Criss Cross

Book review by Matt Berman, Common Sense Media
Criss Cross Poster Image

Common Sense says

age 10+

Lyrical tale of small-town teens in a '60s summer.

Lynne Rae Perkins Contemporary Fiction 2006
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Parents say

age 13+

Based on 5 reviews

Kids say

age 11+

Based on 14 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 Criss Cross is a Newbery-wining novel by Lynne Rae Perkins about small-town teens whose paths cross one summer in the 1960s. There's one instance of swearing, and a teen character uses chewing tobacco, which his friends find revolting.

Community Reviews

AG Fan Parent
AG Fan Parent Adult
May 6, 2013
age 11+

Beautifully written. So why isn't it likable?

This book is definitely what Common Sense describes it as-depth with no plot. This book is beautifully written, with a lot of truth, morals, and values tucked in. Yet it's virtually wasted, because no middle schooler is going to get past about Chapter 5. The book is hard to follow, and weird at times. The end is less then satisfactory, with a very real-life-and depressingly boring-interpretation of middle school relationships. The only thing my daughter-and me, too-liked about it was two quotes, the one on the cover (she wished something would happen, something good, to her etc), and the one on the back (she was thinking the grass really could be greener on the other side of the fence. It depended on who was standing in the grass. Maybe you had to go take a look). Overall, not a good choice. As an adult, you might find it valuable, but no kid will get through it.

This title has:

Great messages
Great role models
Too much sex
Too much drinking/drugs/smoking
Elvenfoot
Elvenfoot Adult
April 24, 2012
age 17+

Didn't like, but prove me wrong

I feel dumb, because I am a teacher and should be on board with medal winners--but I didn't like this book at all. It was slow, dull, and lacking in much culmination of anything--which I believe was by the author's design, making it worthy of deeper understanding. Still, though I did sense philosophical value worthy of some discussion, it was obscure and not something I'd be interested in analyzing and discussing with kids; there are much better books to read for these purposes. I do not see why it was worthy of an award at all, much less publication, BUT I have been proven wrong before about art. Sometimes things are not visible in art with the first experience of it, so I would be open to learning why others like it so much and be persuaded to the opposite opinion.

This title has:

Educational value
See all 5 parent reviews

What's the Story?

This book is about one '60s-era summer in the lives of an assortment of very nice small-town teens. Just like a real small-town summer for teens, not very much happens. Life is pleasingly slow and languid. They listen to the radio, wonder about the opposite sex and about themselves, hang out, talk, grow a little, change a bit, come to a few understandings they didn't have before.

One boy is inspired by a college coffeehouse to take some guitar lessons in the basement of the church. A girl befriends and helps out an elderly woman. Paths cross, connections are made, or missed. It's real life, lyrically rendered.

Is It Any Good?

CRISS CROSS is an intriguing book, absolutely deserving of major awards. It has no plot, only slightly defined characters who are hard to tell apart or keep track of, no hero or protagonist or clear point of view, no action or suspense or mystery, just a touch of gentle humor. And yet ... it is a deeply lovely book, profoundly observant and wise about the little things in life that most books, children's or adult, ignore, or perhaps don't even notice. So what keeps the pages turning? Is it the gorgeous writing, the penetrating insights, the little bits of philosophy and keen observation?

It's something of a little miracle, really -- the author spends three whole pages describing a boy looking at himself in the mirror, and it's almost impossible to put down. Either this kind of thing grabs you, or it doesn't -- and for most kids age 10 and up, it won't. A few, those with a thoughtful or poetic or mystical bent, will find it enthralling.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about the many little observations and insights in the book.

  • How do people connect, or miss connecting?

  • What are the moments that push our lives in different directions?

  • Is there only one person out there for each of us?

Book Details

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