Crash

Crash

by Jerry Spinelli

Crash by Jerry Spinelli is about a young man named John Coogan. Everyone calls John Crash except for one boy named Penn Webb. Everyone calls him Crash because when he got his football helmet for Christmas his Uncle Herm's family came over to see his presents and when they opened the door Crash growled “hut, hut,hut” and plowed straight through Herm's daughter, Bridget, knocking her on her butt into a foot of snow.

Penn was named after the Penn Relays. His parents let his great-grandfather name him. Penn was a very strange kid who had just moved there from North Dakota. Penn was a scrawny little boy who wore glasses.

The summer before first grade Crash met Penn. Penn was walking down the street in front of Crash's house while Crash was playing outside. Crash was a very mischievous boy and jumped in front of Penn and would not let him through.

Penn told Crash his name and put out his hand for Crash to shake, and asked what Crash's name was. Crash did not tell him his name, but rather made fun of Penn's. Crash eventually had enough and ripped Penn's button off his shirt and sent him home with his feelings hurt.

Crash did not think he would be seeing Penn anymore after that, but sure enough Crash was riding his bike one day passed Penn's house and Penn ran out and stopped him. Penn wanted crash to come inside with him and see his turtle. Crash made up an excuse and went home.

Years passed and another boy moved to the neighborhood. His name was Mike Deluca. Mike moved there from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Mike and Crash were hanging out at Crash's house one day when Penn was walking his turtle down the street. Mike asked Crash about Penn and Crash told him everything about what he had seen. Crash told him that about everything he had done to Penn and that recently, he just didn't