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Summary and Reviews of Criss Cross by Lynne Rae Perkins

Criss Cross by Lynne Rae Perkins

Criss Cross

by Lynne Rae Perkins
  • Critics' Consensus (6):
  • Readers' Rating (23):
  • First Published:
  • Sep 1, 2005, 368 pages
  • Paperback:
  • Jan 2008, 368 pages
  • Rate this book

About This Book

Book Summary

The story of a group of childhood friends facing the crossroads of life and how they should live it, seen mainly from the point of view of 14-year-old Debbie who wishes something would happen to make her a different person and Hector who feels he is unfinished. Winner of the 2006 Newbery Medal.

She wished
something
would happen.

Something good.

To her.

Looking at the bright, fuzzy picture in the
magazine, she thought, Something like that.

Checking her wish
for loopholes,
she found one.

Hoping it wasn't
too late, she thought
the word soon.

Winner of the 2006 Newbery Medal.

Chapter One

The Catch

She wished something would happen.

She wished it while she was looking at a magazine.

The magazine was her sister Chrisanne's; so was the bed she was sitting on and the sweater Debbie had decided to borrow after coming into Chrisanne's room to use her lip gloss. Chrisanne wasn't there. She had gone off somewhere.

Thinking she should be more specific in case her wish came true, even though it wasn't an official wish, it was just a thought, Debbie thought, I wish something different would happen. Something good. To me.

As she thought it, she wound her finger in the necklace she was wearing, which was her own, then unwound it again. It was a short necklace, and she could only wrap her finger in it twice. At least while it was still around her neck.

The article she was looking at was about how the most important thing was to be yourself. Although the pictures...

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  • award image

    John Newbery Medal
    2006

Reviews

Media Reviews

KLIATT - Myrna Marler
This is not a novel for those addicted to adrenaline, but rewards those who patiently explore the story's treasures.

Booklist - Gillian Engberg
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.

School Library Journal - B Allison Gray
Starred Review. Young teens will certainly relate to the self-consciousnesses and uncertainty of all of the characters, each of whom is straining toward clarity and awareness. Grades 6-9

Kirkus Reviews
A tenderly existential work that will reward more thoughtful readers in this age of the ubiquitous action saga. Fiction. 12-16.

Publishers Weekly
Part love story, part coming-of-age tale, this book artfully expresses universal emotions of adolescence. Ages 10+

Children's Literature - Mary Loftus
[Debbie] meanders through her tale, and by its end she has neither changed nor learned anything new. The reader will wish something had happened, too.

Reader Reviews

Mystery Student

Criss Cross
I thought this book was very good. It really showed the character a lot but I was very confused in the beginning. I still love it though!
Liz M.

My favorite book EVER!
Out of all the books I've read, this one is my favorite. This book mainly about two characters, Debbie and Hector, and how they change through the course of one summer.The switching points of views give different opinions on the same thing or moment....   Read More
sdfsfsf

Criss Cross
This book is amazing! :-)
Rboo

criss cross
This book is one of my favorites because the feelings the characters have are feelings you can relate to. Like say you like someone and they like you to, you get to know this person but they go away, possibly you can never see them again but your ...   Read More

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