Look at that gorgeous cover. It invited me in with all its charm, its wonder, its mystery. And the book was just as heart-warming.
Jackson likes facts. He’s the kid who runs backstage and then reveals to everyone just how the magician pulled a rabbit out of his hat. He knows facts about bats and cats and dinosaurs and all kinds of other creatures because facts are real. Facts are important.
If only his parents would tell him facts too, instead of trying to be all cheery and optimistic, and pretending that everything is going well.
The other problem with Jackson’s factual, real, rational universe is a giant cat, Crenshaw. Crenshaw was his imaginary friend when he was younger. Surely, he should have outgrown something as un-factual as an imaginary friend! Crenshaw first made an appearance when Jackson’s family had to move out of their house and into a minivan for four weeks, which extended into fourteen weeks. Eventually, though, imaginary Crenshaw disappeared. His job was done.
But now, suddenly, Crenshaw appears again. However hard Jackson searches for a rational explanation, however much he wishes his imaginary friend away, Crenshaw refuses to leave until he has finished doing what he has to do.
Crenshaw is a beautiful story, as beautiful as The One and Only Ivan, which I read last year. At its heart, it has all those wonderful elements of imagination, friendship, love, loneliness and vulnerability. I loved it.
| Title | Crenshaw |
| Author | Katherine Applegate |
| Tags | Chapter book, imagination, friendship |
| Rating (out of 5) | 5 |
| Age-group | 9+ |
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