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14 of 15 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars Running Loose
The book Running Loose by Chris Crutcher is the story of Louie Banks' senior year in high school. I think that this book was very well-written. The story dealt with many of today's issues, such as racism and standing up for what you believe in.
Louie Banks lives in a small town where everyone knows each other. The story begins with Louie being on the football...
Published on June 9, 2002

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0 of 2 people found the following review helpful:
1.0 out of 5 stars I didn't really care about this book!
This book was horrible! I hated Running Loose so much. It had no plot at all. It jumped around so much you can't even tell what is going. It is full of bullies, football, and there is one death. I won't tell you who but the book revolves around her. I would defiantly never recommend this book to anybody. If you want to waste your time read this book.
Published on December 14, 2007


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14 of 15 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars Running Loose, June 9, 2002
By A Customer
This review is from: Running Loose (Paperback)
The book Running Loose by Chris Crutcher is the story of Louie Banks' senior year in high school. I think that this book was very well-written. The story dealt with many of today's issues, such as racism and standing up for what you believe in.
Louie Banks lives in a small town where everyone knows each other. The story begins with Louie being on the football team, having great parents, and a perfect girlfriend. However, his near perfect live begin to unravel when he stands up for an African-American football player from another school who was purposely injured by one of Louie's teammates. Louie is thrown off the team by his coach and the school principal. This sets off a year-long feud between Louie, the coach, and principal.
The year progresses, with everything going not so good for Louie. The school principal is constantly trying to get Louie suspended, because he still holds a grudge from the football season. The saddest part of the book is when Louie's girlfriend, Becky dies unexpectedly. Louie does some surprising acts after Becky is killed, such as chopping down the oldest tree in the town's forest, yelling at her funeral, and throwing her memorial plaque into the river where she was killed. He did most of these acts out of anger because of her death or because of the way people were acting. He yelled at her funeral about the minister who said the mass, because he was saying things that were not important about Becky's life. In the spring, Louie joins the track team and does well most of the time. Being on the track team helps him relieve some of his anger and sadness that he had from the loss of Becky.
I think that the main thing that Louie learns from his last year of high school is that being the best at football or having the whole town love you because you "put on a show" are not the most important things in life. In the end, being kind to the people that you love and standing up for what is right and what you believe in is what makes you a good person. I think that Running Loose is a book that all high school students should read, because it gives a message that we all should learn.
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9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars James, February 11, 2002
By 
James Aulner (Auburn, AL USA) - See all my reviews
This review is from: Running Loose (Paperback)
Louie seems to have the world at his finger tips when his life suddenly changes. His fall from the varsity football team is as sudden as the death of his girlfriend. Dealing with life's difficulties with honor even when others over him don't is a major lesson of this book. Strong supporting characters help Louie deal with the "bad" situations life brings for no apparent reason. His parents are seen as strong characters. I recommend this book for students in grades 9-12. It teaches some strong lessons about standing up for what is right without being preachy.....
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8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars Great book by Chris Crutcher, December 16, 2005
This review is from: Running Loose (Hardcover)
This book Running Loose by Chris Crutcher was a very good book. It took a short while to get into it but once you did it was hard to put down. In the book, a kid named Louie Banks has everything going his way so far in his life. Chris does a great job of bringing Louie to life in this book. Louie is a senior attending Trout High School in Trout, Idaho. He has a beautiful girlfriend that no one expected him to have; even himself, and a great spot on the eight-man football team. During one of the games, Louie explodes because one of his teammates, Boomer Cowans, purposely hits a kid and puts him out of the game. He has to put up with Boomer, the big bully of the school, constantly after that. Louie gets into a big fight with the coach and gets kicked off of the team. Carter Sampson, the quarterback of the team and Louie's best friend, helps him through his problems. Things start to go downhill from there. Louie has other big problems to face but you will have to find out for yourself what they are. I really liked the fact that this was a very realistic book and could happen to anybody in high school. Louie goes through problems that anybody could face in the real world today. I really enjoyed this book.
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7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars A VOICE OF COMFORT, August 19, 2000
This review is from: Running Loose (Paperback)
Poor Louie has a lot to contend with, including being the victim of a false accusation. Not to fear, folks -- Louie rises above his obstacles in a totally plausible, realistic and very sympathetic fashion.

Chris Crutcher followers will not be disappointed. The author tackles with sensitive, adult themed issues head on in a very intelligent and forthright fashion. He compliments the intelligence of his readers and he does not soften his tone for anyone, to his credit. Chris Crutcher is a truly outstanding, high caliber, first rate author. I wish I could rate this one more stars.

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4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars This is great book that has love,hatred,and courage., November 3, 1998
By A Customer
This review is from: Running Loose (Hardcover)
This is a great book because it refers to what could happen to a ordinary high school student. It deals with real life of a high school student who is just trying to do things that he feels is right. Most teens can look at this book and understand what is happening to him and they can also feel what he is feeling by the way the author Chris Crutcher expresses the way Louie feels. Louie goes through many different feelings and Chris Crutcher describes each of these feelings with great word use. Running Loose is one of the best books I have ever read.
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3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars Saved by the Mile, March 14, 2003
This review is from: Running Loose (Hardcover)
In the book "Running Loose", a high school boy made a stupid decision that could have messed up the rest of his senior year. Fortunately, he found a sport that helped him to clear his mind. This sport turned out to be the best thing for him.
Overall, I thought this book was pretty good. The only thing that concerned me was that the author, Chris Crutcher, didn't quite make it clear who all of the characters were. This book might be just a little mature for sixth and seventh graders. This isn't such a great book for elementary students. I also thought this book had some really funny parts in it. Out of five stars, I would rate this book a 4.
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2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars Running Loose, December 19, 2001
By 
Cory (Crosbyton, Tx) - See all my reviews
This review is from: Running Loose (Paperback)
Running Loose is a well written young adult novel about a boy who starts the year off great but then tragedy strikes. The author, Chris Crutcher, related the characters in this book towards the teenage person. This book is aimed toward a more mature audience, children under the age of thirteen should not read this book unless really mature. There are a lot of curse words in this book. This book has become the favorite of many of my classmates. The main character, Louie, appealed to me as a reader because he acted the same as the people in our high school. Louie comes into the year wanting to be a super star, but when an illegal hit is called on a black quarterback from another school. Louie objects the call and goes against all the odds during this book. Crutcher has good supporting characters in this book. Becky, Boomer, and Carter all are there for Louie in his tough times in his senior year in high school. Coach Lednecky and principal Jasper are very racist and do not like change or controversy of any kind. When the controversy about the cheap shot on the other quarterback comes up, those two run and hide like little cowards.
Overall this book was well written, it has alot of mature teen language and is appealing to boys more than girls because of the athleticism and dirty language.
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2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars Expect the unexpected, May 14, 1999
By A Customer
This review is from: Running Loose (Paperback)
The story starts out like any other. Louie's life his going great until things take a devastating turn. He gets kicked off the football team because he stood up to a prejudice call by his coach. He gets kicked out of school because he won't tell his coach hes sorry. No one believes him because his coach is a good lier. His relationship takes a deadly turn. If you want to know the happens I suggest you read the book.
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1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars A Really Good Book!, December 5, 1999
By 
Lea C. (Andover, MA United States) - See all my reviews
This review is from: Running Loose (Paperback)
This book was the best of the Chris Crutcher collection. It was a moving story of a high school boy who gets kicked off of the football team. After that everything went downhill, but to him nothing went wrong as long as he has his girlfriends love. When tradgety stikes you see the effects on Louie. Read it and find out more!
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1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars This book is very interesting, it has a lot of drama, April 20, 1999
By A Customer
This review is from: Running Loose (Paperback)
This book is very interesting! It tells a lot of things that could happen to a high school student every day. It also has a good plot. Louie is a senior in high school. He plays in sports and he has a lot of friends. He also has a girlfriend whom he loves. Then a lot of things start to go wrong and Louie gets kicked off the football team. After that his family, bestfriend, and his girlfriend give him a lot of support. Louie says, " he can face anything as long as he has Becky's love". Towards the end something tragic happens to his girlfriend. Everybody in the town thinks that he is acting weird. He has a lot of anger and he needs to let it out. I think that you should read this book; it is great book!
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Running Loose
Running Loose by Chris Crutcher (Paperback - February 1, 1986)
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