Crank

Book review by Kate Pavao, Common Sense Media
Crank Poster Image

Common Sense says

age 16+

First in controversial verse poetry series about addiction.

Ellen Hopkins Poetry 2004
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Parents say

age 16+

Based on 5 reviews

Kids say

age 14+

Based on 24 reviews

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A Lot or a Little?

The parents' guide to what's in this book.

What Parents Need to Know

Parents need to know that this is a free verse poetry book about a teen girl's addiction to methamphetamine (also known as crank). Kristina snorts it, smokes it, and even injects it. She also buys and sells -- including from a drug gang. And she smokes cigarettes, does ecstasy, smokes marijuana, and drinks coffee. This book includes other mature material, including a rape, an unplanned pregnancy, and a scene in which a high Kristina cuts her skin and drinks her own blood. Mature readers will recognize that this is a cautionary tale describing the strong hold of addiction, and parents could use it to open up some good discussions about drug use and addiction.

Community Reviews

Goodreadingdad
Goodreadingdad Adult
June 2, 2016
age 18+

Keep your kids away from this book

I love reading and all my kids do, but I found that my 11 girl had borrowed Glass, the second book from a friend, and perhaps we did not notice the first one, but I grabbed it to read the inside cover! Boy was she freaked out and defensive, and for good reason!!! Narcissistic, drug taking girl who's totally screwed up, sex and all that crap, and this book makes it look so alluring and cool with its hipster prose!! Adults can argue that this is a cautionary tale, and an 18 year old or a college student might get it, but beware if your 11 year old daughter and her friends are secretly sharing this book!!

This title has:

Too much sex
Too much swearing
Too much drinking/drugs/smoking
BethT6
BethT6 Adult
April 23, 2014
age 18+

What was the point?

I literally threw this book in the trash after I finished reading it. I love books and never have done that before - this book is such garbage I couldn't risk any of my students or my daughter reading it. I just don't get the point of it. The things that bugged me are: -the way it was written; all the weird fonts and formats gave me a headache. -the fact that main character suffers no consequences for her actions - seriously? Her friends, family, teachers...no one knew she was using? No one held her accountable? She even managed to use during and unplanned pregnancy and her child was perfect? Yes, that's what we want to advertise to teenagers. You can use, get raped and pregnant, and there will be no consequences - emotional or physical! This is a sad story, and I'm sure that it happens, but I don't understand why this is marketed for a YA audience. There is no moral - no purpose other than "look what happened to me." What can a teenager gain from reading this? Basically this book teaches that it is ok to do drugs because there are no consequences - even when "bad" stuff happens to you other people will clean up your mess and you'll still end up on top. That's a dangerous message. Kids today are confused enough about drugs and sex.

This title has:

Too much violence
Too much sex
Too much drinking/drugs/smoking
See all 5 parent reviews

What's the Story?

When Kristina goes to visit her biological father, she creates a new identity for herself, calling herself Bree and trying things like crank -- which she smokes for the first time with her father and a new boyfriend. Once back home, she can't break free of Bree, or the drug she calls \"the monster.\" Her comfortable suburban life begins to disappear as she gets deeper into crank: She begins to do badly at a school, steals money from her mom, and even ends up at juvenile hall. When she discovers she is pregnant, she tries to get her life back on track. But can she really say goodbye to the monster?

Is It Any Good?

It's no wonder that this book has been such a hit with teen readers: The free verse makes for a fast read, and the details are full of drama. As Kristina gets deeper into drugs, she even injects crank -- and later discovers she is pregnant. But while this is a cautionary tale, this book will leave more of an imprint than an after-school special about drug abuse. Partly, this is because of the open ending in which Kristina has still not decided if she can live drug free, even with all that she now has to live for -- including a baby of her own. Parents who are concerned about the mature material might consider reading along with their teens so they can be better prepared for questions and discussions.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about this book's subject matter. Did you learn anything that surprised you about crank or drug abuse? Do you think this book will discourage kids from doing drugs?

  • Crank was number four on the American Library Associations list of most challenged books of 2010. What makes it so controversial? Who should have a right to decide what you read -- or what's in your library or school?

Book Details

  • Author: Ellen Hopkins
  • Genre: Poetry
  • Book type: Fiction
  • Publisher: Simon & Schuster
  • Publication date: October 1, 2004
  • Publisher's recommended age(s): 14 - 14
  • Number of pages: 544
  • Last updated: July 12, 2017

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