Criss Cross (novel)

Criss Cross

First edition cover - early printing
Author	Lynne Rae Perkins
Country	United States
Language	English
Genre	Young adult novel
Publisher	Greenwillow Books
Publication date	September 2005
Media type	Print (hardback & paperback)
Pages	368 pp (first edition, hardback)
ISBN	0-06-009272-6 (first edition, hardback)
OCLC	56324543
LC Class	PZ7.P4313 Cr 2005

Criss Cross is a novel by Lynne Rae Perkins that won the 2006 Newbery Medal for excellence in children's literature.^[1] It followed the character Debbie from her previous novel, All Alone in the Universe, but introduced several new characters, primarily her neighborhood friends Hector, Lenny and Phil.

Plot

This story takes place in Seldem, during spring. Debbie usually spends time with her four friends, Patty, Hector, Lenny, and Phil. A typical summer for them would be to hang around town, and sit in Lenny's dad's pickup truck, listening to the radio "Criss Cross." During this summer vacation however, Debbie moved into the front of their family parlor, and she has her own room. She then gets a job helping an elderly woman. She meets her boss' grandson, Peter, and they share a quick, romantic week together. Soon after he leaves back to his town in California. All of the friends go through their own changes throughout the summer and each grow in their own way. In the end, to tie up their summer, they all have a block party, and are now more mature, and use their new knowledge to move along in life. There is also a necklace that plays a significant part in all of the criss cross moments. It helps the characters in the book to find their true selves.

Themes

Criss Cross is mainly about a group of teenage friends and their summer vacation together. They grow more mature, more intelligent, and become closer than before over the course of the summer. The characters believed that they had the power to change themselves and did. All characters in the book question difficult situations in life and try to better themselves. They all find themselves asking "Who am I?" throughout the novel. Later, they all 'find' themselves and who they are after going through their own endeavors.

About The Author

Lynne Rae Perkins is an American writer of children's books. She was born on July 31, 1956. Her other works include, Home Lovely, Clouds for Dinner, and Georgie Lee.

References