Crenshaw

CHAPTERS 1-7

Reading Check

1. Purple jellybeans (Chapter 4)

Short Answer

1. Jackson is passionate about science, facts, and truth. He believes stories are lies and does not care for imaginary things. Jackson cites this as being an example of people preferring lies over truth. (Chapter 2)

2. The reader first becomes aware of the family’s financial struggles with cerealball, a game Jackson developed with his sister, Robin, because they were hungry and did not have enough food. Jackson describes a time when he lived with his family in their van at a rest stop. These circumstances impact Jackson’s psyche as he encounters his imaginary friend during tumultuous times. (Chapters 2-5)

CHAPTERS 8-10

Reading Check

1. Keepsakes (Chapter 8)

Short Answer

1. Jackson’s fact-loving personality causes him to feel isolated from his more whimsical and imaginative family members. Jackson, for example, does not like Robin’s favorite book about an anthropomorphic crocodile and explains that crocodiles likely would not like baths. (Chapter 8)

2. His parents respond to his earnest questions about money with jokes or deflections. They are optimistic about their circumstances—something Jackson views as a fault. To Jackson, his parents fail to recognize the reality of their situation because they will not acknowledge hard facts. (Chapters 8-10)

CHAPTERS 11-17

Reading Check

1. The House on East 88th Street (Chapter 17)

Short Answer

1. After Sara is laid off and she and Tom face eviction, the two discuss the future. After agreeing not to live in the van again, they get into an argument over which possessions to sell, and Sara leaves the apartment in frustration. Jackson, having witnessed the interaction, is unable to sleep and again sees his imaginary friend, Crenshaw. (Chapters 11-12)

2. Crenshaw’s appearance makes Jackson concerned for his sanity. He is able to touch, speak to, and hear his feline friend and the two have vivid interactions, but family members, like Robin, certainly cannot see Crenshaw. (Chapters 12-17)

CHAPTERS 18-22

Reading Check

1. A librarian (Chapter 22)

Short Answer

1. Sara compares becoming unhoused to feeling a cold that escalates into sickness. Jackson explains that his father was sick, his mother was laid off, and the family eventually lost their home. But from Jackson’s perspective, it happened overnight—he lived in his home one day and the minivan the next. (Chapter 18)

2. Jackson explains that smelly dad feet, fresh toenail polish feet, little sister kicking feet, dog scratching at Crenshaw’s feet, and Crenshaw walking on your head feet become a problem when living in a van (Chapter 21). Jackson is relaying the difficulties of living as a family in a cramped van—they don’t have a place to escape from one another. (Chapter 21)

CHAPTERS 23-27

Reading Check

1. Twenty dollars in cash (Chapter 23)

Short Answer

1. The policeman who investigates the theft of Sara’s purse provides information about shelters for individuals who are unhoused nearby. Sara and Tom explain to the officer that these shelters separate men from women and children and do not permit pets. Tom refuses to be separated from his wife, children, and their dog. This refusal reveals that Tom is more interested in staying with his family—even if it means living in a minivan. (Chapter 23)

2. Jackson anticipates his father will reject the money the policeman gave him, indicating that Jackson knows his father does not want to accept assistance. Sara instructed Tom to apply for assistance, but Tom claims the family will have a home before the paperwork is complete. When Sara suggests the family should acquire food from the food pantry, Tom explains that he would rather busk—later indicating that he is performing a service that enables him to request gratuities. Sara volunteers to busk at one point, but Tom refuses to allow her to do so. Tom’s actions reveal that he feels responsible for feeding his family and does not like asking for help. (Chapters 23-26)

CHAPTERS 28-31

Reading Check

1. Fourteen weeks (Chapter 28)

Short Answer

1. Crenshaw disappears when Jackson moves into his new home and begins attending a new school. Initially, Crenshaw is with Jackson on the walk to school, but after Marisol introduces herself and as the two begin bonding, Crenshaw disappears. It is likely Crenshaw disappears because of Jackson’s newfound stability and because of his budding friendship with Marisol. (Chapter 30)

2. Jackson’s research indicates that 31% of children at the ages of 6 and 7 have imaginary friends and the likelihood of having an imaginary friend increases from ages 3 and 4. Jackson, when confronted with a difficult problem, uses research to determine the cause of the problem. (Chapter 31)

CHAPTERS 32-36

Reading Check

1. Curious George (Chapter 33)

Short Answer

1. Jackson feels that he is the most grown-up member of the family because he takes on responsibilities he believes his parents cannot handle. Jackson, for instance, calmly handles the incident with the raccoon in the apartment while other members of the family panic. Jackson’s preoccupation with whether his family will love their home shows he feels some responsibility for their well-being. (Chapter 32)

2. Jackson becomes increasingly preoccupied with food, where it can be found, and any place that gives it away for free, including at school, the farmers’ market, and even the hardware store. At the pet store, he steals a dog cookie and reflects on other times he has stolen food to help his family members. He feels guilty for stealing food even though he knows his family needs it. (Chapters 34-36)

CHAPTERS 37-41

Reading Check

1. A Crenshaw statue (Chapter 37)

Short Answer

1. Crenshaw serves as Jackson’s moral compass and guide while Marisol uses Whoops, her imaginary friend, as a scapegoat. Jackson’s scientific worldview prevents him from appreciating his imaginary friend, while Marisol wishes her imaginary friend would come back to visit on occasion. Marisol, who is interested in science herself, attempts to bridge the gap between science and imagination for Jackson. (Chapters 37, 41)

2. Jackson begins to wonder if Aretha’s reactions to Crenshaw prove that the cat is real or if his dog was simply reacting to Jackson’s words and actions. Other evidence suggesting Crenshaw’s existence include Marisol’s correct guess of Jackson’s statue’s name and the purple jellybeans Jackson found when playing cerealball. (Various chapters, including Chapter 40)

CHAPTERS 42-46

Reading Check

1. His guitar (Chapter 42)

Short Answer

1. Marisol, to Jackson’s surprise, accepts the idea of Crenshaw and believes that the unknown makes life more interesting. Jackson states that knowing facts helps him stay in control, which means a lot to him because his family’s financial struggles cause a lot of uncertainty. (Chapter 45)

2. Jackson becomes more accepting of Crenshaw’s existence and begins to build a relationship with the imaginary friend he once tried to ignore. Before his confession, Jackson would close his eyes to make Crenshaw go away; afterward, he finds comfort in opening up to the cat by asking questions and sharing information. (Various chapters, including Chapter 46)

CHAPTERS 47-52

Reading Check

1. Finian (Chapter 52)

Short Answer

1. Ms. Malone describes how vampire bats share their meals with the other bats in the cave and wonders if they “are better human beings than human beings are.”(Chapter 47) Jackson likely relates to these statements by Ms. Malone because he feels there isn’t anyone to help his family in their time of need. (Chapter 47)

2. Jackson has a change of heart when he realizes he needs to stay with his sister, Robin, who needs him. At first, Jackson writes a letter to his family informing them he was going to live with Marisol rather than face the stress of living in the minivan again. After finishing the letter, Robin knocks on the door to tell Jackson she is scared to sleep in her room alone. Jackson, considering how much she needs him, rips up the note and decides to stay. (Chapters 48-49)