However, when Jackson finds out that Crenshaw was created as a way for his mother to cope with being in an abusive relationship and having no one to talk to about it, he feels guilty for not telling the truth sooner. He doesn’t like Crenshaw, the imaginary friend of his younger sister, but he keeps it to himself because he thinks that would hurt her feelings. Jackson is a boy who lives with his parents. He also doesn’t want Robin to worry about having no place to live again, so he uses his parents’ avoidance techniques when they talk about the possibility of living in their minivan again. The family tries not to discuss what is happening but instead jokes around and acts positive, which makes it even worse for Jackson because he feels like his parents are lying about their situation. In this part, Jackson’s family prepares for a yard sale in order to raise enough money for their back rent. Part 3 begins with an epigraph that says, “The world is so you have something to stand on,” which refers to the author’s emotional growth and acceptance of life’s unknowns. However, this experience left him anxious about instability and fearful of the unknown. After fourteen weeks living in their van, they were able to move into an apartment where Jackson could return to school. His father became sick, but the family still needed money for rent and food. He was not aware of how dire his family’s financial situation had become, and he saw them working multiple jobs to make ends meet.

Part 2 begins with a quote from Jackson’s article about homelessness. He thinks that the signs of trouble in his life are similar to when his family was homeless: unpaid bills, arguments between parents, and lack of food on the table. He believes that Crenshaw is a bad omen for his family’s future. He doesn’t like lies because he thinks they’re not true. His favorite book is about a crocodile named Lyle who lives in a brownstone apartment building with human beings as neighbors.įor Jackson, facts are tangible and can be measured. He wants to be a scientist when he grows up and likes facts more than stories, unlike his parents or sister who are musicians or storytellers respectively. He has not seen him since second grade, and he does not think that he is the kind of person who would be friends with an imaginary friend. The quote refers to a re-emergence of Crenshaw in Jackson’s life.

The first part of the book begins with an epigraph by Margaret Wise Brown, “A door is to open”. Quotes from Ruth Krauss’s A Hole is to Dig provide a framework for each part. The book explores the impact of poverty on family and community, as well as how to face the unknown productively. Katherine Applegate’s Crenshaw is a novel about Jackson, a boy who has an imaginary friend named Crenshaw. 1-Page Summary of Crenshaw Overall Summary

Crenshaw by Katherine Applegate