would like to say to the kids is this If this book interests you, go check it out. To have the richest life, reading and otherwise, you always have to make up your own mind.
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.
I greatly enjoyed reading this book. The writing is fabulous and engaging. Anyone can identify with the subject matter. I recommended it to my Mother, and to my teenaged nieces.
This books was good, but not one of those "I can't put it down" stories. I kept reading because I did want to know what happened to the characters, but I felt it was very poorly written. Stuff was included that was irrelevant to the plot. And I thought it was very interesting (is that the word) that a 14 year old had access to tobacco and his friends did not even try to help him stop. The last chapter was great, but you have to read the whole book to get there.
needed this to go along with the workbook
Interesting but more musing about life for a young teen.
My 11 yr old loved this book
If you've read some of my other reviews, you might already be familiar with the fact that I find a Newbery Award-winner to be, generally, an excellent read. Of course, even these vary somewhat in quality and appeal; however, I am rarely disappointed when I find that gold seal on the cover. In this case, I think the award is very well deserved. This is one of the better of the recent Newbery winners.

What appeals to me the most about this novel is the atmosphere. Ms. Perkins has a very personal prose style that stands apart from most other authors. There's almost a dreamy quality that hangs over this novel that doesn't stand in the way of giving it a very "truthful" feel. I was impressed by how strongly I was drawn to the young people and their very ordinary struggles.

To that end, there isn't a particularly strong plot here, but the characters are very well drawn and come across as much more like real young people than you find in most young adult novels. The fact is, that not a lot of "extraordinary" things happen in most lives. Still, to us, there is nothing more we think about than our own existence. This is something Ms. Perkins captures very well.

In the end, I can only say that this is a book I would be ready to sit down and read again. I don't say that about many books, but this one.