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The #1 New York Times bestselling tale of addiction now features a refreshed look and trade paperback trim size.
Life was good
before I
met
the monster.
After,
life
was great,
At
least
for a little while.
Kristina Snow is the perfect daughter: gifted high school junior, quiet, never any trouble.
Then, Kristina meets the monster: crank. And what begins as a wild, ecstatic ride turns into a struggle through hell for her mind, her soul—her life.
Ellen Hopkins has been writing poetry for many years. Her first novel, Crank, also written in verse, met with critical acclaim. She lives with her husband and son in Carson City, Nevada.
Flirtin' with the Monster
Life was good
before I
met
the monster.
After,
life
was great.
At
least
for a little while.
Text copyright © 2004 by Ellen Hopkins
Introduction
So you want to know all
about me. Who
I am.
What chance meeting of
brush and canvas painted
the face
you see? What made
me despise the girl
in the mirror
enough to transform her,
turn her into a stranger,
only not.
So you want to hear
the whole story. Why
I swerved
off the high road,
hard left to nowhere,
recklessly
indifferent to those
coughing my dust,
picked up speed
no limits, no top end,
just a high velocity rush
to madness.
Text copyright © 2004 by Ellen Hopkins
Alone
everything changes.
Some might call it distorted reality,
but it's exactly the place I need to be:
no mom,
Marie, ever more distant,
in her midlife quest for fame
no stepfather,
Scott, stern and heavy-handed
with unattainable expectations
no big sister,
Leigh, caught up in a tempest
of uncertain sexuality
no little brother,
Jake, spoiled and shameless
in his thievery of my niche.
Alone,
there is only the person inside.
I've grown to like her better
than the stuck-up husk of me. She's
not quite silent,
shouts obscenities just because
they roll so well off the tongue
not quite straight-A,
but talented in oh-so-many
enviable ways
not quite sanitary,
farts with gusto, picks
her nose, spits like a guy
not quite sane,
sometimes, to tell you the truth,
even I wonder about her.
Alone,
there is no perfect daughter,
no gifted high-school junior,
no Kristina Georgia Snow.
There is only Bree.
Text copyright © 2004 by Ellen Hopkins
On Bree
I suppose
she's always been
there, vague as a soft
copper pulse of moonlight
through blossoming seacoast
fog.
I wonder
when I first noticed
her, slipping in and out
of my pores, hide-and-seek
spider in fieldstone, red-bellied
phantom.
I summon
Bree when dreams
no longer satisfy, when
gentle clouds of monotony
smother thunder, when Kristina
cries.
I remember
the night I first
let her go, opened the
smeared glass, one thin pane,
cellophane between rules and sin,
freed.
Text copyright © 2004 by Ellen Hopkins
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 affectthe 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
1230 Avenue of the Americas
New York, NY 10020
www.SimonSaysKids.com
This reading group guide has been provided by Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing for classroom, library, and reading group use. It may be reproduced in its entirety or excerpted for these purposes.
Ellen Hopkins has been writing poetry for years. Her first novel, Crank, released in 2004 and quickly became a word-of-mouth sensation, garnering praise from teens and critics alike. Ellen's other bestselling novels include Burned, Impulse, Glass, Identical, Tricks, and the upcoming Fallout, a companion to Crank and Glass. She lives with her family in Carson City, Nevada. Be sure to check out Ellen Hopkins online at ellenhopkins.com and myspace.com/ellenhopkins.
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? Howdoes 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
1230 Avenue of the Americas
New York, NY 10020
www.SimonSaysKids.com
This reading group guide has been provided by Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing for classroom, library, and reading group use. It may be reproduced in its entirety or excerpted for these purposes.
Overview
The #1 New York Times bestselling tale of addiction now ...