A Simon Pulse Guide for Reading Groups
Crank
About the Book
Maybe it wouldn''t have happened if she had just stayed in Reno
for the summer. Or if her father had turned out to be the man she
had wanted him to be instead of the disappointment that she found.
Or maybe if Adam hadn''t been so beautiful and broken and in need
of her love. Maybe then Kristina wouldn''t have snorted her first
line of crank and maybe then her life wouldn''t be spiraling out of
control. But maybe doesn''t count in the real world, and it
certainly won''t save Kristina from the monster.
Discussion Questions
How would you describe Bree? Is this the same way
that Kristina would describe her? Where did Bree come from?
For Kristina, what is the lure of crystal meth? What does it
provide for her? What does it take away?
Describe Kristina''s mother, father, and stepfather. Are they
in any way responsible for her addiction? Do you think that
there''s anything else they could have -- or should have -- done to
help her?
Why is Kristina drawn to Adam? To Chase? To Brendan? In what
ways are these three similar and in what ways are they different?
How does Kristina''s relationship with each one affect her? Which
boy is most harmful to her?
Why does Kristina decide to keep her baby? What reasons might
she have had for giving it up? Do you think she made the right
decision?
Why does Kristina always call crank "the monster"? How do you
think her renaming of the drug affects her attitude toward it and
her sense of responsibility regarding it? Are there other things or
people in the story that get renamed? How does this affect the way
in which they are regarded?
Kristina sometimes refers to herself and her life before drugs
as boring and worthless, yet at other times she seems to regard it
as something very precious. What attitude do you think is closest
to her true feelings? Do you think those around her would agree
with her assessment?
The author chose to write this story in verse. Why do you
think that she chose this format? What effect does this have on how
you feel about the characters and events?
What is the overall message of this book? Do you think the
story will act as a deterrent for teens who are considering
drugs?
Activities
As we can see in Crank, poetry allows us to
express ourselves in new and creative ways. Write a poem or series
of poems about something that has happened in your life.
Choose a drug -- crystal meth or some other drug that you''ve
heard of -- and research its effects on the user. Find out exactly
what it does in the body, how long the side effects last, how much
it typically costs, and any other pertinent facts.
Kristina has an alter ego who allows her to be more careless
and daring. What would your alter ego be like? Choose a name, list
all the character traits s/he would have, and list the things that
s/he could help you do. Imagine what your life would be like if you
acted more like your alter ego.
Kristina''s baby, like many children of addicts, cries a lot
and needs to be held more than other babies. Find out if your local
hospital will allow you to volunteer to hold babies born addicted.
If your community has no such programs, perhaps you could consider
volunteering at a local drug clinic or an anti-drug program at your
school.
Write a short story about what you think will happen to
Kristina and her baby after the events depicted in the book.
There are several other books about teenage drug addiction,
including Go Ask Alice and Smack. Read one of
these other books and compare it to Crank.
About the Author
Ellen Hopkins is a poet, author, and freelance writer. She has
published more than 300 articles in local, regional, and national
publications and has written 20 nonfiction books for children.
Crank is her first published work of fiction. Ellen lives
near Carson City, Nevada, where she enjoys hiking, biking, skiing,
and raising German Shepherds. She is currently at work on her
second verse novel for Simon & Schuster.
Crank
By Ellen Hopkins
0-689-86519-8
Simon Pulse
Available wherever books are sold.
Simon & Schuster Children''s Publishing
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