Crash by Jerry Spinelli is a fast but hard hitting story. Crash Coogan, football fanatic, is more than just a touch down king-he's a bully. His favorite thing to do is pick on the dorky Penn Webb; the little Quaker from North Dakota. He's been at it since the first grade and Penn doesn't stop it from happening. In the seventh grade, Mike Deluca steps it up another notch that could take the bullying too far. Then a tragic accident occurs and an unexpected gift is dropped off on the Coogan's doorstep from the "richest" family in town. Crash and Penn could continue to be enemies or they could realize their differences don't matter.

There's more to this book than just fun and jokes. There are heart tugging lessons that can be found almost no where else. One important lesson includes that it doesn't matter what is on the outside but who you are on the inside. Respect anybody is the main lesson Crash can teach.