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machadofam8's review
4.0
I read this to help my child with a school assignment, and really enjoyed it. Wonderful message!
kkdemarco's review
4.0
Great middle grade read! I liked seeing the perspective of the "bully" and his change/development over the course of the novel. I thought Crash was a very relatable character and a true portrayal of the struggles of middle school kids. Can't wait to see how this goes as a read aloud!
pattydsf's review against another edition
3.0
This was a fun, fast read. Crash Coogan thinks he knows how to be a boy. Crash into things, play football and do practical jokes against those people you don't like. Crash has the world figured out and he knows he is a winner.
Of course, life never runs so smoothly and Crash is in for many big surprises. Spinelli knows his audience and makes the whole story humorous and realistic. It is no wonder my sister and her family enjoyed this book so much.
Of course, life never runs so smoothly and Crash is in for many big surprises. Spinelli knows his audience and makes the whole story humorous and realistic. It is no wonder my sister and her family enjoyed this book so much.
literaryk's review
5.0
It's been a while since I've read a Jerry Spinelli book, but I quickly remembered he was my first favorite author as a kid. Crash was an awesome middle grade novel that focuses on the perspective of a full-of-himself bully going through middle school. Middle school brings the usual sports and showboating of new clothes, but also new students like Penn and Jane. It also brings changes to Crash's family. During that time, Crash begins to realize there's a world outside of himself and what that means for his personality and actions.
I felt this book accurately portrays the type of kid Crash appears to be, and seeing him slowly change felt authentic. There's no lengthy monolog where Crash reflects on his past and sees the wrong in it (because what 7th grader have you seen do that unprompted by adults?), and we don't see Crash going back to fix his wrongs. Instead, we see Crash suddenly react differently to the schemes of his peers as well as how he treats others.
He's not perfect at the end of the book, but nobody is. You do see a better version of Crash, though, and it makes all the difference.
I felt this book accurately portrays the type of kid Crash appears to be, and seeing him slowly change felt authentic. There's no lengthy monolog where Crash reflects on his past and sees the wrong in it (because what 7th grader have you seen do that unprompted by adults?), and we don't see Crash going back to fix his wrongs. Instead, we see Crash suddenly react differently to the schemes of his peers as well as how he treats others.
He's not perfect at the end of the book, but nobody is. You do see a better version of Crash, though, and it makes all the difference.
kristi_starr35's review
4.0
In many ways, hard to believe CRASH was written in 1996. It's only dated in the mention of tapes and VCRs. The rest - the relationships, the sports, the social issues - don't change. It's another reminder of how much we all take for granted until something happens that shakes us up. Crash Coogan is a brash bruiser of a 7th grader who despises his Quaker neighbor, Penn. But when Scooter, Crash's grandfather, ends up in the hospital in a fight for his life, things change for Scooter.
hydenseek's review against another edition
3.0
The premise was good but I felt like the whole story was rushed.
tabithaseesandcoprehendletters's review
2.0
Ok. So Jerry Spinelli's books are ok. Some of them are good and some of them are descent and some of them are Eehhhh...
Crash Coogan is the typical jock. The reason why he is called crash is because he always crashes into things. A new kid moves next door named Penn Webb. The stereotypical nerd. And of course Crash makes fun of him. Crash is the best player on his football team and Penn Webb decides to be a cheerleader for the school. Crash has a sister named Abby and two very busy parents that hardly ever see there kids. And of course at one of Crash's football games his parents don't come when they were supposed to but Penn's parents were there. And he starts to realize that being a bully isn't so fun.
Yeah. I predicted the whole thing. I thought that the beginning was pretty good with all the backstory but then it kind of just dragged on. I feel like Jerry Spinelli always has the same character in all of his books which is Penn Webb. Take Loser for example Donald Zinkoff? Yep.
I don't recommend this Jerry Spinelli book to you but I do recommend Stargirl and Loser.
Crash Coogan is the typical jock. The reason why he is called crash is because he always crashes into things. A new kid moves next door named Penn Webb. The stereotypical nerd. And of course Crash makes fun of him. Crash is the best player on his football team and Penn Webb decides to be a cheerleader for the school. Crash has a sister named Abby and two very busy parents that hardly ever see there kids. And of course at one of Crash's football games his parents don't come when they were supposed to but Penn's parents were there. And he starts to realize that being a bully isn't so fun.
Yeah. I predicted the whole thing. I thought that the beginning was pretty good with all the backstory but then it kind of just dragged on. I feel like Jerry Spinelli always has the same character in all of his books which is Penn Webb. Take Loser for example Donald Zinkoff? Yep.
I don't recommend this Jerry Spinelli book to you but I do recommend Stargirl and Loser.
overlookingcovers's review
3.0
I had to read this book for school reading. I though it wouldn't be the best book. I read it and it became pretty good. I enjoyed this book.