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    Crenshaw
    Crenshaw
    Crenshaw
    Audiobook3 hours

    Crenshaw

    Written by Katherine Applegate

    Narrated by Kirby Heyborne

    4/5

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    About this audiobook

    The heart-warming new story about family and friendships from Newbery Medal-winner Katherine Applegate.

    Life is tough for ten-year-old Jackson. The landlord is often at the door, there’s not much food in the fridge and he’s worried that any day now the family will have to move out of their home. Again.

    Crenshaw is a cat. He’s large, he’s outspoken and he’s imaginary. He’s come back into Jackson’s life to help him but is an imaginary friend enough to save this family from losing everything?

    A heart-warming story about family and friendships from Newbery medal winner Katherine Applegate.

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherHarperCollins
    Release dateOct 8, 2015
    ISBN9780008160555
    Author

    Katherine Applegate

    Katherine Applegate is the #1 New York Times-bestselling author of beloved and award-winning books for young readers, including Odder, Home of the Brave, Crenshaw, Wishtree, Willodeen, and The One and Only Ivan, for which she won the Newbery Medal. She is also the author of the Animorphs series, and a beginning reader series, Doggo and Pupper, illustrated by Charlie Alder. Katherine Applegate lives in Southern California with her family.

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    Reviews for Crenshaw

    4/5

    377 ratings41 reviews

    What our readers think

    Readers find this title heartwarming and touching on an important topic of poverty. It is a sweet story of a boy leaning on his imaginary friend in times of trouble. The book is recommended for young readers and can be a good starting point for discussing homelessness and poverty with children.

    What did you think?

    Tap to rate

    Review must be at least 10 words

    • 5/5
      One of my favourite books to curl up with. Great dialogue. ??
    • 4/5
      Readable for killing the time. Read better books though.
    • 4/5
      This book just broke my heart. It was such a tender story about a young boy whose fear about his family's dire financial situation manifests into a large imaginary cat/friend. The audio was fantastic!
    • 5/5
      Loved it, so heartwarming and touches on an important topic of poverty
    • 3/5
      A decent enough read. I expected Crenshaw to feature more and would have liked more on the present day situation - I felt like it concentrated a lot on the last time they were homeless. The ending seemed a little convenient but overall I think it would make a good starting point for discussing homelessness and poverty with children. I preferred The One and Only Ivan though.
    • 4/5
      It's a story that is not for all kids. It would be a good story for kids who are going to a rough time (I would not let them read it on their own), or kids who don't know any suffering (to help them listen to other kids). It took a while but I really like Crenshaw.
    • 5/5
      This book was an amazing book on imaginary and invisible friends. I was happy with the end and hopefully Jackson and his family are doing fine now. I really recommend this book for young readers.
    • 2/5

      Much too flawed to praise. ?áI'm glad it took me only an hour to read (although, had it been more thoroughly developed, it may have been less superficial and richer). ?áAt least there was lots of love - the parents were idiots, but at least they weren't into abuse or alcohol or even self-pity. ?á

      But seriously. ?áIf your kids are hungry, get help. ?áIf you can afford mac'n'cheese, which is not in the least nourishing, you can afford *beans*, which have iron, fiber, protein, and even some vitamins. ?áIf you can't afford the cost of living in San Francisco (and who can?) then move out to the country. ?áThis family had kin in Idaho - couldn't they move there?

      Anyway, there are also cliches and shortcuts in the writing style, and didacticism in the presentation of what it means to be homeless and hungry. ?áI don't know if Applegate has any personal understanding, but I do, and I get the impression she did some research and relied on that. ?áShe also comes across as a 'let them eat cake' liberal. ?áI don't see a note on the book that says 'portion of proceeds to go to Monarch School' or anything. ?á

      The bottom line might be, is it a book that will make a difference in reader's lives? ?áWell, I don't know if it will help fortunate kids be more compassionate or friendly towards their poor classmates or not. ?áNor can I tell whether it will help poor kids feel less alone, more hopeful. ?áI kinda doubt it, on both counts.

      So, not well-written, not authentic, and not inspirational. ?áToo bad.

      But it does get two stars from me, for reminding you-all of the classic A Hole is to Dig, by Krauss & Sendak. ?áMarvelous book; needs to be in every kid's repertoire.

      "
    • 4/5
      sweet story of a boy leaning on his imaginary friend in times of trouble.

      1 person found this helpful

    • 4/5
      Jackson's imaginary friend Crenshaw--a giant, surfboarding/skateboarding cat--has shown up again. In the bathtub, surrounded by bubbles. Jackson isn't happy to see him: at 11, he thinks he's way too old for an imaginary friend. Plus, the last time Crenshaw showed up was around the time Jackson and his family got evicted from their apartment and had to live out of their car for awhile, while his dad busked for money to buy food. It's not a pleasant association, and Jackson's worried that Crenshaw's reappearance means that things are about to go south again.This is a sensitive, gentle treatment of a family on the edge of poverty. Applegate is very careful to present all of the really bad stuff as having happened in the past, so that the young reader has some reassurance that the family will be OK this time, too. Recommended.

      1 person found this helpful

    • 3/5
      It's a really great book, but I found it unbearably sad. Jackson's family is caught in a cycle of homelessness, and Applegate taps into pure empathy at the horrifying helplessness of that state. I do think that Crenshaw, giant black and white imaginary friend cat, like Totoro, adds a joyful surrealness to the story, but for me it was all too realistic, and very low on hope.
    • 4/5
      This is the second Applegate I've read, after The One and Only Ivan, Like that book, this is deep book for young readers. Where Ivan, the captive gorilla, was melancholic, Jackson, the young boy here, seems on the surface like every other smart somewhat unsatisfied young adult heroes, trying to deal with the return of his childhood imaginary friend, the larger than human sized cat Crenshaw. As such, the book sucks you into what is eventually a very sad but realistic story of family woes. The trappings are fantasy, with hints that keep it right at the edge of whether Crenshaw really exists, but the book is about much more than that.

      Highly recommended.
    • 4/5
      As the threat of losing everything looms over Jackson and his family, an old imaginary friend reappears in his life. Crenshaw says he's there to help, but what can an invisible, human-sized cat do to aid him at this critical point? This compassionately written middle-grade novel of imagination and childhood struggle recalls the agony of a child surviving in a family in crisis and discovering what they need to survive in a chaotic world.
    • 4/5
      This story made me sad.
    • 3/5
      Life is rough and unfair for Jackson and his family. They have been homeless before, living out of their van. Back then, A giant cat named Crenshaw joined Jackson as his imaginary friend. Then, when things got better, Crenshaw vanished. Now, a few years later, jobs and medical issues with Jackson's father have taken some bad turns, and it looks like they may be homeless again. And because he is needed, Crenshaw shows up again, but logical, scientific-minded Jackson isn't so welcoming this go around to inviting someone who can't possibly exist into his life.
      The book deals with serious issues, and does not paint a rosy picture. The only real positive for Jackson, is that no matter how bad things are, his parents, sister, and he all love each other. That is never brought into doubt.
      I didn't see that Crenshaw himself particularly did anything. He wasn't there much. Most of what he said seemed irrelevant. The more interesting parts of the book were the long stretches where the giant cat wasn't there and wasn't mentioned. The title character seemed almost superfluous. I would have preferred the book if had simply been the tale of a family struggling with homelessness, and how Jackson copes with it.
      Crenshaw felt more like a gimmick than a character.
    • 5/5
      I expected this book to be about an imaginary friend, an imaginary cat. And there was a cat, a giant one named Crenshaw, who happens to be imaginary.

      It opens really cute with a boy spotting Crenshaw on a surfboard.

      But the reality of this boy’s life soon enters the story. Crenshaw made his first appearance when Jackson and his family had to live out of their minivan. His parents used to be musicians but his father has MS and his mother now works part-time jobs to get by.

      And now, a few years later, he’s back again, when things seem to be not going as well. Jackson, who’s heading into fifth grade, wishes his parents would realize that he’s old enough to understand their financial difficulties. Jackson is scared that they have to go back to living in their car again.

      And Crenshaw, with his cartwheels, splits, and penchant for bubble baths, both helps to distract him and understand their situation.

      We listened to this audiobook and I was surprised by how much my kids enjoyed it. I had to stop the audiobook here and there just to make sure the 5yo (and sometimes the 8yo) understood what was going on. We haven’t quite read a book like Crenshaw before, one which talked about hunger and poverty and eviction. I had to explain about eviction – and as I did I was thankful that this was something we’ve never had to worry about. Perhaps it was because of this audiobook that I started on my current nonfiction read, Evicted.
    • 4/5
      Jackson and his family have been homeless before and are heading that way again. His father can no longer work full-time because of MS. His mother lost her job as a school music teacher when the budget was cut. I don't think we are aware of how many, many families are one paycheck away from disaster. Jackson likes facts, but the facts aren't helping now. And just like that, Crenshaw, his imaginary (or not-so-imaginary) cat friend comes back into his life to help him cope.

      Homelessness is an important topic and stories need to be shared in order to help children—and adults—not only develop empathy for this problem, but come together for a solution. Putting it on our school library shelf immediately; wish I had known about it in 2015 when it first came out.

      Katherine Applegate, you've written a beautifully touching story once again.
    • 4/5
      This book portrays the story of a boy who has a poor family relationship and is homeless. He has an imaginary friend, a cat, who is introduced halfway and shows the reader the reality of fantasy, reality, friendship, homelessness, and family relationships. This book could be recommended for a 3rd-6th grader as an independent level reading book.
    • 5/5
      Such a sad but beautiful book! Poor Jackson and his family are going through a difficult time. Jackson starts to see his old imaginary friend Crenshaw again. Crenshaw just happens to be a big black and white cat who loves water and purple jelly beans. I love that this book addresses some pretty big emotions and situations. Definitely a great read for any child to help teach them empathy for other children who might not be as fortunate. It's also a little bit magical and a good lesson on sharing your feelings.
    • 3/5
      Penelope kept telling me about the book Crenshaw that her teacher was reading to the class. She said it was about an imaginary cat and a family experiencing homelessness. I decided to read it so we could talk about it.

      Phew! This is NOT The Boxcar Children (which Penelope thought was too boring by chapter 2). The story is told by a fifth grader Jackson who is worried that his family is going to be evicted from his apartment. His dad no longer works construction due to MS and his mom works multiple part time jobs. When he was in 1st grade they lived out of their van and his imaginary friend, Crenshaw, was there to help him out. Now Crenshaw is back as he goes through his new struggles.

      I know these stories are good to give perspective on life challenges, but after Wonder, Lemons, and Crenshaw I could handle a good ol' Ramona Quimby (also deemed too boring by Penelope).
    • 4/5
      Another great story by Katherine Applegate about family and friendship. While well-written throughout, this book took a while to build. But the last quarter of the story packed an emotional punch that was well worth the wait. The characters were wonderfully fleshed out. The anxiety that Jackson endures due to the many disruptions in his life caused by the financial hardships his family faces will no doubt resonate with readers young and old.
    • 4/5
      Jam-packed with real life, Crenshaw delivered! It's very difficult to engage kids in conversation about those less fortunate, the concept is sometimes just too foreign. This book does a beautiful job of bringing hard times and homelessness to life in an approachable and appropriate manner; making for really meaningful conversations.
    • 5/5
      Awesome book about homelessness and the way one child copes with it.
    • 5/5
      It's actually a pretty sad book about a boy named Jackson and his family who can never seem to make ends meet. His dad has MS and can no longer work and his mother is a music teacher that got laid off and hadn't been able to find another teaching job since. So, she works three jobs. Waitressing, working at the drug store, whatever she can find... Although times are tough for his family, Jackson's parents act as if nothing is wrong even as they are evicted and end up living in their van for periods of time. Jackson deals with his feelings by talking with his imaginary friend, Crenshaw. He's a seven foot tall talking cat! There's some silly moments and sort of a happy ending. Crenshaw shares many words of wisdom and moments of reflection for Jackson. It wasn't the type of fantasy book that I thought it would be, but it was still a good read. It teaches compassion and understanding for others, and that's always a good message in my opinion.
    • 5/5
      This was a really well done book that I enjoyed it a lot. The story is mostly about a kid going into 5th grade whose parents are struggling with money problems. The kid's childhood imaginary friend comes back to help him out.

      I listened to this on audiobook and the audiobook was well done. The narrator does a great job with emotion and different voices.

      There's a lot about family and friendship in here. As well as some magical realism. While the story can be a bit of a tear-jerker (at least for me as a parent) it's done in a somewhat humorous tone so it ends up being a fun read.

      My ten year old son is reading it right now and has really been enjoying some of the humor and the imaginary cat :-) He was also discussing with me how lucky he feels to have never been in the situation the main character ends up in; so I think it was good for him to read about that.

      Overall this is a quick little book that I would definitely recommend. It packs a lot of story for its short length and is great for all ages.
    • 4/5
      I almost cried. I held back. But I almost cried. This book reminds me greatly of my own childhood and I feel many children can relate. I've started "selling" this book at work - up-talking it as an appropriate read-aloud since so many of my students come from homes where money and lack of food is a constant stress.
    • 4/5
      This is a good story that is a quick read. It thoughtfully addresses some issues that are tough for young children.
    • 4/5
      Writing a children's story that deals with such difficult topics as homelessness and chronic illness is a challenge. I loved the element of an imaginary friend who helps Jackson come to terms with the difficulties of his family's situation.
    • 4/5
      This book was great! I really would highly recommend for students who need something interesting to read, this will catch their eyes. This book is not like all others which makes it unique. This book contains high vocabulary words that will help the students grow in their vocabulary. This book is a Texas bluebonnet 2016-2017 chapter book. I would not recommend for students 3rd grade or under. Great way to teach students to use their imagination as well.
    • 3/5
      Narrated by Kirby Heybourne. A boy's imaginary friend, a large cat, reappears when the boy is older and coping with the knowledge of his parents' financial problems and their looming homelessness. Heybourne reads with a tone of gentle compassion that suits how the boy is trying to deal with the stress.