1.5 Stars ( )

This book is so fun! It is a coming of age book that takes you through first person perspective of a stubborn boy who goes by the name "Crash". He is so stubborn that he instantly decides to target his new neighbor and his quirky behavior. One example is when he first meets the boy and takes his button and buries it. The character Crash develops as he grows older and learns that his neighbor may be someone who isn't so quirky after all. ( )

They call him Crash because that's what he does, crashes through life with no regard for everything around him.

John "Crash" Coogan is entering 7th grade in his middle school career. And it's shaping up to be an interesting one indeed. Crash is ready to hang with his best friend Michael, dominate the football team, and get to know Jane Forbes, his suddenly drop-dead beautiful classmate, a little better.

And he wants to continue the longstanding tradition of harassing Penn Webb.

Penn Webb, scrawny, nonviolent, vegetarian, unfailingly friendly, and raised by Quakers. The polar opposite of arrogant jock Crash. Since childhood Crash has scorned Penn's attempts at friendship, instead making him a target for bullying. Everything has run perfectly fine...until that 7th grade year.

The year that Crash's beloved uncle ends up in the hospital. The year that Crash's little sister goes on an impassioned environmental crusade. And the year when everything brash, cocky Crash expects to happen...doesn't.

A hilarious, touching, painful story of one fairly unsympathetic teenage hero who is changed by the most unlikely people...and comes out on the other side as someone no one could have recognized. ( )

I had a hard time because until the end of the book I really did not like the main character, Crash. He is a major jock who enjoys plowing through the world and making fun of people. I had a hard time relating to him, but I am sure there are a lot of people who will like his brash personality. The last 30-40 pages make him more likeable and I think there are good lessons in the book and it is one that kids will be able to learn from.

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A story about a seventh grade jock named, Crash, who learns that he needs more than just muscles in life. Even though he may be the star football player, he begins to realize the more important things in life other than being popular. ( )