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.

A Study Guide for Chris Crutcher's "Crazy Horse Electric Game," excerpted from Gale's acclaimed Novels for Students. This concise study guide includes plot summary; character analysis; author biography; study questions; historical context; suggestions for further reading; and much more. For any literature project, trust Novels for Students for all of your research needs.

"New ways to teach reading, writing and the love of literature"--Cover.

Examines the life and works of the young adult fiction author, discussing the themes and characters found in his works.

A collection of writers of upper elementary and middle school books discuss their work, each author includes a list of selected titles, words from the author, and a list of selected titles, words from the author, and a writing activity for you and your students.

Focusing on the attempted and successful banning of young adult fiction from media centers and classrooms, this book treats the legal and experiential history of censorship in libraries and public schools. It also looks closely at young adult novels from the early 1970s until today that have been the subject of book challenges. The authors discussed include Judy Blume, S.E. Hinton, Chris Crutcher, Jean Craighead George, M.E. Kerr, Mildred Taylor, and Sherman Alexie. This book offers parents, teachers and librarians arguments against censorship based on literary merit and societal benefit.

Offers brief biographies, annotated listings of each author's works, and suggestions for additional reading

Contains author, title, and character entries for over 180 various award winning books

Offers a profile of the author of young adult literature, and examines Crutcher's major themes and works

Provides reviews for classic and contemporary young adult books, identifies teenagers' interests and best book selections, and includes guidelines for creating reading lists of both young adult and suitable adult literature.

Utilizing a genre approach, this overview of young adult literature shows new librarians and library science students the criteria to use for selecting quality books, including recommended titles. • Provides unbiased, authoritative guidance for finding recommended classic and recent titles by genre • Presents an excellent introduction to the field of young adult literature for undergraduate and graduate students who intend to be public or school librarians, students who are new to the study of young adult literature, or librarians who are new to working with young adults • Includes a new section consisting of fascinating answers from 14 authors explaining their motivations and inspirations for writing for young adult readers • Provides expanded coverage on the popular genres of graphic novels and science fiction books

Uses thematic groupings built around recent young adult literature as bridges to the classics. This second edition has been revised by more than 60% and expanded. It continues to emphasize the goal of helping teenagers become lifelong readers, as well as critical and confident readers.

A recipient of the 2000 Margaret A. Edwards Award, Chris Crutcher is best known for his books featuring athletic male protagonists on the cusp of adulthood. This volume takes a look at his life and work.

School and public libraries often provide programs and activities for children in preschool through the sixth grade, but there is little available to young adults. For them, libraries become a place for work—the place to research an assignment or find a book for a report—but the thought of the library as a place for enjoyment is lost. So how do librarians recapture the interest of teenagers? This just might be the answer. Here you will find theme-based units (such as Cartoon Cavalcade, Log On at the Library, Go in Style, Cruising the Mall, Space Shots, Teens on TV, and 44 others) that are designed for young adults. Each includes a display idea, suggestions for local sponsorship of prizes, a program game to encourage participation, 10 theme-related activities, curriculum tie-in activities, sample questions for use in trivia games or scavenger hunts, ideas for activity sheets, a bibliography of related works, and a list of theme-related films. The units are highly flexible, allowing any public or school library to adapt them to their particular needs.

Upon publication, Anita Silvey’s comprehensive survey of contemporary children’s literature, Children’s Books and Their Creators, garnered unanimous praise from librarians, educators, and specialists interested in the world of writing for children. Now The Essential Guide to Children’s Books and Their Creators assembles the best of that volume in one handy, affordable reference, geared specifically to parents, educators, and students. This new volume introduces readers to the wealth of children’s literature by focusing on the essentials — the best books for children, the ones that inform, impress, and, most important, excite young readers. Updated to include newcomers such as J. K. Rowling and Lemony Snicket and to cover the very latest on publishing and educational trends, this edition features more than 475 entries on the best-loved children’s authors and illustrators, numerous essays on social and historical issues, thirty personal glimpses into craft by well-known writers, illustrators, and critics, and invaluable reading lists by category. The Essential Guide to Children’s Books and Their Creators summarizes the canon of contemporary children’s literature, in a practical guide essential for anyone choosing a book for or working with children.

Provides activities and lists of resources for teaching about cultural groups

Forty books for teen readers are reviewed, listing genres, themes, reading level, interest level, reviews, author information, plot summary, book talks and literature extensions.