Crenshaw Hardcover – September 22, 2015

Katherine Applegate has created yet another heartwarming character in Crenshaw; who joins the ranks of Ivan, Bob and others.This is a breathtaking, memorable & completely magical story about a young boy (named Jackson) and the tough situation his family is in currently.In the beginning of the story, we find Jackson, who is about to enter the fifth grade in the fall, at the beach on a beautiful summer’s day. While at the beach, Jackson spies something quite unusual – a giant surf boarding cat. It seemed like no one else on the beach surrounding Jackson could see this magical cat.The more Jackson thought about it, the more he realized that this particular cat looked awfully familiar. Jackson had good reason to recognize this cat, because it was none other than his own long forgotten imaginary friend: Crenshaw.Crenshaw is a large, often outspoken cat; who has a penguin style black & white coat. Crenshaw first appeared in Jackson’s life, during the summer after first grade – right when Jackson really needed a good friend.This time around, Jackson has a hard time dealing with Crenshaw, because now that he is older Jackson believes solely in facts & wants to grow up to be a scientist.It seems that Crenshaw has appeared (once again) in Jackson’s life, because Jackson needs help – the kind of help that can only come from a magical cat & just maybe might save his family along the way.Pretty soon, the reader finds themselves on a journey with Jackson & Crenshaw. You see, Jackson’s family has fallen on hard times again. There’s no money to pay the rent (the family has to sell practically everything they own). There isn’t that much food either & the biggest fear hanging over Jackson’s head is that he & his family might have to live in their minivan again – which won’t be much fun with his parents, a little sister, and a dog all living inside the same small space.Jackson doesn’t want to live inside the minivan again, because he doesn’t want his life to change. Jackson has a thriving dog walking business (See Spot Walk) with his best friend Marisol that he would hate to lose.The ending of this story is simply terrific, because Jackson’s Dad (who suffers from multiple sclerosis) manages to get a part time job as an assistant manager at a music store & there is even a garage apartment that the family could live in for a month.By the end of the story the reader will realize that friends really do matter even if they are only imaginary; because imaginary friends never really go away – they are always within reach whenever their kid might need them.This is a great story that kids can relate too – kids who might have been through some of the same stuff as Jackson. Kids will fall completely in love with Crenshaw and his antics throughout the story (ever hear of a cat that likes to take bubble baths).As for myself, I am hoping that someday the author will write a sequel, so that the world can find out what happens to Jackson, his family and his imaginary cat friend: Crenshaw.So if you want to read an amazingly beautiful story about family, friendships and some hard times, grab a copy of this book right away. You won’t be disappointed in it.

"Crenshaw" by Katherine ApplegateThis heart-warming, touching, and kind story made me sob, laugh a bit, and think about things that truly matter in life.The Plot: We follow ten-year-old Jackson as his family goes through challenging times. The boy, described as having "an old soul" (according to his teacher), tries to cope with troubles and help his parents as much as possible. This mission is not as easy as it may seem at first sight. Luckily, little Jackson has an imaginary friend who is wise, funny, and ready to do his best to help.The Writing Style: It was easy and enjoyable reading. There were light humor and illuminative moments that made my son and me talk about the morals afterward. As the main character is a curious little boy dreaming of becoming a scientist, there are a lot of interesting facts about animals and many other things. In general, this book was perfect for our bedtime stories time and left a trace in our bookish hearts.The Characters: The number of characters is minimal. I felt like living with them, going through all the troubles, and experiencing their pain and suffering because the author described all their features, traits, and souls in an ideal way. The emotional knots between me and the characters were tied firmly from the first pages.The Fave Quote: "Maybe you can't judge a place its swans.”Would I read other books by this author: Sure!My humble rating is: 5/5

I’m this book had me in my feelings, I read horror books and plot twist mysteries but this book had me in all my adult feelings.

My son read this for school and I appreciated the themes- it talks about home and food insecurities and how a boy navigates those issues with the help of an imaginary friend.