Chris Crutcher facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Chris Crutcher
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| Born | July 17, 1946 Dayton, Ohio, U.S. |
| Occupation | Writer |
| Education | Eastern Washington State College (BA) |
| Period | 1983–present |
| Genre | Young Adult novels, short stories |
| Notable awards | Margaret A. Edwards Award 2000 |
Chris Crutcher (born July 17, 1946) is an American novelist and a family therapist. He is well-known for writing books for teenagers. In 2000, he won the Margaret A. Edwards Award from the American Library Association. This award honors writers who have made a big and lasting impact on young adult literature.
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About Chris Crutcher
Chris Crutcher was born on July 17, 1946, in Dayton, Ohio. His father was a pilot during World War II. When Chris was just a few weeks old, his family moved to Cascade, Idaho. This is where his father started an oil and gas business, and where Chris grew up.
After high school, Chris went to Eastern Washington State College, which is now Eastern Washington University. He was a competitive swimmer there. He earned degrees in psychology and sociology. Later, he also got a teaching certificate.
Chris taught at different schools in California and Washington. After writing his first book, he also started working as a child and family therapist in Spokane. He helped kids and families with their problems.
Chris Crutcher's Books
Chris Crutcher's first novel was Running Loose, published in 1983. It's about a high school senior whose life takes unexpected turns. Many of his books are about teenage athletes who are dealing with personal challenges. His main characters are often male, teenage athletes, and sometimes swimmers. You might also notice a wise Asian-American teacher or coach, and a caring journalism teacher in his stories.
Chris Crutcher's writing is sometimes discussed because it talks about serious topics. Some people have tried to remove his books from libraries and classrooms. For example, Athletic Shorts: Six Short Stories and Running Loose were on a list of books that were often challenged in the 1990s.
His books often show teens dealing with tough situations. These can include family problems, unfair treatment because of race or religion, disabilities, and poverty. Some people feel these topics are too grown-up for younger readers. Other reasons mentioned for challenging his books include strong language. Even with these discussions, Chris Crutcher's books have won many awards.
Chris Crutcher has also written an autobiography called King of the Mild Frontier (2003). An autobiography is a book about the author's own life. He also wrote a novel for adults called The Deep End (1991). He has two collections of short stories: Athletic Shorts: Six Short Stories (1991) and Angry Management (2009). Some of these short stories feature characters from his other novels. One story from Athletic Shorts, "A Brief Moment in the Life of Angus Bethune", was even made into a movie called Angus.
The Margaret Edwards Award he won is very special. It celebrates a writer's work that has made a "significant and lasting contribution to young adult literature." It also recognizes books that help teenagers understand themselves and their place in relationships, society, and the world. Chris Crutcher won this award in 2000 for six of his books published between 1983 and 1993. These books were Running Loose, Stotan!, The Crazy Horse Electric Game, Chinese Handcuffs, Athletic Shorts, and Staying Fat for Sarah Byrnes.
Awards and Recognition
Chris Crutcher has received many awards for his writing and for standing up for intellectual freedom. Intellectual freedom means that people should be able to read and think about different ideas without someone trying to stop them.
Here are some of his awards:
- 1993 – The ALAN Award for his important contribution to adolescent literature.
- 1998 – The NCTE/SLATE Intellectual Freedom Award for helping advance intellectual freedom.
- 2000 – The ALA Edwards Award.
- 2004 – The Writer magazine Writers Who Make a Difference Award.
- 2005 – Catholic Library Association St. Katherine Drexel Award.
- 2005 – Intellectual Freedom Award from the National Coalition Against Censorship.
The American Library Association (ALA) has also named eight of his books to their annual list of "Best Books for Young Adults."
Selected Books and Stories
Books by Chris Crutcher
- Running Loose (1983)
- Stotan! (1986)
- The Crazy Horse Electric Game (1990)
- Chinese Handcuffs (1989)
- Athletic Shorts: Six Short Stories (1991)
- The Deep End (1992)
- Staying Fat for Sarah Byrnes (1993)
- Ironman (1995)
- Whale Talk (2001)
- King of the Mild Frontier: An Ill-Advised Autobiography (2003)
- The Sledding Hill (2005)
- Deadline (2007)
- Angry Management (2009)
- Period 8 (2013)
- Losers Bracket (2018)
Short Stories by Chris Crutcher
- "A Brief Moment in the Life of Angus Bethune" – This story first appeared in a collection called Connections in 1989. It was also in Crutcher's own collection, Athletic Shorts: Six Short Stories. This story was made into the film Angus in 1995.
- "Superboy" – Published in Ultimate Sports: Short Stories by Outstanding Writers for Young Adults in 1995.
- "Popeye the Sailor" – Appeared in Dirty Laundry: Stories About Family Secrets in 1998.
- "Fourth and Too Long" – Found in Time Capsule: Short Stories About Teenagers Throughout the Twentieth Century in 1999.
- "Guns for Geeks" – Included in On the Fringe in 2001.
- "'O' Foods" – Published in Guys Write for Guys Read in 2005. This story is about his own life.
