Criss Cross

By Lynne Rae Perkins
Newbery Award Winner 2006
Rating: 3.5 stars
Reviewed by Noelle

Debbie, Hector, Patty, Lenny and Phil have all been neighborhood friends forever. During one particular summer, the group explores their small town lives and themselves, thinking about who they are and who they might become. The book is told from the points of view of most of the characters, but mostly the story focuses on Debbie and Hector. Over this summer, Debbie will move from having a crush to having a romance, from being a watcher to being a doer. Hector becomes inspired to learn to play guitar, and through his guitar class, he develops some of his own character through writing songs. This is not a book where a lot happens except perhaps in the minds of the characters. So if you like a book that has lots of action and adventure, this is not the story for you. But if you like a quiet book that will make you think differently about the world around you, you might like this one.