Chris Crutcher
Chris Crutcher
Chris Crutcheris an American novelist and a family therapist. He received the Margaret Edwards Award from the American Library Association in 2000 for his lifetime contribution in writing for teens...
NationalityAmerican
ProfessionNovelist
Date of Birth17 July 1946
CountryUnited States of America
brilliant chosen decided far innovative rural town
In 2004, one of my books, 'Whale Talk,' was chosen as an all-school read in Fowlerville, Michigan, a rural town not far from Detroit. They had done what I thought was a brilliant and innovative thing: decided to teach the book in every discipline, sophomores through seniors.
amazing discussing juniors kids michigan reading seniors
(The Michigan district) used it as an all-school reader, ... Sophomores, juniors and seniors were reading it and discussing it and discussing it in different disciplines, and I was getting some amazing e-mails back from kids and teachers.
address allowing bullies dent include predators simply ways
If we're going to make a real dent in the bullying issue, we're going to have to address the bullies themselves: find ways to help empower them that don't include allowing them to be predators or to simply be punished.
lives thrown truth
The truth that comes out from those people's lives is skimmed off and thrown into my characters' lives,
deal
I don't see what the big deal is,
color daddy eat love toys until
She thought if she could get the color off, her daddy would love her, ... She didn't get to eat with the other kids. She couldn't play with the toys until they were broken.
cared complaints designed emotional intent lied lies malicious people prevent spiteful
If I have any complaints about my youth... one is that many well-meaning adults lied to me. Not spiteful lies with malicious intent but lies designed to prevent emotional and psychological pain - lies told by the people who cared about me most: my parents, teachers, relatives.
age almost clear economy influenced kurt learn writer
Any writer my age almost can't get away from being influenced by Kurt Vonnegut, partially because of his simple, clear way of stating things. To read Vonnegut is to learn how to use economy words.
awful biggest book gets happens language life meant problem scene
It's the scene in the book that probably gets the most attention, ... The biggest problem is that she is yelling, and in the book it's in big font. This is what happens all the time: They read the language and don't read the context. It's meant to let you know how awful her life is.
basically damage goes history hope kid learned math science start taking teaching time
By the time a kid goes to college, if he's taking math or science, at least he knows, or you hope he knows, some basics. But if you're teaching history in college, you have a lot of damage to undo. You basically have to start over because so much of what a kid has already learned is just wrong.
god heard last voice
I heard the voice of God saying, 'You have read your last book,'
bad good helps itself points
I want to look at this character from all points of view. I know I don't want to make them all good or all bad or all anything... the story itself often helps create the character.
appear backs fear kids stories turn
The kids you turn your backs on when you take away their stories are the ones who lose, as well as you as a community of adults who may appear to fear their truths.
left rules since
Since I didn't read a lot, it left me without rules when I was writing.