Book Description

Billy Bartholomew has an audacious soul, and he knows it. Why? Because it's all he has left. He's dead.

Eddie Proffit has an equally audacious soul, but he doesn't know it. He's still alive.

These days, Billy and Eddie meet on the sledding hill, where they used to spend countless hours -- until Billy kicked a stack of Sheetrock over on himself, breaking his neck and effectively hitting tilt on his Earthgame. The two were inseparable friends. They still are. And Billy is not about to let a little thing like death stop him from hanging in there with Eddie in his epic struggle to get his life back on track.

Reviews (5)

My Opinion on The Sledding Hill
Mr. Chris Crutcher is still one of my favorite writers, but The Sledding Hill is not one of my favorite books. I am in tenth grade and I mostly agree with the person who posted the very first review of the book. The story of The Sledding Hill is pretty simple, and the other reviews say it right so I will not repeat. I will only give my opinion on the book. It is better than a lot of books and that is why I give it three stars. I think the first part is four stars and the second part is two stars which is how I got to three stars. I thought that the first part was a lot about the friendship of Eddie and Billy and how hard it is for everyone to deal with tragedy like two people dying on you. But later, when the story got into the whole censorship thing about the book, I started to lose interest. It is not because I am not interested in the subject, either. I am totally into free speech. I just thought the book got less interesting, not like Stotan which got more interesting as it went on.

Richie's Picks: THE SLEDDING HILL
"I can bump him, and I will, because the one thing that is as true out here as it is in the Earthgame is connection. Connection is love. Staying connected with Eddie Proffit is as good for me as it is for him, because love is as true on earth as it is in the farthest reaches of the universe.

"So I do it."

"Just Do It." --Nike slogan

In KING OF THE MILD FRONTIER: AN ILL-ADVISED AUTOBIOGRAPHY, Chris Crutcher recognizes Michael Jordan as a hero--not for his legendary on-court accomplishments, but for the manner in which Michael responded to the brutal murder of his father. Chris notes of Michael:

"When asked about his feelings for his father's killers or what should happen to them, in the only recount I ever heard, all he said was, 'My father is dead. That's all I care about.'"

In rereading Crutcher's autobiography I continue to be moved by Michael's response. I'm so touched by it that one day I'm going to make a point of giving Michael a big long hug.

It actually won't be "one day" since, according to Billy Bartholomew, there is no "time" where he now exists. Billy is the dead teenaged narrator of Chris Crutcher?s new novel THE SLEDDING HILL. And according to Billy Bartholomew, once me 'n Number 23 are both history I'll be able to hook up with Michael or anyone else who has come and "gone."

Life on Earth, as Billy explains it from his beyond-this-world perspective, is but a game, the Earthgame. Once you get to where he is, you "travel at the speed of imagination" and "laugh in wonder at all the crazy considerations you had while playing the Earthgame because you were so focused you thought things were important."

Nor are there emotions after death, Billy explains, other than a "pure joy of knowledge--and a sense of coming home."

What to many readers will be Billy's most shocking revelation from beyond the grave is that everyone who dies ends up IN THE SAME PLACE! That means me and James Dobson, Tucker Carlson, and Bull Conner are all going to get to spend eternity sharing the same celestial real estate with (formerly) practicing homosexuals and hippies, independent film makers, blasphemers, Bin Ladens, black people, and banned book authors.

Chris Crutcher is a runner, as are so many of the characters he's created over the years. Crutcher's been spending a lot of his time lately running around the country defending his good name and his great books which are being challenged so frequently that you've got to figure there?s some serious hit list out there making its way to right-wing pulpits around the country.

Of course, there's supposed to be a separation of Church and State, at least in theory. That wasn't the reality when it came to Crutcher's own childhood experiences--as he recounted in KING OF THE MILD FRONTIER--and it sure doesn't seem to be the case today if you?ve paid attention to as many recent articles about book bannings as I have.

Many of the childhood stories of religion and death that Crutcher includes in his autobiography find their way into the plot of THE SLEDDING HILL. And if you've read the autobiography you realize there are going to be a bunch of huffing, puffing, scowling preachers when they start getting an earful of Billy Bartholomew.

But they're going to have a bit of a problem deep-sixing this baby. Crutcher?s written a book without ANY "naughty" words. Not a single f-word, sh-word, n-word, b-word, or a-h word. If they want to ban THE SLEDDING HILL from school libraries, they're going to have to get it banned because of Billy Bartholomew?s blatantly blasphemous revelations.

And that's the catch, because in Board of Education, Island Trees Union Free School District No.26 v. Pico, the landmark 1982 Supreme Court case concerning school-library censorship (I quote from Russell Freedman's IN DEFENSE OF LIBERTY: THE STORY OF AMERICA'S BILL OF RIGHTS.),

"[T]he court held that students' rights were violated by removal of the books and said that a school library provides 'an environment especially appropriate for the recognition of First Amendment rights of students.' "School officials have a great deal of power to decide which books should be in their school libraries, but they ?may not remove books from school library shelves simply because they dislike the ideas contained in those books,' said the Court. 'Allowing a school board to engage in such conduct hardly teaches children to respect the diversity of ideas that is fundamental to the American system.' "

Now along with the recent book banning news stories, there have been some pretty articulate words from certain teens who feel the same way about having their school libraries raped by the Religious Right as I felt about the Nixon White House invading the offices of the antiwar group I belonged to when I was their age.

As recently explained so articulately in the Kansas City Star by a Kansas high school student named Sasha Mushegian,

"It's true that some words and ideas should not be introduced to students who have not reached a certain level of maturity. But the amount of sheltering these parents are trying to accomplish is more appropriate for elementary school children than for people capable of earning wages, taking college-level courses and driving cars. These are all actions that require a degree of personal responsibility and capability of rational thought that these parents seem to think we lack.
"Yes, we're not completely mature yet; sure, we often make bad decisions--but maturation is a process. There's no magical age at which we mentally and emotionally become adults.
"How can you expect children to mature if you don't expose them to books in which reality is messy and confusing, morals are not immediately clear, making the right decision requires analysis of subtleties, and characters make the wrong choices? How do you expect students to think for themselves if you never expose them to situations that are challenging and unfamiliar (yet still safely contained within the pages of a great work of literature)?"

I can easily see all this leading us toward another Supreme Court showdown to determine whether in reality we're a theocracy or a democracy.

Then on the other hand, I can just imagine some overly-pierced, black-attired, parentally-oppressed young person reading all of this discussion, rolling his or her eyes, and impatiently wanting to know the important stuff:

"Come on, Richie! Who the f--- cares what those right-wing a----s are b----ing about now? Just tell us whether the new Crutcher book is worth a sh--!"

Okay, well, as a matter of fact it is. THE SLEDDING HILL caused me to laugh a lot, cry a little, and exercise some brain cells.

"Everyone thought our friendship was odd; what was a smart kid like me doing hanging out with a kid with an IQ short of triple digits? Truth is, Eddie's IQ turned out to be off the charts. His mind bounces from one thing to the other pretty much however it wants, though, and long before he should be finishing up one thought, he's on to something else. Eddie doesn't come to very many conclusions."

Longtime friends Eddie Proffit and Billy Bartholomew like to run. It's the one thing that can keep Eddie's mind focused. But then--in a rather short period of time--Eddie discovers both his dad and his best friend Billy dead from totally random accidents. And things go downhill from there when Eddie's nemesis, the Reverend Tartar, starts hanging out with Eddie's grieving mom.

Fortunately, Eddie discovers something that begins to help him get his mind around what has happened in his life. No, it's not a controlled substance--it's a book.

And, unfortunately, you can guess what the Rev. and his followers from the Red Brick Church want to do to that book.

Enough said. I recommend taking it for a spin. (But remember to turn INTO the slide.)

Another great story from Crutcher
Chris Crutcher's latest novel tackles the same types of tough issues as his earlier novels--this one focuses on censorship and the "moral crusaders." Veiled in a story of a boy who loses his family and friends, Crutcher makes a stirring commentary--as he always does. The characters are engaging and sympathetic--Crutcher as always tells the story from everybody's eyes, showing that all characters have a range and depth and their own emotional crises. He even goes so far as to make himself a character in the story, which is, albeit somewhat cheesy, a way to direclty relate to the characters and insert some soliloquoys on censorship.

One of the major thoughts that comes out of this story is telling stories "in their native tongue," as Crutcher says. That idea keeps the story fresh and real, and while sometimes the details and the language is a little rough around the edges, the story is richer for it. The Sledding Hill doesn't pretend to be anything it isn't--it's a story wrapped up in a discussion of censorship--something that Crutcher has seen his share of. Gabriel Garcia Marquez said, "To an extent, all great literature is subversive." This book definitely fits the mold.

At last...a book about censorship that tells the truth.
It's not JUST about censorship, of course.THE SLEDDING HILL is about friendship, life, death, love and loss, religion and the abuse of power. It's rich with thought and plot, as are all Crutcher books.But what I love most about it is the way it illustrates the quiet connection ONE PERSON can find in ONE BOOK -- and the dangerous nature of taking that book and that connection away from the kids who might need them most.Crutcher also explores the life-after-death endurance of love between two friends, between parents and children, and the hope for eternal reunions. I loved this book. Oh, and about the other reviewers comments...Crutcher didn't say all ministers are misguided.He said THIS minister, who wanted to determine morality for ALL parents, not just for himself, was miguided, even if he was trying to ban a book with good intentions. And of course, there are men of God who forget "Thou shalt not judge" when they step into those ministerial shoes. Crutcher understands how important free agency is, even if his character the Rev. Tarter forgets.

A lot of Speeches!
I was so happy when I heard there was a new Chris Crutcher book coming out. I loved Sarah Byrnes so much, and Whale Talk too. In this book, there are two friends named Eddie and Billy. Billy is like the one person who sees all the good in Eddie and knows how to talk to him. Eddie's father dies, and then Billy dies too, and Eddie stops talking. There is a Christian minister named Reverend Tartar who wants to baptize Eddie. The reverend is also against a Chris Crutcher book in one of the school classes. The best part of the book is Billy talking to Eddie after he is dead. He's very funny. What is not as good is how bad a guy the author made Tartar. He is so evil, and to have this evil guy be the person against the Crutcher book seemed kind of unfair.He is like the worst reverend ever and is a racist, too. There were also way too many speeches in this book, especially at the end. There were speeches in church and speeches at the school meeting and even a short speech by Chris Crutcher where he said he agreed with another speech. I thought all the speeches hurt the book. All in all, this is an okay book, but not nearly as good as Staying Fat for Sarah Byrnes. ... Read more

Book Description

There’s bad news and good news about the Cutter High School swim team. The bad news is that they don’t have a pool. The good news is that only one of them can swim anyway. A group of misfits brought together by T. J. Jones (the J is redundant), the Cutter All Night Mermen struggle to find their places in a school that has no place for them. T.J. is convinced that a varsity letter jacket–exclusive, revered, the symbol (as far as T.J. is concerned) of all that is screwed up at Cutter High–will also be an effective tool. He’s right. He’s also wrong. Still, it’s always the quest that counts. And the bus on which the Mermen travel to swim meets soon becomes the space where they gradually allow themselves to talk, to fit, to grow. Together they’ll fight for dignity in a world where tragedy and comedy dance side by side, where a moment’s inattention can bring lifelong heartache, and where true acceptance is the only prescription for what ails us. ... Read more

Reviews (57)

Whale Talk
Chris Crutcher builds a story about challenging the status quo and finding the common humanity that unites those who believe they are alone in the world. The Tao, or T.J., grows up in Washington where racism dominates the town. T.J. attends Cutter High School where they are known for their respectable athletic program. One of the prize symbols to wear is an athletic jacket earned in a sport. Mike Baubour, a known enemy of T.J., tries to prevent Chris, less fortunate than many, from wearing his dead brother's letter jacket. T.J. fights to organize a male swim team. After he finds his teammates, including Chris, he sets up the criteria for earning a letter. This stirs up controversy among the Athletic Council, and finally come to a conclusion: each swimmer must better there time every meet to earn a letter. T.J.'s determination throughout the novel sets him above the pride of Cutter's athletic program and sets him in each teammates pride. T.J. is determined to achieve success for each one of his teammates, which would equal success to him. This book shows great teamwork, pride, and success when not everything comes easy.

Whale Talk
The book Whale Talk, by Chris Crutcher is a wonderful book for all religions and races. That is because in the book T.J. is black, Japanese, and white, but in school he is mostly considered black. One day T.J. spots all-school jock Mike Barbour picking on Chris Coughlin, a retard whose dead brother is the best athlete in the school ever, for wearing his brother Brian's letter jacket. So, T.J. decides that he will get Chris a jacket of his own. He does that be creating a swim team. Meanwhile T.J. is visiting a woman who helps kids with family problems. T.J has become more of a teacher than a student. He gets involved with a father that really dislikes T.J. The daughter adores T.J. so the family, minus the father moves in with them. T.J.'s family continues to get a lot of hang up calls which they know is the father. In the swimming world, T.J. gets 6 unique guys to go out for the team. T.J. is by far the best swimmer. The team gets a practice facility and an interim coach, Icko who lives at the workout place, until the teacher Simet can get permission. Practices are hard, but usefull as the team improves greatly. The team does horrible in the season, except for T.J. who wins the 50 meter and the 100 meter at regoinals. The team keeps on getting questions on weather swimming is a sport which might deny their privilege to a Cutter jacket. The book ends with many controversial decisions made by both sides. I believe the author, Chris Crutcher wrote about the book to teach the world about racism. He wants to show how it is tearing the modern world apart. Whale Talk is a wonderful book for teens and adults. Children should not be allowed to read the book because of some profane language and sexual harasment. They also will not get the idea about racism and prejudice. Teens, on the other hand, will understand the book and it will teach them about modern conflicts. Whale Talk, by Chris Crutcher is a wonderful for teens and adults.

Got a whale of a tale to tell you friends...
A good book rises above its own premise. Reading a short synopsis of this story without knowing anything about it beyond its plot could easily suggest to the average viewer that it's going to be awful. Think about it. A multi-racial protagonist and his motley crew of rag tag misfits puts together an unlikely swim team and everybody learns a little bit about what it's like to walk in another person's shoes. Bleaugh! That's the kind of After School Special plotting that can get a book seriously ignored by its intended audience. Now I had never read a Chris Crutcher book coming into this. Frankly, I know the man has a reputation for producing darned good books. Then I read "Whale Talk" and found, to my incredible relief, that this was not really a book about a swim team. It's about the circle of abuse and the amount of control an individual has over his or her own actions. It's about hurting other people and what the cost of that can be. In short, the book takes amazingly gigantic themes, renders them bite size, and gives them humanity and humor. It's the humor part that really impressed me.

T.J. Jones (actual name The Tao Jones... pronounce it, I dare you) is probably one of three people of color in his small Washington town. Adopted by his parents when he was a seriously abused toddler, T.J.'s a pretty well put together kid. That's probably in no small part due to his amazing mom and dad and his fantastic (some might say godlike) child therapist, Georgia. Which isn't to say that T.J.'s life is bereft of odd problems. His favorite teacher, Simet, is trying to lure T.J. into helping him start a school swim team. There are a couple problems with this plan. For one thing, T.J. refuses to join any organized sports. Cutter High School is run by and for its jocks. These jocks have been trying for years (unsuccessfully) to get T.J. onto one of their teams. Also, the school has no swimming pool. So T.J. isn't exactly thrilled about the idea of getting roped into this situation until he sees some of the local heavies beating up a mentally handicapped kid because he refuses to stop wearing his dead jock brother's letter jacket. Suddenly our hero has a mission, and the mission is clear. To create a swim team comprised of the kind of guys who otherwise could never be able to get involved in an organized sport. Even better, he's going to get each and every one of them a letter jacket.

This is just the barest of outlines describing this book. T.J. has a lot going on in his life and this includes his father's guilt about accidentally killing a toddler some thirty years before, a girl who tries continually to wash her skin clean of pigment, her psychotic father who is both a wife abuser and T.J.'s enemy, and a team that becomes closer as their problems become clearer. This is truly a book written about a man for men. Which isn't to say that girls won't love this tale, or that it's bereft of strong female characters. In fact, Crutcher is especially good at balancing women who've been abused in the past with their far stronger counterparts. No, when I say that this is a boy book, I'm referring to the fact that the central focus of this story rests squarely on the male swimming team. Sure, T.J. has a girlfriend but her presence in this story is probably just to prove to the viewer that he's a well adjusted guy with a well adjusted gal. Honestly, his relationship is not the focus of this tale. And that's kinda refreshing.

I think what I liked best about this book was that it recognized that behind every crazed idiot, there's a reason they act the way they do. Crutcher isn't the best young adult writer that knows about abuse (that honor belongs squarely to Alex Flinn) but he comes close. A person could learn more from reading this book about the cyclical nature of violence than they would from almost any other source. I'm praising the book beautifully, but it's not without the occasional flaw. Consider, for example, the character of Tay-Roy. This is a bodybuilder that joins the team and has, basically, no real personality. As far as I could determine, everything Tay-Roy does could have been accomplished by T.J. They're similar in every respect, except that Tay-Roy's slightly better looking. It's odd that Crutcher would have kept himself from omitting extraneous characters like this one, but as flaws go, this one's pretty minimal. The worst I can say is that it slightly derails the flow of the text. Big whoop.

What Crutcher has as a writer that puts him heads and tails above and beyond his peers (some, at any rate) is his sense of humor. You cannot dislike a book where the main character is named The Tao Jones. You just can't. I mentioned that I think that Alex Flinn is the all-powerful guru of abused teens, but what Crutcher doesn't have in superior knowledge he makes up for in funnies. I'm sick and tired of all the deadly depressing books out there. If every writer could fill their texts with half as much pleasurable writing as Mr. C, I'd have a heckuva harder time figuring out which book to read next. In the end, "Whale Talk" accomplishes that mighty difficult task of being a good book about a near impossible subject. Abuse. Whether or not you agree that Crutcher wrote about this topic with the correct amount of respect, you have to admit he wrote about it well. I tip my hat to the man who's books I will now have to devour one by one to satiate my now uncontrollable young adult literature craving. Such is life.

english project
Picture your high school's outcasts, the kids no one talks to and no one really knows. Now imagine if you heard that this motley crew was about to become your high school's new varsity swim team. The same kids who are picked last for every team in gym, who has never been seen near the weight room or the track, who are the last people you would imagine wearing your high school letter jackets. Despite his natural athletic ability, the main character T. J. has always shunned Cutter High School's sports teams because, as he says, "something inside me recoils at being told what to do, and that doesn't sit well with most coaches, who are paid to do exactly that." However, when a favorite teacher asks him to help start a swim team at Cutter, T. J. sees an opportunity to turn the school's narrow idea of what an athlete is, privileged, good-looking, white, and male on its head.
Chris Crutcher is an excellent writer that keeps you reading. I could not put the book down. The reason why I liked the book so much is that it is dramatic, had a good conflict and kept me reading. Whale Talk is an awesome book that I would recommend to anyone.

GRIPPING!!!
I recently read Whale Talk by Chris Crutcher. It's about a boy, T.J. Jones, who gets together a group of misfits and outcasts to join a swimming team. As usual in Chris Crutcher's books, there's another story behind the sport.
When I started reading this book I couldn't put it down. Crutcher grabs you in this story with ways that sometimes you wouldn't think possible or interesting. He puts together real problems, not just he said-she said stuff, but things much more realistic. This book is definitly worth reading!!! ... Read more

Book Description

Sarah Byrnes and Eric have been friends for years. When they were children, his fat and her terrible scars made them both outcasts. Later, although swimming slimmed Eric, she stayed his closest friend.

Now Sarah Byrnes -- the smartest, toughest person Eric has ever known -- sits silent in a hospital. Eric must uncover the terrible secret she's hiding, before its dark currents pull them both under.

Reviews (86)

Without doubt, a must read!
No book has ever captivated me as much as this one. Staying Fat for Sarah Byrnes is a fiction. yet realistic book written by Cris Crutener. The characters of this book are strong characters that contribute to the greatness of this book. Eric Calhoune, a senior, faces the task of helping close friend, Sarah Byrnes, who was burned in an accident. Sarah's dad, her problem, is not necesaraly someone you'd like to be friends with. Eric faces other small, bothersome problems. The biggest of them all, Mark Brittain, a fellow classmate who constantly lectures everyone on his strong catholic believes. The only thing Eric doesn't despise form Mark is his girlfriend, Jody Mueller Mrs. Lemry, a strong character, is Erics swimming coach and CATS teacher. Eric tries to help Sarah overcome a psycological problem, by visiting her at the psycological center. Soon, he finds out a dark secret Sarah has kept from everyone for a long time. He then becomes involved in a constant fight to keep Sarah safe. This book came to me when i wasn't sure if I still enjoyed reading. Lately, as a student i have not been able to choose the books I wanted to read, and wa not enjoying reading. Choosing this book was not easy. Mainly, I thought I was going to have to face another boring book. I was wrong. As I read the first pages, I found myself cought up in the plot. Without realizing it I finished, what was perhaps, one of the best books I ever read. It's true that this book involves the same kind of drama many books involve, but something about it is different. it has this special thing that seperates it from other books. You will not encounter a language that is boring or too elegant. The language is realistic and so real that young people will have no trouble reading and understanding it. The author has not avoided using bad words: there are plenty that give this book a realistic tough. The characters don't talk like stuffy old people, but like everyday people, making this book even better. This book is great and not a moment! boring, once started it can be diffiult to stop. This book is perhaps the best ever. The author has known how to write a funny, entertaining, realistic book. It doesn't fall in the same category as those books htat constantly repeat the same ending as they all lived happily ever after. Without doubt, this book is a 10!

A powerful, sad, honest novel
Chris Crutcher has tapped into the teenage psyche for this one. This is a most confusing time in any person's life: you are just starting to deal with certain issues (sex, fitting-in, questioning religion, et cetera), and you may be angry and don't know exactly why. I remember my teenage days quite vividly and have found that I can relate to this story on certain levels.
This is a story about Eric "Moby" Calhoune, a so-called fat kid, who bonds with Sarah Byrnes, an outcast burn victim. They form a friendship that is tested on many occasions by Sarah's inability to face her past and her relationship with her father (Mr. Byrnes is one of the most evil characters I have ever encountered in literature). Soon things get dangerous for both Sarah and Moby, but I won't divulge anymore details. You must read the book to find out what happens.
I will only say that while this book centers on abuse (in many forms), it also deals with a wider range of teenage problems. What is so profound about this story is that it could happen, it may have even happened to some of us or someone we know. It's truthful and realistic. Be careful. It may hit you hard when certain things are revealed. If you tend to cry while reading books or watching films, you might want to have a tissue handy when you sit down with this one.

okay not great
While I initially warmed to the story of two outcasts who formed an unusual, acerbic friendship, the author's crystal clear political agenda which shone through with an annoying, un-ignorable glare in many scenes put me off. The best authors have the ability to gracefully handle today's "hot button" issues via writing without beating the reader over the head. Sadly, this was not one of them.

However, most of the characters were three-dimensional (except for the Christians). There is much biting humor in the story, and that was what sustained me through it.

Recommended but for liberals only. Conservatives are likely to be annoyed (and with reason) and toss it into the trash.

Staying Detailed for Sarah Byrnes
Eric Calhoune is the main character and is quite overweight. Ironically, he's on the swim team but even there he doesn't really fit in. His nickname is "Moby" because he's, well, fat. He becomes best friends with fellow outsider Sarah Byrnes. Supposedly, she was covered in scars after pulling a pot of spaghetti on herself. Together, they write an underground magazine depicting everyone that made fun of them. Then Sarah breaks down completely. Eric desperately tries to snap her out of it without her evil father Virgil Byrnes knowing. More and more details of Sarah's life come out as Eric's once boring life becomes an emotional roller coaster.

I thought the book started off very slow. He spends about half the book explaining past experiences in amazing detail. He describes his swim practices in complete detail. If you are a swimmer, this is the book for you.

Some interesting topics come up randomly throughout the book. Political issues to religion are all portrayed from various viewpoints. Strong beliefs to being very liberal are uniquely displayed in the words of teenagers.

Overall, the book is difficult to follow at times. The author Chris Crutcher, has a remarkable sense of detail and is consistently flashing back to past memories of his relationship with Sarah. However, this sets up the ending well. All the questions are answered and the ending is thrilling and unpredictable.

Incredibly Boring
Staying Fat for Sarah Byrnes is a friendship/mystery novel. Eric and Sarah have been friends since grade school and he tells the story about the mystery of Sarah Byrnes and her family. Eric eventually starts to lose weight from joining the swim team in high school but Sarah Byrnes gets self conscious about herself and is afraid Eric wont talk to her anymore. To prove to Sarah Byrnes that he isn't one of the jocks, he eats extra helpings of food to stay fat for Sarah Byrnes.

I think the author could of talked about different stories throughout the book. He would drag on and on about one subject that would be absolutely boring if they didn't know or take interest in that topic. Most people wouldn't.

This novel is a little confusing at first because it goes from past to present all the time. I read this book with my literature circle and everyone agreed that the book wasn't interesting to read. In my opinion, it went real slow and was boring. It was hard to keep reading the book when I had too. If you were looking for real friendship romance and mystery books, I'd defiantly think you should try out a different book. The real interesting parts of the story were way at the very end. I wouldn't recommend this book to anyone. No offence to the rest of the people on the net that read the book and thought it was fabulous. ... Read more

Book Description

In six tense, exciting short stories, athletes face up to more than sports in tales of love and death, of bigotry and heroism, of real people doing the best that they can, even when that best is not enough.

These stories feature new voices as well as characters from Chris Crutcher's acclaimed popular novels, including Stotan!, Running Loose, and The Crazy Horse Electric Game. Here are the moments that change lives forever. ... Read more

Reviews (12)

This is a keeper!!
Being a high school athlete, this is a cook that I was really able to relate to. Each character in the story shows that he/she is able solve his/her problem through their sports. All of he characters display high morale, which leads them to what they want at the end of their story. an example would be Angus, from the story "A Brief Moment in the Life of Angus Bethune." He believed that no one should be treated as he was, and at thet end of the story, this trait won over his high-school sweetheart. These stories all show good kids goig through their tough teenage years, and the ways that they cope with these tough times. This book was one of the best that I have read. It showed that no matter how bad the situation is, you can always get what you want in the end if try for it hard enough.

Vinny review
This was one of my favorite books. I loved it! The way the book was worded kept me on my feet. The way it relates to life in such a manor is great. Chris Crutcher impeccabley wrote this book. My favorite story is "The Pin" because so many of those things in the story have happened to me. I would recommend this book to anyone from the age of 13 and up.

Excellent
Athletic shorts, by Chris Crutcher is a book about 6 short stories that describe athletes triumphs. I loved this book. Its would interest me around every corner. I would just wanted to continue reading. The only bad part of the book was that it had to end.

Great Read
I thought Athletic Shorts was a good book because it was easy to understand since it was about sports. All the stories could hold my attention which made me want to read the next page. i thought that was a great way to write a sports book with 6 short stories all in one book. I could really relate to it because i like sports alot. I reccomend this book to anyone that like sports.

Courage shown by the imperfect facing the impossible
Another great book by Chris Crutcher -- this one containing six short stories with troubled or stressed teens facing difficult situations. The last two, on the themes of racial prejudice and sexual preference prejudice, are especially powerful. ... Read more

Book Description

Dillon is living with the painful memory of his brother's suicide -- and the role he played in it. To keep his mind and body occupied, he trains intensely for the Ironman triathlon. But outside of practice, his life seems to be falling apart.

Then Dillon finds a confidante in Jennifer, a star high school basketball player who's hiding her own set of destructive secrets. Together, they must find the courage to confront their demons -- before it's too late.

Reviews (27)

My Opinion
Chinese Handcuffs, written by Chris Crutcher, is a good novel for the young adult age group. It is written about two teenagers who have to suffer through life. The main character, is Dillon has to go through life after watching his brother commit suicide. The female character in the story is Jenn, who has to go through life without trying to tell people that her dad is abusing her. The novel is written in the way that a normal teenager would talk. Chris Crutcher knows what a teenagers emotions are and tries to express them in the kind of explicit language that some teenagers would use. I think the book is best for kids who are around the teenage years. I also think that some adults should read it to see what some kids go through. I rank this book a four because some of the details are very shady, and I did not like the ending of the story very well. On a final note, I would like to say that this book is pretty good and I would read it again if I ever get the chance to do it.

An Outrageous book about real life
When I read Chinese Handcuffs by Chris Crutcher, I couldn'tbelieve how realistic it was. I think that is why I like ChrisCrutcher's books. He takes problems that a person would have in real life and crams them all into one little book. One of my favorite parts of the book is how Dillion and Jennifer cope with her problem. Jen has to go through her whole life getting molested, also Dillion has to deal with his brother's suicide. I also like how he has your mind going in twist and turns throughout the book. One of my least favorite parts of the book is at the end, because I think he should have ended it differently. But besides that I thought that it was with reading. I really don't like to read, but I liked reading this book. Because it is filled with emotional things, For example, Dillion goes through watching his brother kill himself. It's full of action. For example Dillion chases after Jen when she climbs up the water tower. I recommend this book to every one who likes these things in a book. If you like books that are easy to read and that are also relevant to today's society, I would recommend this book.

If You Think You Have it Bad....
This is an incredible book. Dillon Hemingway is a triathalon star who hopes to qualify for the Ironman. It seems he has everything, but he holds a terrible memory inside of him. Dillon's brother, Preston, killed himself right in front of Dillon and now Dillon writes letters to Pres to let his feelings out. Jennifer Lawless is a star basketball player who holds a dark secret that she is too terrified to share with anyone. One night, she runs out of a tournament basketball game, intent on committing suicide. Dillon rushes out after and stops her just in time. Together they must find a way to bring the secret out into the open and save Jen from her feelings inside.
This book makes you realize that your life isn't so bad. you could have it much worse. It made me feel thankful that I have the life I have.

sms student
I recently read the book Chinese Handcuffs by Chris Crutcher. The book was pretty good. I could easily relate to it. It is about a boy (Dillon Hemingway) and that his brother killed himself right in front of him. Also it's about a girl (Jenn) who is one of the best basketball players in the state. But jenn also has some secrets that will blow you away. Dillion and Jenn both know each other. Dillon is a big part of her life as you'll find out throughout this book. This book is great for anybody who likes suspense. I hope you enjoy it.

Overcomming Obstacles
One of the many wonderful novels that Chris Crutcher has written is titled "Chinese Handcuffs". Crutcher has written various books about teens, athletic sports, and the problems that follow. These intense and exciting novels discuss how some kids deal with their problems, whether they solve them or not. "Chinese Handcuffs" is just one example Chris Crutcher writing style where teens overcome obstacles.
The two main characters in the book "Chinese Handcuffs" are Dillon Hemingway, and Jennifer Lawless. Jen has had a tough life since she was eleven when her dad started to harass her, and Dillon had his brother recently kill himself. Together they learn to become friends and get through tough times and solve each other's problems.
Overcoming obstacles is a major part in this book that every character faces. For Jen, she needs to learn how to trust someone, that will get her help, but it's not that easy, there are other factors standing in the way of her wanting to get help. Dillon already went through a big downfall in his life watching his brother kill himself, but he is determined to become a family again with his father and even the family members that moved away; his mother and sister. Dillon and Jen relate in more ways than imaginable, and most people can't understand them, or what they're going through. Jen helps give Dillon confidence and trust while Dillon gives Jen the sense of security and someone to talk to that will help her. Everything seems to be getting better in Jens life until her mom comes home and announces something that would change Jens life forever in the worst kind of way. She becomes so enraged that she is willing to die rather than live though this, and Dillon finds out and almost kills himself trying to help her.
I like the style that Chris Crutcher wrote in, and the way the book was laid out. In the beginning of the book, it told Jen's side of the story, and then it told Dillon's side of the story, and by the end of the book their lives combined into one story. And then it became easier to read becasue it didn't jump back and forth anymore. I didn't like how the setting was vague; the book only mentioned the name of the town once or twice. I really liked the book because it was a mix of action and romance.
The theme of "Chinese Handcuffs" is to keep on trying to solve a problem, because the resolution may not be right around the corner, you might need to search for it. In order to overcome obstacles you need to put effort into it and really want to accomplish it, because if you don't try your hardest, then the solution may not be as obvious or ever be found. ... Read more

Book Description

• A good reason to be phobic about oysters and olives?
• That you can step inside a roaring coal furnace and feet cool?
• That Jesus had an older brother?
• How shutting your mouth can help you avoid brain surgery?
• How to avoid cow-pies during your baptism?
• How to survive in the winter wilderness with only a fishing pole and a sausage?

And once you have read about Chris Crutcher's life as a dateless, broken-toothed, scabbed-over, God-fearing dweeb, and once you have contemplated his ascension to the buckskin-upholstered throne of the King of the Mild Frontier, you will close this book, close your eyes and hold it to your chest, and say, "I, too, can be an author."

Reviews (9)

King of the Mild Frontier
If you're a fan of Chris Crutcher's novels and have ever wondered where he got the ideas for some of the crazier things that happen in his books (a seat belt on a toilet seat? getting rid of a zit with a Coke bottle?), as well as his characters' quick wit and colorful language, take a look at King of the Mild Frontier. Crutcher's "ill-advised autobiography" describes his life growing up in a small Idaho town as the gullible, hell-bent for destruction middle son who never seems to come out on top of anything he gets involved with. In addition to relating some of the hilarious escapades of his youth, he also includes his reflections on more serious aspects of life, many of which come out in his various novels for teens. He discusses the fairness of life, religion, heroes, death, and making connections with people. This book will be most appreciated by adults, but older teens will also enjoy the humor and insight he brings to difficult situations. Crutcher has written a very readable, entertaining, and enlightening story of his life.

King Of The Mild Frontier
Wow, what a book. This book is hilarious. The author, Chris Crutcher, is writing about his life growing up in the small town of Cascade, Idaho. I'm from Idaho and let me tell you it is one small town. He talks about all of the times his older brother John would play would play tricks on him to get him in trouble. I like this book because it reminds me of all the family dinners we've had where my mom's brothers would tell similar stories like Chris'.
I like how the author shares his emotions with the readers. The way he writes, the language he uses, is verry real to the language that his target audiance speaks. All in All it was an ok book I think I would recomend it to an older audiance though because I think that they can relate to it more.

King of the MILD Frontier
Chris Crutcher really brings Cascade, Idaho to life in his book King of the Mild Frontier. He explores what it's really like to grow up in a small logging town with a large imagination. Everyone views of his family as "perfect", but Chris takes you behind the scenes of his life and shows you what "perfect"really is.

I learned a lot of valuable advice in this book and had a ton of laughs. I highly recommend this book to teenagers because they can really relate, from growing up or being grown up and looking back. This book captures the funny side of life and the no worry attitude of a teenager, and also manages to capture the serious, complicated side of life that everyone has to deal with somehow.

King of the Mild Frontier book review
King of The Mild Frontier
by Chris Crutcher
published by Green willow

KING OF THE MILD FRONTIER

If you want to read a funny, hilarious, light book, King of The Mild Frontier is the book for you. King of The Mild Frontier is an autobiography written by Chris Crutcher. This book is about 250 pages long and almost every chapter is a story of his life (except for 2). One of my favorite ( and the funniest) stories took place on a rainy day when Chris was trying to win a bike race, (key word is trying) read to find out. A few chapters ahead is a story when he was around 7 years old and his brother accidentally shot him with a bb gun in the temple! Again read to find out. But one of my favorite stories is when he was in tenth grade and he never did his homework. He went into Language Arts class early, (big mistake) and his teacher asked if he had finished his book review or not, of corse he didn't. He quickly made up a story, time was down to the last minute until it was due. Who could be the author? Chris thought. Who? It finally came to him...His plumber. Read to find out the details. All through the book you will find out what awful (but funny) tricks John played on him. All his life, Chris was a cry baby often referred to as a "bawl baby", and a kid who got made fun of all the time. All through the book you're looking back at Chris's younger years. This is one of my all time favorite books.

The characters in the book are Chris, his brother John, Johns "gangster" friends, his mom and dad, and some of Chris's various friends. As I said before, the book takes place during Chris's younger years (6-12), and some of his high school years. As you read the book you will soon find that Chris gets made fun of all the time for being a crybaby. He's one of those kids that has constant tantrums. For example at the beginning of the book, you will find that one time when he got mad he started hitting his head really hard on the bath tub repetitively. Read to find out. Chris's brother John, a couple years older than Chris, is very smart in a bad way, and sometimes mean kid. He's smart in a bad way because all through the book he tells lies to Chris to cover up what mistakes he made. For example, when he accidentally broke Chris's trophy that said JESUS (received trophy for going to church for a period of a year or so straight) and broke the J, so it turned into ESUS. Read to find out what happened. Their mom and dad are a little strict, but they are not mentioned a lot in the book.
Their dad is ofton referred to as Crutch and he works at a popular gas station.

Overall King of the Mild Frontier is number 2 in my top three books. I would encourage anyone who wants to read a light funny book to red King of the Mild Frontier. The book exceeds excellence because it is a book of many feelings. The book is not all funny, it's also mysterious, sad, and it really gets you thinking. I would give the book 4 out of five stars. I would give it that because it could be a big page turner. Overall, the book was great. One of the main reasons I like it so much is that because when you do something stupid or are worried about doing something stupid, the book says to you, it cant be anywhere as bad as Chris Cruthers mistakes.

By: Sam Bacharach

Crutcher captures the joy and laughter of adolescence!!
"Esus Saves," says Chris Crutcher in his absolutely hilarious book King of the Mild Frontier. Crutcher takes on an adventure through Cascade, Idaho and into elementry, high and into college. He shows us that the only way to get through hard times is to laugh. His rage and his obediance shows us that their is grass greener on the other side.

Chris Crutcher was raised in Cascade, Idaho. This autobiography tells us many stories of Chris Crutcher. He had begun his life as a "bawlbaby" telling us that your not the only one that is or has a little brother that cries with or without an absolute problem.

Chris had sit through 52 weeks of church at the Red Brick Church to get what he thought would be some action figure that blew up in you face doll. He got a glow in the dark plaque that read," Jesus Saves" He liked it just as much, his older brother John Crutcher, was messing with the plaque and accidentily broke the "J" of the plaque. It had now read, "Esus Saves" Chris now begun to cry stating that he was going to tell mom. This his said he had a secret to tell him. That Jesus had an older and wiser brother that thought up all the wise stuff. "No way," Chris had said.

"Yeah, his name is Esus," John said. Next Sunday he had told everyone that Jesus had an older wiser brother named Esus.

That was one of the many, many, many incindens he had with his brother and other people he had run amock with. This book is great for everyone who can enjoy laughing. This book got tied for the review of being"just a Young Authour" book. If your anybody, and I know there are some anybodies out there, read this book. It'll make your heart warm and yourself laugh. ... Read more

Book Description

Louie Banks has it made.

He's got a starting spot on the football team, good friends, and a smart, beautiful girlfriend who loves him as much as he loves her.

Early in the fall, he sees all his ideas of fair play go up in smoke; by spring, what he cares about most has been destroyed. How can Louie keep going when he's lost everything?

Reviews (30)

Running Loose
Running Loose is a phenomenal book. It is a book for a reader that enjoys young adult fiction. Chris Crutcher does an excellent job at combining drama with sports. If you enjoy reading books about sports you should consider Chris Crutcher as an author. The book starts out when a high school football player named Louie is in summer training for football. He exercises every day to get in shape. As the season approaches, he becomes the star defensive back for Trout High School. In the meantime he falls in love with a cheerleader named Becky. When his team is faced against one of the toughest teams in the league, Salmon River, his coach tells one of Louies teammates, Boomer, to take out their star quarterback, Washington. After it happened Louie was upset with Boomer and tried to get is own team a penalty by telling the referee it was an intentional hit. His coach kicked him off the team for the rest of the season and said he will never play another sport at Trout High School again. When he thinks that worse has happened to him, something else worse happens. His girlfried, Becky, is killed in a car accident. Can Louie overcome his problems, or will something even worse happen? You must read this exciting book to find out.

Interesting
Chris Crutcher's book Running Loose was a very good book with very true to life characters. Louie, who's main goals in life are to be a good football player and get a girl, faces many challenges that teens today are faced with. Crutcher grabs the real essence of teens and shows them to us with unadulterated skill. Looking at the plot in this book, a bad call by a good coach, it causes me to look back at my school time (going to a small school like Louis)and realizing that this could have really happened anywhere and probably does to some extent. I am heartened to read about an untypical hero who stands up to fight in the face of adversity.

Crutcher is one for the record books.

sms student
Running Loose, by Chris Crutcher was a great read. It was about a high school boy who is faced with some very tough decisions. His senior year starts out great. He's got a starting sport on the varsity football team, and the girl of his dreams, Becky. Then tragedy strikes. He is kicked off the football team for standing up to the coach. Also Becky gets killed in a car crash. Louie gets help from and support from his parents. Crutcher tried to get across in the story that Louie is an average kid faced with difficult decisions. This book is worth reading if your older than 13 because of different parts in the book. It would not be good for someone in elementary school.

Saved by the Mile
In the book "Running Loose", a high school boy made a stupid decision that could have messed up the rest of his senior year. Fortunately, he found a sport that helped him to clear his mind. This sport turned out to be the best thing for him.
Overall, I thought this book was pretty good. The only thing that concerned me was that the author, Chris Crutcher, didn't quite make it clear who all of the characters were. This book might be just a little mature for sixth and seventh graders. This isn't such a great book for elementary students. I also thought this book had some really funny parts in it. Out of five stars, I would rate this book a 4.

Running Loose
The book Running Loose by Chris Crutcher is the story of Louie Banks' senior year in high school. I think that this book was very well-written. The story dealt with many of today's issues, such as racism and standing up for what you believe in.
Louie Banks lives in a small town where everyone knows each other. The story begins with Louie being on the football team, having great parents, and a perfect girlfriend. However, his near perfect live begin to unravel when he stands up for an African-American football player from another school who was purposely injured by one of Louie's teammates. Louie is thrown off the team by his coach and the school principal. This sets off a year-long feud between Louie, the coach, and principal.
The year progresses, with everything going not so good for Louie. The school principal is constantly trying to get Louie suspended, because he still holds a grudge from the football season. The saddest part of the book is when Louie's girlfriend, Becky dies unexpectedly. Louie does some surprising acts after Becky is killed, such as chopping down the oldest tree in the town's forest, yelling at her funeral, and throwing her memorial plaque into the river where she was killed. He did most of these acts out of anger because of her death or because of the way people were acting. He yelled at her funeral about the minister who said the mass, because he was saying things that were not important about Becky's life. In the spring, Louie joins the track team and does well most of the time. Being on the track team helps him relieve some of his anger and sadness that he had from the loss of Becky.
I think that the main thing that Louie learns from his last year of high school is that being the best at football or having the whole town love you because you "put on a show" are not the most important things in life. In the end, being kind to the people that you love and standing up for what is right and what you believe in is what makes you a good person. I think that Running Loose is a book that all high school students should read, because it gives a message that we all should learn. ... Read more

Book Description

Bo Brewster has been at war with his father for as long as he can remember. Following angry outbursts at his football coach and English teacher that have cost him his spot on the football team and moved him dangerously close to expulsion from school, he turns to the only adult he believes will listen: Larry King.

In his letters to Larry, Bo describes his quest for excellence on his own terms. No more coaches for me, he tells the talk show icon, no more dads. I'm going to be a triathlete, an Ironman.

Relegated to Mr. Nak's before-school Anger Management group (which he initially believes to be populated with future serial killers and freeway snipers), Bo meets a hard-edged, down-on-their-luck pack of survivors with stainless steel shields against the world that Bo comes to see are not so different from his own. It is here he meets and falls in love with Shelly, a future American Gladiator, whose passion for physical challenge more than matches his.

Ironman is a funny, sometimes heartbreaking story about growing up in the heart of struggle. It is about standing up, getting knocked down, and standing up again. It is about being heard--and learning to listen.

Reviews (33)

Ironman wins the gold for teenagers
The hardest part to get past in most books written by Chris Crutcher is the narrative flow. Ironman begins with the main character, Beauregard Brewster or Beau, writing a letter to his favorite talkshow personality, Larry King. In it we see insight into his personality and his passion for triathlons. As we read on we learn he is being sent to an anger management class due to an altercation with the hard as nails football coach; an embodiment of all he loathe's in his own father. There Beau meets Mr. Nak, who presides over the troubled anger management group. And there he finds himself surrounded by other angry teenagers who have been dealt a harsh life.

Further into the story, we discover Beau is labeled a quitter by the school, coaches and his own father; a write-off for almost all those involved with competitive sports. Ironically, Beau's past shows his unwillingness to bend to his father; who seems to believe crushing the son's spirit is an appropriate parenting technique. Crutcher succeeds in developing a truly sympathetic underdog character.

Beau's journey through anger managerment is an amazing look into personal demons some teens face. As the characters in anger management develop, Beau begins a relationship with Shelly, a future American Gladiator and an anger management group veteran.
Eventually things come to a head when Beau has to compete in a triathalon where the odds are stacked against him. Worse yet, his father conspires with his opponents to completely crush his spirit.

Some people may misunderstand and call antagonists too two-dimensional, it follows Crutcher's "pull no punches" antagonism to bring out the shining best in the protagonists.
Through it all, Mr. Nak teaches about finding mercy in the hardest tradegies of life.

A spectacular story with many themes of friendship, compassion, and determination of true Stotans!

Trialing Teenage Times
In a choice novel assignment given by my junior english teacher, I chose to read "Ironman", written by Chris Crutcher. The main character, Bo Brewster, is having a difficult time dealing with his family life as well as his football coach. Bo can come off to some people as a "hot head" or a "quitter", but I view him as a teenager that faces many of the same problems that many student athletes, or just regular teenagers face in real life. Bo takes the smart way of dealing with his anger, and enrolls in an anger management class before school to avoid being expelled, and to make himself a better human being. Some people believe in the expression, "Things happen for a reason." Well, in Bo's situation, I believe things did happen for a reason in this story. While going to the anger management classes, a man by the name of Mr. Nak becomes what I like to think of as Bo's mentor. He sees what makes Bo aggravated, and shares his life stories with Bo to show him that he isn't the only one who goes through rough times during his life. The book titled "Ironman" is an excellent book that should be required for teenagers to read because while we may think everyone lives the perfect life, we all go through challenging experiences that can be related with Bo. We just have to open our eyes and be willing to accept the guidence from others just as Bo did to make ourselves better human beings.

Ironman=Strong Issues
As a high school teacher, I teach this book to my juniors. Or perhaps I should say we read and enjoy it together. Chris Crutcher uses humor and straight talk to present a variety of issues facing kids today, love, divorce, child abuse, managing anger, even finding out someone you care about is homosexual. I find I am able to discuss these issues with my students using the book as a springboard. One of my students said, "This is the best book I have ever read. The kids in the book talk like us and feel like us." Another student said she laughed out loud when reading it at home. The other reviews presented the plot, I just wanted you to know what my teens thought of the book. I will warn you there is a small amount of strong language in the book, if you are considering using it in the classroom or buying it for your teenager. I have read all of Crutcher's books, and feel he is one of the best young adult authors ever.

Ironman wins the gold for teenagers.
The hardest part of reading Ironman is the narrative flow. The story begins with Beauregard Brewster or 'Beau' writing letters to his favorite talk show host, Larry King. Through it we gain insight into Beau's passion for training to compete in triathalons. In the letter he talks about his latest problem, yelling at his English teacher/football coach. This leads to him being put into Mr. Nak's anger management group with misfits.

As we read along the story becomes clearer and focused. Beau's parents are divorced, but his father still has a negative effect in his life becoming an adult. We discover Beau's unwillingness to bend under his father's harsh parenting techniques. Beau is truly a sympathetic character many teens can identify with.

In anger management, Beau forms a relationship with Shelly, a future American Gladiator. The anger management group of misfits argue and bond over their personal demons representing many problems teen face. Through it all Mr. Nak teaches about allowing for mercy in even the saddest tragedies.

Eventually the story comes to a climax as Beau must compete against the odds in a triathalon. However, his father's involvement may stack the odds even further against him.

Crutcher's excellent creation of antagonists pressures and helps bring out the shining best in his protagonists.
A spectacular story about friendship, compassion and the Stotan way of determination.

Ironman
This is an Increadible book that deals with teen problems along with finding ways to deal with them. It's characters deal with backstabbing, Love and learn about the powerful bonds of true friendship that are so very rare and wonderful in the world today. It is a terrific book that I would recommend to people that like teen issue books, books that show a lot of feeling. ... Read more

Book Description

In the final swimming season at Frost High School Coach Max II Song offers his small but talented team the gift of self-discipline in the form of Stotan Week--a grueling four-hour-a-day, nonstop test of physical and emotional stamina designed to bring them to the outer edge of their capabilities. The four young men accept the challenge-and something none of them could have predicted is set in motion.

Stotan! is a humorous, sometimes heartbreaking story about making sense of chaos, about falling in love when it's not in the cards, about friendship and commitment, about life and death.

Reviews (31)

Stotan
The book Stotan is a very exciting book.I beleive it was the best book I have ever read. It takes place in a little city involving 4 boys and 1 girl as the main characters. The four boys r swimmers at Frost High School. Their friend Elaine ( the 1 girl) was a swimmer but got burnt out at the age of 17. The boys end up forfeiting every meet because they dont have enough swimmers. Their coach Max posts a notice for "Stotan Week" a week long event over christmaas break getting them to become better swimmers. They show up the first day and Max works them hard, when he thinks they are not performing well he sends them to a roped off section of the pool called the torture lane. There they do sprints in the water, pushups and situps continously until he says so. They end up going to Montana for a meet and Walker ends up qualifying for state out of state. At the end of one of the events Jeff has a hard time getting out of the pool and needs Norties assistance. Jeff ends up gettting taken away in an ambulance. He is later diagnosed with lukemia. To find out what happens next read this book.

Swim with the Stotans!
A review by Zach

In this book 4 friends, Walker, Nortie, Jeff, and Lion are swimmers at Frost High in Spokane Washington. They are all good friends and they come across many challenges as they go through their last year of high school. Like when Nortie had become abused by his father and Walker, Jeff, and Lion came and took him from house. There are also many other issues like racism.

This book was perfectly written with the eight amounts of suspense, comedy, and drama mixed in. In many parts it will keep you right on the edge of your seat wanting to read more and more. It is not a book you can easily put down. It did move a little slow in some parts, but not to the point that it would make you bored. It also may have been better If it were longer. The end left me with many unknown things and wanting to learn what would happen next.

Overall it was an excellent book and is one of my favorites. I would recommend it to anyone who enjoys a good book, though this book would probably appeal more to teenagers over the age of twelve. I would also recommend any other Chris Crutcher book especially Iron Man or The Crazy Horse Electric Game, they all posses the same great qualities.

Reality Stretch
The book 'Stotan' starts off with a swimming team practicing to become Stotans or a cross Stoic and a Spartan. There is a wild love twist between the main character, Walker, Deveene, and Walker's best girl friend Elaine (girl friend as in a friend who is a girl). The main theme of the book to me and many others I know is that you can't always fight what you up against but you just have to go with the flow.
When I read the book 'Stotan' it felt pretty blah I mean other than telling people on how to live his or her life there is nothing exciting about the book. One of the reasons I disliked the book is that it just combines way to many issues, conflicts, and themes into on tiny 183 paged book. The book takes reality and stretches it a little to far for my taste, so that is why I only give the book a total of three stars.

Stotan is a great book
This book was very remarkable. There are twists and turns around every page. The author did a very significant job writing all the tragic issues such as racism and domestic abuse. The book also talks about relationships and how to deal with almost the worst thing that they can throw at you. Stotan week is a week that Jeff, Lion, Nortie, and Walker have to deal with athletic and emotional roller coasters. In the beginning the book was a little unorganized. The book was a little slow in the beginning. It improved greatly towards the middle and even more in the end. I am recommending this book to older children, 12-17. It is a very short yet good book.

blub-blub
Stotan is a great book, and I highly reccomend it to anyone who wants to learn more about swimming. A small group of close swimming buddies-Walker, Lionel, Jeff, and Norbert-see a sign on the wall of the gymnasium. What it says is:
STOTAN WEEK
looking for a few good men to
participate in this program
Of course they all sign up, and they have no idea what they're in for! ... Read more

Book Description

Willie Weaver used to be a hero.
Now he's nothing.

Willie is a top athlete, the star of the legendary game against Crazy Horse Electric. Then a freak accident robs him of his once-amazing physical talents.

Betrayed by his family, his girlfriend, and his own body, Willie's on the run, penniless and terrified on the streets, where he must fight to rebuild both his body and his life.

Reviews (19)

A crippled boy who succeeds
The Crazy Horse Electric Game was an interesting book. It started out with an average kid whose name was Willie. He was good at sports. He had many friends and did well in school. Then one day his life takes a dramatic turn for the worst. He is involved in a freak accident and becomes crippled and slow.
When he finds out that his parents are struggling with the death of his sister. And now him, he decides to leave home. Willie ends up in Oakland California, were he is jumped by a gang and robbed. Which is sad because he is crippled and cant defend himself. However, a bus driver/pimp named lacy takes him in and enrolls him in a school, were he exceeds greatly in school and out. He gets in some confrontation but by the time He graduates, he has greatly succeeded mentally and physically. When Willie was ready to go back to his life at home, he gets worried about what might happen. He does not know how people might accept, him or if they might greet him with open arms.
This book will make you want to keep reading until the end because you just do not know what is going to happen next. I thought the book was great especially when Willie made a friend that he thought did not like him. [hawk]. When Willie was standing next to the school and seen hawk light up a joint, Willie was a little nervous but hawk just asked him to watch out for him and he did. I think Willie making friends was a good thing because without friends he probably would not have made it.
In conclusion, if you really do not like to read like me, you will still like to read this book; it is funny and realistic about a crippled boy who tries and succeeds.

This novel contains many interesting plots within 1 another.
"The Crazy Horse Electric Game" is the greatest novel I have ever read! I'm not the kind of person who enjoys to read, but this was a novel that kept me very interested until the end. The name seemed very funny to me at first, but once I started reading the novel, it kept getting better. I really admire the main character, Willie Weaver; he had a very special talent. It was baseball. After, Willie beats the rival team, Crazy Horse Electric, he later gets injured and is crippled for the rest of his life. After that it seems to him as the world is turning against him, so he runs away. He later faces many more dilemas. Please read this novel, you will not regret reading it!

Well written, heart wrenching book, for mature readers
The Crazy Horse Electric Game is one of the best books I've ever read. Willie Weaver is a child prodigy. He is one of the best baseball players his age. However, as predicted, he gets in an accident. A very realistic and moving book about a young crippled boys struggle. You get to know the character very well, and you start to care about what happens to him. Like it's real. I've reread this book frequently, a couple times every year since I read it in 6th grade, and every time, as I get older, I learn a little bit more. It's a real tear-jerker throughout.

A good find
Even though this book, "The Crazy Horse Electric Game" started out rather slow, it held my attention because I didn't want to miss any of the twists that came about in the plot, like when the main character, Willie Weaver, finds his girlfriend Jennie cheating on him. "To hell with you, Willie. I can't spend the rest of my life feeling sorry for you. To hell with you!" (p.95). Jennie was refering to Willie's boating accident which left him with brain damage.

I thought it was clever how the author added the twist of Willie running away. "His ticket is for Spokane, but he'll get another one at the bus station there and head south." (p. 96). Willie decides to run away because he thinks everyone will be better off without him, and with that, he leaves home and heads for Oakland, Ca...

I thought this story had a good plot, because the setting was "static." It changed to several different settings, which created new, fresh characters, and that added more flavor to the story. I also liked the frequent setting change, because it changed the mood of the story. It could go from happy, to sad, to suspensful to triumphant. Although, the only thing I didn't like about this book was the fact that it took so long for the story to pick up in the begining. Overall, I would recommend this book because it is a strong story how one can overcome total devistation and bring themselves to success again.

A Lifetime original movie in book form.
Cheesy, contrived, predictable, so on and so forth. If you don't like Lifetime original movies or cheesy "learning life lessons" tear-jerker stories, read a good book instead. ... Read more

Book Description

In every school at every grade, there's a pecking order among students-an in crowd and those outside it, who are often ridiculed mercilessly for the "crime" of being different. This powerful anthology explores the teen outsider experience in electrifying, never-before-published stories by eleven of today's most acclaimed YA authors. A tomboy finds the relief of self-expression through her music, while in another tale a relentless bully tests the faith of an intensely religious girl. A cheerleader discovers that the true soul of her school can't be found within the cool clique; a football player finally stands up for a harassed fellow student; and a boy watches in horror as the school "freak" marches into his classroom with a loaded rifle.

Offering insights into popularity and peer pressure, nonconformity and persecution, acceptance and hate, these riveting, provocative tales will leave readers thinking and start them talking.

Stories by:

Joan Bauer
Alden R. Carter
Chris Crutcher
Jack Gantos Angela Johnson
M. E. Kerr
Ron Koertge
Francess Lantz
Graham Salisbury
Will Weaver
Nancy Werlin ... Read more

Reviews (10)

Four Stars for On the Fringe
We found that this book deserved four stars. It involved an array of short stories. All of the stories were controversial and shared the same large-scale theme of outsiders, or those who are considered to live "on the fringe." However, each of the stories dealt with very unique and individual characters. Not one of the stories was the same. One of the stories dealt with a girl who never developed properly, while yet another focused on a girl who had bad personal hygiene. Not all of the selections had only one main character. One mentioned all of the outsiders in a school. My favorite story was "Geeks Bearing Gifts" because it involved the "in crowd" becoming dangerously involved with the "out crowd." When I was in high school, I never noticed so many different cliques. This book really opened my eyes. For this reason, we think that this selection would be an excellent one for junior high and high school students to read. My literary partner's favorite was "Muzak for Prozac". This was for the fact that it showed how rumors can detrimentally affect those around us -- especially in the growing up years. It really made me think back to how viscous people can be. This is true especially through the growing up years of our lives. If people in high school or junior high did not wear the 'right' clothes, or if they had different morals, principles, and ethics, they were ostracized for these reasons. This book courageously addressed suicide, assault, religious beliefs, sexual preference, and guns in schools. As a teacher, we think that this book is beneficial in allowing one to see into the minds and hearts of students everywhere.

A Great Book for Sharing
I used selections from this collection as read-alouds for my 8th grade language arts class (I end class most days with a read-aloud, while students keep a response journal). Because of the subject matter, these stories definitely engage the students and keep their attention. Do they all "get" the message? No, but I guarantee that when you look around the room and see the eyes of those two or three students who are themselves on the fringe, you will know it was worth it.

in defense of this book
I'm writing this because I'm aghast at some of the other reviews of "On the Fringe." It's a bad book because of its length? Not necessarily. Most of its stories are shorter than the average New Yorker fiction piece, and there's no need to read them all to enjoy the book. Short story collections don't have to be read straight through like a chapter book.

Another complaint: It shouldn't have examples of how kids humiliate other kids lest it give them ideas on how to be mean? Well, guess what? Kids don't need a book to teach them meanness. They pick it up from peers and TV quite nicely, and also from their families and society at large. Just look at the current news, whether international, national or local.

This book is a good start for a discussion about school violence, such as Columbine. The authors get inside the heads of their teenage protagonists nicely and for the most part, the dialogue and actions come across as authentic, not forced. A brief bio follows each story, explaining why the author chose the subject he or she did.

Standouts in my opinion were "Standing on the Roof Naked" by Francess Lantz, "A Letter from the Fringe" by Joan Bauer, and "Through a Window" by Angela Johnson. The last is unique to the book because it focuses on a character who might be classified as a bystander, not a victim or bully.

Throw it away
I thought the book was a bunch of bolagna. I didnt care for it at all and someone should burn it. The only reason i liked it was because it had a bunch of short stories and not just one big book with a bunch of chapters. It had a lot of truth in it which is the only good part of the book. The book was basically about kids that dont fit in and are outsiders. Who ever get's this bpok should throw it away or tearit and burn it into peices.

Throw It Away
The book deserved 2 stars because it was a terrible book. I really didn't care for it. it is basically a bunch of short stories about people on how they don't fit in. Alot of it was untrue because people only act bad when they are not liked by others. I also think it deserved 2 stars because it had a bunhc of short stories and there is no boring parts in it. If it would of been a long book i dont think to many peple would be interested in it. Over all i think if somone get's the book they should through it away. ... Read more