Crash (Bite Series) [Paperback]

Andrew Fusek Peters (Author), Polly Peters (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: August 1, 2004 | Series: Bite Series

Nat and Kate start going out, break up, make up, and feel their love growing deeper. But in one moment everything changes, and all the hopes and promises of the future are shattered. Deeply absorbing, this powerful story is told in different voices and entirely in poems. Lyrical, funny, heart-wrenching and gripping, the variety of poetic forms magically captures the panoply of emotions associated with falling in love for the first time and suffering a bereavement.

Editorial Reviews

Review

A remarkably accessible verse novel ,,, The pages throng with a variety of verse forms, voices and emotions. The tone changes from tender and funny to morally thoughtful and very sad, yet there is also hope and recovery. -- The Bookseller 20040618 The Peters have produced a moving collection of poems dealing with the issue of road accidents... The form and the changing perspectives pull you rapidly into this 'novel'. CRASH is a good, deceptively quick and easy read, that winds you emotionally into the lives of these three teenagers and the drama that is unfolding. -- Books for Keeps 20041101 The voices ... are very recognisably those of a certain kind of raw-edged teenage experience ... There is no denying [the verses'] strong emotional force; from a set of fairly conventional circumstances the authors succeed in creating a story which many teenagers should find genuinely relevant. -- The Irish Times 20041218 A totally innovative new form of teen novel ... This heart-wrenching tale of road abuse is brought vividly alive through the poems. It is a rich thought provoking read. -- Northern Echo 20050501 The authors have imagined a story ... with force, tenderness, eloquence and economy ... The story not only captures tragedy, but also the agony of not knowing how to be, the helpless and ecstatic obsession of new love, and healing power of friendship. It is original to its core in both telling and the tale - it should be read and discussed in classrooms and student common rooms up and down the land. -- The Times Educational Supplement 20041126 What makes this book distinctive is that the whole story of first love and loss is told in verse with a variety of narrative voices and poetic styles. The pace is fast, the emotions raw and the narrative voices ring true ... The pace and tone of the novel serve to grab the attention of the reader. The use of text messages, song lyrics and dialogue make the poems accessible to the intended audience of older teenagers. -- School Librarian 20041101 A novel in verse is novel, and in this instance it is successful. ... 'The Heart's Haiku' ... is a triumph of brevity and compressed feeling that pierces the reader's armoury. ... This book is bound to be a success with young teens who might normally resist the charms of poetry. -- Inis 20041101 A dramatic narrative in verse novel form ... with brilliantly varied perspectives. -- The School Librarian 20050501 Powerful and arresting medium of blank verse. Immediate and involving ... sympathetically and realistically drawn teenagers... the chilling climax is as visual on the page as it is emotional ... gritty and emotionally-impacting stuff and rightly so. The sparse telling and varied poetic forms superbly emphasise the bleakness of the issue, leaving more than enough room for the imagination of the reader to fill in the feelings of the strongly sketched characters. -- Riveting Reads 12-16 20050501 Creates a brilliant sense of atmosphere especially towards the end ... Covers great issues too, like death and realtionships. It is a powerful drama about the best and worst moments in life. - Elizabeth Vjestica Absolutely fantastic. A whirlwind of poetry, love and death. An extremely deep and strong book. A short and sweet book. I hope there are many more like CRASH in the future. This book will definitely be one of my favourites. - Amelia James It was powerful, sad and sometimes funny. The story worked well through poetic voices. It was interesting to read and hard to put down. - Charlotte Dewdney -- Unknown 20060801

About the Author

Andrew Fusek Peter is an Anglo-Czech poet, storyteller, didgeridoo player, broadcaster, anthologist, author and creative writing tutor with an international reputation. He has worked in thousands of schools, libraries, arts centres and literary festivals, giving lively performances and running workshops for all ages and abilities. With his wife Polly Peters he has written several poetry collections and plays, and is the author of the ED grahic novels illustrated by Stephen Player. Polly Peters is a former English and Drama teacher who has also worked extensively in youth and community theatre. The couple have two young children and live in a converted chapel in a Shropshire village.

Product Details

• Paperback: 112 pages
• Publisher: Hodder & Stoughton (August 1, 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 034088469X
• ISBN-13: 978-0340884690
• Product Dimensions: 7.6 x 5 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 5.6 ounces
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,841,246 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Andrew Fusek Peters, also writing as Andrew Peters has written and edited over 75 books - picture books, storybooks, graphic novels, plays, poetry, anthologies and fiction. He writes many of his books with his wife Polly. His novel Ravenwood was taken on by the editor who signed J.K.Rowling, the author of the Harry Potter series. It is published in the US with Scholastic in both hardback and Kindle edition, with BBC audiobook also available on Amazon. Ravenwood is out in the UK with Chickenhouse and rights have sold to 16 countries, with editions already out in Spain, France and Poland. Andrew has been touring his Ravenwood show worldwide, featuring an amazing costume designed by the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art, didgeridoo, juggling and stand-up comedy. Recent appearances include Hay Festival in the UK and he is appearing at Cheltenham Literary Festival and YLG this autumn as well as touring schools. With Scholastic USA, he is coming to the US in November to appear at the NCTE {National Council of Teachers of English} conference in Chicago and tour the midwest, followed by a tour in Germany to promote the German edition.
Info on the book and tour www.ravenwoodbook.com
Ravenwood facebook page http://www.facebook.com/RavenwoodNovel
Andrew and Polly's website is www.twopeters.com
In the US, Andrew is already well-known for his award winning collaboration with Jane Yolen, Here's a Little Poem, which won an ALA Notable Award and The Claudia Lewis Poetry Award. 'A wonderful first book to read with babies and toddlers over and over again' Booklist starred review

'Thank you so much for the brilliantly entertaining Ravenwood performances you gave at Bolton Library. As booksellers we host a lot of children's author events but agreed that yours was the best we've ever seen. Stella Morris and Debe Conway, Sweetens Bookshop'

'Andrew Peters made a dramatic impact on us all when he visited. He played didgeridoo and mesmerised us with his engaging retelling of episodes within Ravenwood. He was utterly captivating and copies in the library have been flying off the shelves.' Roseanne Pugh, Headteacher, Onny CE Primary School

'This fantasy adventure has a wonderfully original setting - a mile-high treetop society in the last forest of the future. But it's a world under threat from evil outside influences who want Ravenwood's natural resources. It's humorously told at a cracking pace, exploring deeper themes of ecology, conservation and power.' The Bookseller.

'This is a powerful fantasy adventure fuelled by an eerie magic written by a dramatic storyteller. Magic, mystery and adventure are tightly fused in this thrilling and original drama. It's lyrical and thought-provoking, whilst being hugely enjoyable.'
Julia Eccleshare, Lovereading4kids

'An action-packed adventure story set in the branches of giant trees; a meticulously imagined civilisation with its own religion and myths; political treachery and intrigue; heroism, and battles to the death: all are features of Andrew Peters' new novel Ravenwood. No wonder then that it is being described as an epic.' Books For Keeps

His new poetry collection Leaves Are Like Traffic Lights, is now out with Salt Publishing and also available on Amazon. He is an accomplished performer and schools visitor with his entertaining shows for all ages including juggling, didgeridoo, performance poetry and staged interactive readings from his fiction. he is also addicted to squash, wild swimming, good food and terrible puns.