Banned Book Week: Crank Review

Genre: YA Realistic Fiction

Pages: Paperback, 537 pages

Publisher: Simon Pulse (October 5, 2004)

Kristina Georgia Snow is the perfect daughter: gifted high school junior, quiet, never any trouble. But on a trip to visit her absentee father, Kristina disappears and Bree takes her place. Bree is the exact opposite of Kristina -- she's fearless.

Through a boy, Bree meets the monster: crank. And what begins as a wild, ecstatic ride turns into a struggle through hell for her mind, her soul -- her life.

I can't keep these books on my shelves. My students devour them. I have had a set sitting at home calling my name and I just hadn't gotten around to reading them. Believe me when I say that I heard from EVERYONE that I needed to read them (Gracie and Peri are happy that I am, I know) and now I have to ask myself... WHAT TOOK YOU SO LONG?!

Ellen Hopkins has taken a topic that is so controversial and yet oh so prevalent in our society and written about it. *GASP* I couldn't put it down either and am reading the second in the series now. Kristina/Bree reminded me throughout the book that this could be one of my students. She is trying to hide the fact that a monster has taken over her and seems to be doing a good job. No one seems to notice except those whom she lets into her inner circle know. A visit with her dad has changed her forever and now she is someone whom she doesn't even recognize sometimes.

I love how this novel is written in verse because it fits so well with the character and her personality. I wasn't sure how I would like reading it at first (mainly because it was different and I wasn't sure if my ADD self could follow along) but I have found that it is very readable oh so creative! Reading this book has made me look at things differently and attempt to understand people's motivations. Kristina has issues at home and at school and yet from the outside looking in... everything looks great. So what about the rest of us? What if we wrote a book about ourselves and our inner demons. What would that monster look like?