Criss Cross

by Lynne Ray Perkins

Newberry Award Winner

This chapter book does not follow traditional plot sequences. The story begins with one of the main character's, Debbie’s, thoughts, “…I wish something different would happen. Something good. To me.” And the story proceeds to monitor the happenings of Debbie and some of her friends (all teenagers), who also seem to be waiting for something good to happen to them. Criss Cross details the characters’ reflections on life and their place in the world, interactions with parents, what is said and what might be said but isn’t, longing for love and affection. The criss cross happens in the story with the characters’ interactions and a necklace that starts with Debbie in Chapter One and makes its way to several other characters in the story, until finally ending where it began. The book is lightly illustrated and the illustrations add to the storytelling. 

The beauty of the novel is the expert way the author describes the musings of the characters. Written in third-person, Hector, one of the main characters “...waved to a couple of girls he knew…They were changing from caterpillars into butterflies. Hector felt himself changing, too, but into what? Not a buttefly.”

Literary Qualities - The use of dialogue throughout the novel sounds true and authentic. Perkins’ way of telling parallel stories and then bringing them all together by connecting the characters at various times throughout the novel gives a feeling of same time, different channel, a kind of "meanwhile...back at the ranch" feeling. In fact, Chapter 25 is entitled, “Meanwhile”.

Perkins, L. (2005). Criss Cross. New York, NY: Greenwillow Books.