Library & Information Science, Course 262: Resources for Young Adults.
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Many novels written with the young adult in mind seem to be aimed at girls or at least appeal to them more than boys. And according to a couple of recent surveys about reading as well as anecdotal evidence, boys do quite a bit less pleasure reading than girls. Whether this is due to living in a society where boys seem academically channeled towards math and girls toward English, boys feeling the need to suppress their emotions except for anger and thus turning them off to reading about themselves and their relationships with friends and family, or for other reasons is unclear. Robert Lipsyte says "one reason that boys don't read much young-adult fiction is that few authors except Robert Cormier, Walter Dean Myers and Chris Crutcher honestly address the violence and sexuality, real and anticipated, of male adolescence."

 For whatever reasons young people, male or female, don't read, the young adult librarian or the generalist who cares about young adults has a special obligation to draw these reluctant readers into the library and open up the world of books to them. Materials about reluctant readers suggest that they prefer shorter books, usually under 200 pages, in paperback editions with striking covers, told in the first person and addressing issues that are "topical, relevant, and captivating." (Ammon, B. & Sherman, G. More Rip-Roaring Reads for Reluctant Teen Readers Libraries Unlimited Inc. 1999 Neal-Schuman, 1998 ) The works of Chris Crutcher fits this criteria and offers us a marvelous opportunity to open the world of books to the aliterate young adult.

 Chris Crutcher has written a number of YA realistic fiction titles, as well as one novel for adults, all of which have won awards or ended up on booklists, including ALA's 1996 Quick Picks for Young Adults (http://www.ala.org/yalsa/booklists/quickpicks96.html), and Popular Paperbacks for Young Adults 1999 ( http://www.ala.org/yalsa/booklists/poppaper99.html#goodsports). He himself was an academic underachiever and came late to writing after working as a teacher and a child therapist. For a short biography and "fun facts" go to Random House's page for teachers at http://www.randomhouse.com/teachersbdd/crut.html.

 See Kay Vandergrift's site on Young Adult Literature for a page that gives another biography, summaries of the three most recent Crutcher YA books, as well as a bibliography of reviews for each one at http://www.scils.rutgers.edu/special/kay/crutcher.html.

 One should note that Chris Crutcher is one of the controversial YA author and some of his books have been banned in various places. Joni He is a strong defender of YA literature against censorship challenges and won the National Council of English Teachers (NCTE) 1998 Intellectual Freedom Award for this. See the NCTE's press release at http://ncte.org/news/NA981214yafree.html.

 I envision buying 10 paperback copies of each of Chris Crutcher's books for a public library, doing some booktalks on them at the local high schools ( see Joni Richards Bodart's booktalk on Chinese Handcuffs in "Some banned books worth talking about" Book Report, Mar/Apr93, Vol. 11 Issue 5, p. 28-29), displaying them prominently with videos of Angus (based on a story of the same name in Athletic Shorts, see what Roger Ebert thinks at http://www.suntimes.com/ebert/ebert_reviews/1995/09/997128.html ), and rehearsing saying "Gee all of our copies are out, but you can put a hold on it, or if you need something now, Robert Cormier is pretty good too" to all the teen boys I've never seen before.

with information about their most recent paperback editions available directly through Random House (http://www.randomhouse.com/), or Barnes and Noble (http://www.barnesandnoble.com/) and Amazon (http://www.amazon.com/).

Athletic Shorts : Six Short Stories Paperback reissue (May 1996) $4.99 Laureleaf; ISBN: 0440213908 These perceptive stories feature characters from Crutcher's novels, and use sports as more than a hook, while exploring themes of adolescence and courage. In Angus, the basis for a film of the same name, the fat boy who has 2 sets of gay parents, finds that he can turn being chosen, as a practical joke, for Prom King into an opportunity with the help of the Prom Queen who isn't as perfect as she appears.

Chinese Handcuffs Paperback reissue (January 1996) $4.50 Dell Pub Co; ISBN: 0440208378 Swimmer Dillon is still troubled by witnessing his brother's suicide, but also involved in his friend Jennifer's terrible secret , that she was abused by her father and now her stepfather. They both find out they have to let go to get free, just as one does, when trying to take off Chinese handcuffs.

The Crazy Horse Electric Game $4.99 Paperback reissue (June 1991) Dell Pub Co; ISBN: 04402009 Star baseball player Will Weaver, injured in an accident and left with permanent brain damage, ends up on the mean streets, after not finding support through his family or friends. After being taken in by a bus driver who is also a pimp, he learns how to cope at an alternative school. He then returns to his hometown to face the people and issues from which he ran. Chris Crutcher based this book partly on a school where he taught in Oakland, that helped kids thrown out of the rest of the public schools.

Ironman $4.99 Paperback Reissue (July 1996) Laurel Leaf Library; ISBN: 04402197 Bo Brewster writes unsent letters to radio broadcaster Larry King that detail his attending anger management classes with a group of quirky kids and a quirkier leader, training for the triathlon or Ironman contest, and his father's undermining his dreams.

Running Loose $4.99 Paperback (February 1, 1986) Dell Publishing Company; ISBN: 0440975700 Louie Banks has a starting spot on his football team, state champions for the last three years running, and a girlfriend. Life seems good until the coach encourages a teammate to take out a rival quarterback. Quitting the team in disgust makes Louie an outcast in a town where winning is everything. Then his girlfriend dies. Turning to running for a release from his anger and hurt changes Louie, and he comes a winner in the truest sense of the word. This is the first book by Chris Crutcher, before he knew that there was a genre called YA novels, and that he was writing one.

Staying Fat for Sarah Byrnes $4.99 Paperback (March 1995) Laureleaf; ISBN: 044021906X Sarah Byrnes has a face and hands so horribly scarred by burns that she insists everyone call her by her full name, so they can't make the inevitable joke. She is an angry girl who tells those who dare ask that she pulled a pot of boiling water onto herself when young. Her best friend Moby, named after the whale due to his size, can not believe the cruelty of a father who would not let his daughter have reconstructive surgery. But as tough as she is, Sarah Byrnes has a terrible secret she hides until forced to tell. The story of a friendship between two outcasts who may never be "beautiful", but find there are people they can trust, including themselves.

Stotan! $4.99 Paperback reissue (April 1, 1988) Dell Publishing Company; ISBN: 0440200806 4 members of the swim team spend the most grueling week of their lives doing more than a full day's workout in the pool. The experience brings out all of their secrets, makes them stronger in body (except for Jeffrey who learns he has an incurable disease) and spirit, and cements their friendship for a lifetime. Lionel, appears as a grown man in another of Chris Crutcher's books, Ironman.

Chris Crutcher has also written one adult novel, which might interest fans of his young adult works.

The Deep End Paperback (January 1994) Zebra Books; ISBN: 0821744259

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