The Crossing

by Gary Paulsen

Book Overview

A critically acclaimed tearjerker from a master storyteller: On one side of the border is brutality and heartache; on the other side--a new life. 14yo Manny is an orphan in Juarez, Mexico. He competes... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Mass Market Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0439786614
• Release Date: December 2005
• Publisher: Scholastic Paperbacks
• Length: 114 Pages
• Weight: 0.19 lbs.
• Dimensions: 6.8" x 0.5" x 4.3"

Customer Reviews

The Crossing by Gary Paulsen Review.

The CrossingBy Gary PaulsenReviewThis book, "The Crossing," is about a boy that lives in the streets of Juarez in Mexico, where the story also takes place. This boy is trying to cross to the United States. He survives by begging money from the tourists that go to that city. Later in the story he meets a nice lady in a restaurant called the "Two-by-four." This woman sometimes feeds him, but she also helps him to make the crossing. The boy also meets an American Soldier, (a sergeant), who likes to drink a lot of whiskey. His relationship with the lady of the restaurant during the story is very nice, but the relationship he has with the American Sergeant is very different from the one he has with the woman. While you'll reading this story you will also find out a few problems the boy has with the sergeant and some other street boys, but at the end everything change. This is one of my favorite books I've ever read because you learn how hard life is for someone who lives in the streets, especially when is a teenager. If you have ever known someone who wants to cross to another country for a better life illegally, this is a good book for you to read and learn how hard it is. If you like the story so far, the rest of it is much better. I promise, you will enjoy it, because I really did.Jose Benitez Amaya

How this book REALLY goes!!!!

Manny is a small boy of many others living on the streats of Juarez, Mexico. To get money to live isnt easy when competing against the other BIGGER boys. So this helpless orphan decides the only way to live is by crossing the bridge over the border into El Paso, Texas. but he would need starting money to do this so when he meets Sargeant Robert S. Locke he thinks he has found a way. Not knowing that these to may be soul mates.But in the end Manny gets the money in a way he did not want it.

One of the best books for junior high students

As a homeschooling parent, I used this book several years ago in teaching literature to my daughter. My sons are now 7 and I will be sure they read it as well. Beyond the basic story, there are many social and psychological themes to explore within the book. Manny's daily life consists of scounging for food and shelter and avoiding the many other poverty-sticken people who would eagerly use and abuse him for their own gain. Does poverty necessarily create at atmosphere of lack of respect for others? Despite the grinding struggle to survive, Manny constantly dreams of a better life. When he shares his dream with Maria, she tells Manny, "You have nothing. You will never have anything." Have many people in poverty grown to accept their fate in life and given up trying for something better? Why do people who have no hope of anything better try to discourage those who do? What is it that makes some continue to strive and others complacent about their lot in life? The sergeant is a whole psychological study in himself. Why must he keep people at a distance? There is very little conversation between the sergeant and Manny, just a few small acts of kindness the sergeant offers. Why does he offer this to Manny? Is this as close as he can ever be to anyone? Why? Is it his war experiences or his drinking that is responsible for his lack of ability to get close to people? Would experiencing the same things the sergeant experienced make most people end up like him? Why does he make the ultimate sacrifice to protect Manny? What happens to Manny after the book? Will his struggles really be over? I've read several of Paulsen's books and enjoyed all of them, but The Crossing seems to offer so much insight into the world of poverty. Truly a masterpiece for the young adolescent.

The Crossing is a great book. Gary Paulsen astonished me!

The Crossing was about an orphan named Manuel Bustos. Manny was his nickname. He was a poor Mexican boy. Manny lived on the streets and slept in a cardboard box. He had no time for heroes. He needed to scrap, fight boys bigger than him for money. The two most important things to Manny were to survive and to find a way to get across the border. As part of Manny's daily routine, he would go to the bridge by the Rio Grande and watch the " turistas," tourists throw coins to him and the rest of the beggers. When Manny catches money he has to run fast before the bigger boys try to beat him up and steal his money. One day when Manny was being chased by the bigger boys he went into an alley behind a club called "Club Congo Tiki." Manny out ran them and hid in the alley. When Manny was in the alley a drunk man named Sergeant Robert S. Locke went into the alley and started vomiting. He had to much to drink. Manny slowly tried to reach for the Sergeants wallet. Manny was taking advantage of the weak and drunk Sergeant. Manny stole the wallet and started running with it. Robert chased after him. At one point Robert caught up to him and grabbed Manny on the arm. Then a police officer was walking by and he saw Robert holding Manny tightly. The officer said, " What's going on here?" Robert was a little spaced out but he remembered seeing Manny on the streets. Robert replied as, " Nothing officer." The officer left and Manny thanked Robert. Robert then got his wallet back. That was the beginning of Robert and Manny's friendship. Robert and Manny became close friends. Robert let Manny follow him around, eat with him, and be his friend. Both Robert and Manny needed each other as friends. Manny had no one to pay for him or to talk to. Robert was a dried up, drunk, shy, and lonely person.

Read "The Crossing!" You'll love it ! ! !

This book was awesome!!! I'm 13 and when I read it I felt that I could relate to the major character. It's a story of a 14-year-old homeless boy , named Manny, living on the dangeous streets of Juarez, Mexico. If you're around the ages of 10 and 16 you'll love this book! If you have any further questions write to me at my e-mail adress.