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The Cruisers Audiobook
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(2.13) - 304 listener ratings
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Publisher Description
Eighth grade is hard enough, but when you’re a Cruiser, you’re really put to the test. The launch of a new middle-grade series from bestselling award-winner Walter Dean Myers.
Zander and his friends, Kambui, LaShonda, and Bobbi start their own newspaper, The Cruiser, as a means for speaking out, keeping the peace, and expressing what they believe. When the school launches a mock Civil War, Zander and his friends are forced to consider the true meaning of democracy and what it costs to stand up for a cause. The result is nothing they could have expected, and everything they could have hoped for.
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"At the Da Vinci Academy for the Gifted and Talented in Harlem, the 8th grade is going to study the Civil War in a very unusual way. The whole class has been divided into Union and Confederate sides, and they are itching to go to war. Zander, Bobbi, Kambui and LaShonda are the Cruisers, who believe that grades aren't everything and life ought to be enjoyed more... which gets them into trouble with the assistant principal after they publish an article in their alternative school paper. Their consequence is to become the negotiating team that brokers the peace between the Union and the Confederacy. Articles and editorials in the official school newspaper stir things up, and racism and prejudice create bad feelings all through the school. But it's just a class project, right? Anger leads to talk of violence, and the Cruisers need to find the way out that doesn't get people beat up. Told from multiple points of view, with the newspaper articles and editorials included, this is an exceptional story that gives readers a lot to think about: the First Amendment, racism and prejudice, family issues, and standing up for your beliefs. A knockout for 7th grade and up, especially appropriate for 8th grade with their studies of the Civil War and prejudice."
— Karen (4 out of 5 stars)
Quotes
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“The Cruisers are a thoughtful, mouthy bunch…watch them set off metaphorical fireworks.”
— Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books
The Cruisers Listener Reviews
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" i loved this book i read it in a day its breathtaking "
— Zhane, 2/9/2014 -
" It was . . . . . . Okay "
— Caroline, 2/1/2014 -
" Worse than I expected (which wasn't much). Dialogue that felt like an adult trying to write as a teen, boring, unbelievable plot, and lame characters. Not good. Will likely purge this one from my classroom library.-------------------Not expecting a lot from this book, but I'm hoping that I can at least recommend this to a few readers and get it moving off my shelf from time to time. "
— Danielle, 1/14/2014 -
" Cool premise and I generally am a huge fan of this author but....enough is enough. "
— Nomi, 1/13/2014 -
" The book is pretty good, Not much of a thing. Anyway, I like when the characters fight over about the blacks and the whites, and that's a little races. And that interest me. "
— Andy, 1/5/2014 -
" The message in this book couldn't be more heavy-handed. The characters are just sketches and the plot is rather confusing. "
— Kelly, 12/31/2013 -
" I think this is one of the most poorly written novel Walter Dean Myers has ever written. It did not make sense, and was completely one sided. "
— Dana, 12/14/2013 -
" Really good eighth grade lit. A couple of unnecessary "I'm such a cool author" crude words, but overall a good story with a couple of not-obvious plot resolutions. Reading level - too easy; plot - just right for 8th grade. "
— Lori, 12/3/2013 -
" I fairly enjoyed this book, because it shows what the life of a disfunctional family is and how bad personalities are stimulated "
— Kevin, 10/25/2013 -
" I couldn't get into the story, but maybe it's that I didn't already love the characters--I hadn't realized that this was the third in the series. Perhaps one day I will pick up the first one and try again. "
— Cheri, 9/22/2013 -
" A good idea, but a little skeletal in my opinion. Also, the message overpowers the story. Not myers's best. "
— Anne, 4/4/2013 -
" Could be a good book for Civil War / Civil Right discussion "
— Elyce, 2/3/2013 -
" Thought this was gonna be an awesome nugget of a book. Disappointed. Nothing special. "
— Delia, 4/10/2012 -
" I have to say, I just got bored and lost track of what the heck was going on...like a book about a school project...hmmm...not that exciting. "
— Kathy, 2/3/2012 -
" A little preachy about community service. A number of Christian references, but believable in the contest of the story; should be OK for Battle. "
— Faith, 11/11/2011 -
" I like anything by Walter Dean Myers. This was a book without a lot of clear-cut "answers" to tough questions, just like real life. "
— Jess, 11/4/2011 -
" It was okay, but these 'cruisers' seem like jerks. "
— Sophia, 7/10/2011 -
" A little preachy about community service. A number of Christian references, but believable in the contest of the story; should be OK for Battle. "
— Faith, 5/9/2011 -
" My first book by this author. Not fleshed out characters or storyline. Interesting premise, but poorly executed. "
— Natasha, 4/9/2011 -
" It is a good book because I like how the cruisers write news on their own and I like their way of acting toward others. "
— May, 4/5/2011 -
" This book is very good talking about racist people and they solve it by newspaper and they express them seleves. "
— Bryan, 3/16/2011 -
" This short book about 4 friends at a Gifted and Talented school in Harlem who start an alternative newspaper didn't really work for me. The characters sounded older than 8th graders to me, and I found the story line hard to follow. Maybe kids will like it, but it wasn't my cup of tea. "
— Karen, 1/27/2011 -
" I liked this book okay. It's not as poignant as sunrise in fallujah or as funny as What they found, but it's and easy ready for teens who don't want to read a long book. "
— Desiree, 12/30/2010
About Walter Dean Myers
Walter Dean Myers (1937–2014) was the acclaimed author of over fifty books, primarily for young adults. His notable works include Fallen Angels, Monster, Crystal, and Scorpions. He won numerous awards for his works, including five Coretta Scott King Awards for African American authors. He also won the first Michael L. Printz Award for his book Monster. In January of 2012 he became the Library of Congress’ National Ambassador for Young People’s Literature.
About André Santana
André Santana is an award-winning audiobook narrator on a journey to tell great stories. Operating with a keen sense for realistic delivery, he inevitably becomes a fan of every book he narrates and shares that joy through his performances. As a non-binary and Black narrator, he loves both telling stories that match him and disappearing into new characters across the literary multiverse.