A powerful story about finding your inner strength, speaking up, and being heard, Crenshaw by Katherine Applegate is a soaring triumph of middle grade literature.
In her first novel since winning the Newbery Medal, Katherine Applegate delivers an unforgettable and magical story about family, friendship, and resilience.
Jackson and his family have fallen on hard times. There’s no more money for rent. And not much for food, either. His parents, his little sister, and their dog may have to live in their minivan. Again.
Crenshaw is a cat. He’s large, he’s outspoken, and he’s imaginary. He has come back into Jackson’s life to help him. But is an imaginary friend enough to save this family from losing everything?
Beloved author Katherine Applegate proves in unexpected ways that friends matter, whether real or imaginary.
Crenshaw is at once heartbreaking and heartwarming. Applegate beautifully addresses serious and heavy subjects in a way that is easily approachable for young readers, and makes older readers take pause and rethink how they might address such topics with the children in their own lives.
Beautifully written and richly imagined, Crenshaw chronicles Jackson’s struggle with his family’s troubles, and figuring out how he can address his concerns to both his friends and to his own family. Through the power of imagination, Applegate shows Jackson — and her readers — how to channel their own inner strength and face their fears.
Crenshaw is in stores September 22nd.
Thanks to the kind folks at Macmillan, we’re giving away a copy of Crenshaw to one lucky winner!
To enter, tell us in the comments below about an imaginary friend YOU had as a child. Then fill out the Rafflecopter here to complete your entry & earn more chances to win.
The contest runs through midnight (PT) on Thursday, September 17th.
Novel Novice 
Whenever I felt sad or lonely and had no one to talk to, I had an imaginary friend I named, Nina, and the name is close to my own name now that I think of it, it’s also the same name I used when my and my sister played role playing games when we were young like acting as doctors/nurses, etc. and now I still remember how I’d talk to her and how I shared her about how I was sad, my problems, when my parents are fighting, and all that.
I didn’t have any imaginary friends as a child, at least not that I recall. Lots of fantasies but no other characters. Thanks
I didn’t have any imaginary friends as a kid, none that I remember anyway.