Crash, by Jerry Spinelli [© 1996]
Review Questions
NOTE: Answer all of these questions on separate paper. Use complete sentences
for your answers. Be thorough.
Chapter 1: “My Name”
1. Who is the narrator? List three facts about him.
2. How did he earn his nickname?
3. How does John meet Penn?
4. List three facts about Penn.
5. What other names are important in this chapter? Explain the importance of
each.
Chapter 2:
1. List three bad or mean things that John does in Chapter 2.
2. List two lies he tells Penn. Why do you think he lies to Penn?
3. Who is Abby? List two facts about her.
Chapter 3:
1. A SIMILE is a comparison of two unlike things using “like” or “as.” What
SIMILE does John use to describe the way he treats Penn?
2. Why do you think John is so mean to Penn?
3. What new fact does John learn about Penn in this chapter?
Chapter 4:
1. Why does John say about Penn, “I wanted to hate him”?
2. Why does John challenge Penn to so many different contests?
3. What was so different about their last contest? How does John react to it?
Chapter 5:
1. What two “toys” does Penn show John?
2. Why are they important to Penn?
Chapter 6:
1. List three ways that Penn’s family is unusual to John.
2. At the dinner table, John thinks, “I guess I was getting a little tired of all this
claptrap.” “Claptrap” means “pretentious (showy) but insincere or empty
language.” What is it that annoys John about the dinner conversation?
3. What does Penn’s father mean when he says, “in a lot of ways we’re rich”?
4. How do Penn’s parents react to John?
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5. What does Mr. Webb mean when he says, “I’m beginning to see why they
call you ‘Crash’”?
Chapter 7:
1. How is John’s father different from Penn’s father?
2. Why is it so important to John that his dad take him to the Phillies game?
3. Why do you think John leaves the meatball on the Webbs’ front steps?
Chapter 8:
1. What happened to John’s friendship with Penn?
2. Name three things that John has in common with Mike Deluca.
3. When Mike Deluca watches Penn out the window, Jerry Spinelli describes it
as “like watching a cat watching a squirrel.” Explain this simile.
Chapter 9:
1. Explain what things are important to John, Mike Deluca, and their friends on
the first day of school.
2. Explain John’s impression that Penn “doesn’t know cool from fool.”
3. What “routine” does Mike Deluca use on Penn?
4. Why do John and Mike finally laugh at Penn?
5. What nickname does Mike use for Penn in this chapter?
Chapter 10:
1. List three facts or details about the new girl in the seventh grade.
2. How is football different for a lineman than for a fullback?
3. How does the food fight between John and Mike begin? When does it
change? How does it end?
Chapter 11:
1. Why does the vice-principal call John “a loose cannon”?
2. Why does the vice-principal let John and Mike off the hook (for the food
fight)?
3. Who are Mr. Tagleiber and Mr. Lattner?
4. What is the surprise ending of this chapter?
Chapter 12:
1. Who is Eric Schultz, and why might he pose a problem for John?
2. List three things that John and Mike discuss in this chapter.
3. What new nickname is used for Penn?
Chapter 13:
1. List three ways that Penn resembles John’s sister, Abby.
2. What do you learn about John’s parents in this chapter?
3. What does it mean that Abby “was chewing on more than steak”?
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4. What does “gender” mean? What are “gender issues”? What two gender
issues occur in this chapter?
5. What does John say to his father that makes him angry at himself? Why does
it upset him?
Chapter 14:
1. What sorts of tricks did John and Mike play on Penn when they were in sixth
grade?
2. Why does John think that Penn is a “moron”? Do you agree? Explain why or
why not.
3. What trick do John and Mike play on Penn in this chapter? What role does
each boy play in the prank?
4. How does Penn react? Why do you think he reacts that way?
Chapter 15:
1. Why does John fight with Eric Schultz?
2. How do the coaches react to that fight?
3. What surprising sight does John see as he’s running laps?
Chapter 16:
1. Why do John and Mike make fun of Abby?
2. What brings Abby back into the kitchen, and how does she react to it?
Chapter 17:
1. What is “the sag” that John discusses?
2. What have you learned about John’s relationship with his parents?
3. What does make John’s father friendlier toward him?
4. Who do you think drew the mustache on the painting of John, and why?
Chapter 18:
1. Describe John’s first touchdown.
2. What new nickname is used for Penn in this chapter?
3. What was “one of the eeriest and uncomfortablest feelings” John had ever
had? Why do you think he felt that way?
4. Whom does John spot in the crowd? What might explain his reaction to
them?
5. Why is it so important for John to keep scoring?
6. What does John do that makes Coach Lattner angry at him?
7. What two “surprises” happen at the end of this chapter?
Chapter 19:
1. List three facts or details about John’s grandfather.
2. How does John’s grandfather react to the news about John’s game?
3. Why is John’s mother so happy when she gets home?
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4. Why does John want to leave the room rather than tell his parents about his
game?
5. What news does Abby have when she gets home?
Chapter 20:
1. Describe two “traditions” (or routines) that John and Abby share with
Scooter.
2. What special talent does Scooter have?
3. What does the story about Ollie reveal about Scooter?
4. Why does Abby hesitate to speak at the end of this chapter?
Chapter 21:
1. What news does Abby have to share with them?
2. What guidelines must she meet to carry out her plan?
3. How does she ask Scooter to help her? What answer does he give?
4. How does she ask John to help her? What answer does he give?
5. What two questions does John ask his grandfather at the end of the chapter?
Chapter 22:
1. Now that Scooter has moved in, how does he spend his time?
2. Why is John surprised when Penn shows up to cheer at their football game
against Donner?
3. How is Jane different from the other girls?
4. Whom does John ask to dance? Why does he ask her? Why do you think she
says no?
Chapter 23:
1. How does John change his approach to Jane after he decides that “life is
football”?
2. About what does John brag when he talks to Jane?
3. Describe two moments when John “goes too far” and angers Jane.
4. Describe Jane’s reaction to John: what does she do? what does she say?
Chapter 24:
1. What does Penn have with him when he arrives at the dance?
2. Why does John get so angry at Penn?
3. How does Jane stop the fight?
4. Does John give up? Explain.
Chapter 25:
1. What punishments does John receive for fighting with (or bullying) Penn?
2. For what two reasons is he not so upset about those punishments?
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Chapter 26:
1. Why were Jane and Penn kicked off the cheerleading squad?
2. What did Mr. Webb say on the newscast?
3. What did Abby say?
4. What is Mrs. Coogan’s argument for supporting the mall?
5. What is Abby’s argument against the mall?
6. What lie did Mrs. Coogan tell Abby, and why? How does Abby react?
Chapter 27:
1. In Chapter 25, John talks about “Jane Forbes’s warthog face.” In this
chapter, he calls her “Hogface Forbes.” What does this change in attitude
reveal about John’s character or personality?
2. Who is “the Late Baby,” and why is John surprised he’s at the football game
against Bayboro?
Chapter 28:
1. How does John try to ruin Abby’s Thanksgiving dinner? How does she
respond?
2. What does Uncle Herm call John and Abby? Why is he supposedly
impressed with his nephew and his niece?
3. What is John’s opinion of Bridget?
Chapter 29:
1. In this chapter, Spinelli uses another simile: “Abby boiled like a forgotten
pot on the stove.” Why is Abby so mad?
2. List two details of their tag football game that illustrates the John is not such
a good sport.
3. Why does Mr. Coogan get angry at John? Why does Mrs. Coogan get angry
at him?
Chapter 30:
1. List two reasons John considers for why he tackled his grandfather so hard.
2. Why do you think John refuses to join Scooter and Abby in “the bed boat”?
3. What happens late that night that makes it difficult for John to get to sleep?
Chapter 31:
1. How much time has passed between Chapter 29 & 30 and Chapter 31?
2. Chapter 31 consists of a single sentence. Why is it so short?
Chapter 32:
1. What happened to John’s grandfather? How did John react to the crisis?
2. How does John envision his future Christmases?
3. Why do Penn and his parents come to visit John’s family? How does he
react?
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4. Why does John think he’s killing his grandfather? What does he do about it?
Chapter 33:
1. Explain John’s feeling that he has a “twisted little demon” following him
around.
2. What is the reason behind the yearly fight John and Abby have with their
parents at Christmas?
3. Why does John hide the first present he bought for his grandfather?
Chapter 34:
1. What does John and Mike’s comparison of their Christmas gifts reveal about
their personalities?
2. How strong is John and Mike’s friendship? Explain your answer.
3. Why did Scooter tell John, “It’s not the sneakers that count, it’s the feet”?
4. Why does Penn stop by John’s house? What does John do when he comes to
the door?
5. List two reasons you can see that Penn’s visit has caused some change in
John.
Chapter 35:
1. Why is John not interested in Mike’s “new Webb caper”?
2. Describe three details of Abby’s interaction with Scooter.
3. Describe three ways in which John responds to his grandfather.
4. Why do Abby and John dislike Mrs. Linfont?
5. When John goes out for a walk, he returns to find little piles of sticks
scattered around his back yard. What is the significance of that discovery?
Chapter 36:
1. What nice thing had John tried to do for Abby? Why does she respond so
negatively?
2. Why do John and Mike almost get into a fight?
3. Explain why John begins to question himself: “The Crash Man. Suddenly
the name didn’t seem to fit exactly. I had thought my name and me were the
same thing. Now there was a crack of daylight between them, like my shell
was coming loose.”
Chapter 37:
1. Explain how Abby changes her views after her mother tells her (about
Scooter): “Let’s try to concentrate on what he can do.”
2. Why does John run out to the sidewalk when he hears someone running past
his house? What change is taking place in John’s attitude toward Penn?
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Chapter 38:
1. What is unusual about John’s conversation with his mother?
2. List three gradual changes that are taking place in John’s life.
Chapter 39:
1. Why does John take part in the prank Mike Deluca plays on Penn? In what
way does he not take part?
2. What does the English assignment reveal that John and Penn have in
common?
3. Why has Penn been practicing running every night?
4. Why does Penn gape “like a hooked fish” when John returns his essay to
him?
Chapter 40:
1. This chapter focuses on the subplot of Abby and her attempts to start a
wildlife habitat. List at least two purposes that this chapter serves in the
development of the main characters and plot.
Chapter 41:
1. Do you agree with John that football is like track? Explain your opinion.
2. Why is running track so important to John?
Chapter 42:
1. List two examples that show how John and Mike are starting to grow apart.
2. What do you think John means when he tells Mike to “figure it out”?
3. This chapter and the last ended with updates on Abby’s goal to start a
wildlife habitat. What purposes do those updates serve?
Chapter 43:
1. This is the second chapter of the book made up of a single sentence. Explain
why a single sentence is enough for this chapter.
Chapter 44:
1. List at least three facts or details about the Penn Relays.
2. Explain the track coach’s “tradition” with the Penn Relays.
3. What conflict will the coach’s philosophy cause?
4. How is Scooter’s relationship with John and Abby changing?
Chapter 45:
1. List at least three ways that John’s and Abby’s lives will change now that
their mother has “half quit” her job.
2. Why do you think Penn didn’t say hi to John that day?
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Chapter 46:
1. What is the main point of the daydream John keeps having all day about the
race-off?
2. What does John realize as he watches the hawk fly above the school?
3. Penn had not spoken to John all day—for a second day. What exchange
takes place between Penn and John just before the race-off begins?
4. What is John thinking about when he should be concentrating on his start?
What’s important about that distraction?
5. What does John discover feels “new and good”—perhaps just as good as
winning?
Chapter 47:
1. Give quotes or details that show John’s mixed feelins about losing the raceoff to Penn.
Chapter 48:
1. Why does John have a new job?
2. Why do you think Scooter left his walker behind to climb the steps to see his
picture?
3. Why was that picture so important to John’s mother when she was younger?
Why is it so important to her now?
4. Do you think the Missouri River mud played a part in helping Scooter climb
the stairs? Explain your opinion.
Chapter 49:
1. Explain how the various conflicts are resolved in the last chapter:
a. John and Abby’s relationship with their parents?
b. John’s materialistic attitude?
c. John’s bad impression on Jane Forbes?
d. Abby’s goal to start a wildlife habitat?
e. Scooter’s recovery?
f. John’s dislike of (and bullying of) Penn?