Cricket and the Crackerbox Kid - Softcover

Ferguson, Alane

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0380713411 ISBN 13: 9780380713417

Publisher: Avon Books, 1992

Synopsis

When Cricket, a girl from the right side of the tracks, befriends Dominic, a boy from the wrong side of the tracks, she realizes that she and Dominic really have a lot in common. Reprint.

About this title

From School Library Journal:

Grade 4-6-- A compelling story that examines some of the hard, "fuzzy gray" issues that confront young people. Cricket, the lonely only child of yuppie parents, clings reluctantly to the fringes of a clique, knowing that it is social suicide to be friends with children from the less affluent neighborhood. However, when the new boy in her class, Dominic, a "crackerbox kid," is assigned to be her partner for a school project, the two become friends in spite of their classmates' taunts, and discover that family income is not a measure of love and happiness. Cricket has one real friend beside Dominic, a new dog whom she had rescued from the animal shelter. Cricket and Dominic's friendship quickly turns to enmity when Dominic discovers that Treasure is his lost dog, Coty, and Cricket refuses to give her up. The school principal arranges to settle the argument by a trial; the owner of Treasure/Coty will be decided by a jury of fifth graders from another class. A verdict is reached, but the winner must then decide which is more important--being legally or ethically right. The characters are well drawn, and the dialogue is completely realistic. The treatment of the subjects is artfully kept within the limits of understanding of the age group for which the book was written. Unfortunately, the dust jacket is bland and nondescript. For this reason, the book will need to be book talked or read aloud. A skillfully created story free of heavy-handed moralizing that will entertain and give readers something to think about. --Nancy P. Reeder, Heathwood Hall Episcopal School, Columbia, SC
Copyright 1990 Reed Business Information, Inc.

About this edition

• Publisher: Avon Books
• Publication date: 1992
• ISBN 10: 0380713411
• ISBN 13: 9780380713417
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 192