Week 2

One of my favorite young adult novels to read with my fifth graders is titled "Crash" by Jerry Spinelli. Although the language is not challenging, Spinelli's lesson to be taught and discussed is very appropriate. Briefly, the novel is about two seventh grade boys named Crash and Penn, who could not be more different from each other. Crash is athletic and popular, whereas, Penn is dorky and strange. At the beginning of the book, Crash and his friend pick on Penn in any way possible. But when Crash begins to experience some family problems, he begins to discover how Penn and himself are very similar. As the story continues, Crash and Penn begin to develop a friendship that is stronger than any other Crash has ever had in the past. Overall, this novel is an excellent book to use to discuss bullying, differences in each other, characterization, character development, and relationships. I highly recommend it for grades 4-6. The students love the plot, characters and the humor the author uses. Enjoy!