Crash Comprehension Questions & Reading Journal
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Crash has 49 chapters · 162 pages
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Inside the journal: 49 chapter pages, one question each · 3 example answers · a cover for your reader’s name
Written for this book Questions about this story, good after any chapter.
What have you learned about John Coogan, who is called Crash, so far? Choose two details that help explain what he is like.See all 49 questions ↓
About the book
Take a look behind the bully in this modern classic from Newbery medalist Jerry Spinelli that packs a punch. And don't miss the highly anticipated new novel, Dead Wednesday.
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Crash questions by chapter
We know the book, its characters, setting and story, but not what happens in each chapter. So every question is written for this book, and any of them works wherever your reader has just stopped. One question per chapter, across all 49 chapters, and every one is editable before you print. The example answers under 3 of the chapters are the ones printed at the front of the booklet.
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Chapter 1
What have you learned about John Coogan, who is called Crash, so far? Choose two details that help explain what he is like.
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Chapter 2
How would you describe Crash's neighborhood or school using the details you have read? Explain how that setting affects his experiences.
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Chapter 3
What differences between Crash and Penn Webb have you noticed so far? Explain how one difference affects the way Crash sees Penn.
Example answer: I notice that Crash likes to seem tough, while Penn is friendly and does not try to act tough. Penn wants to make friends with Crash. Crash treats Penn's friendliness as a reason to look down on him. I think this shows that Crash does not yet understand Penn very well.
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Chapter 4
Based on Crash's latest actions, what do you predict he will do next? Use a clue from your reading.
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Chapter 5
Which word or phrase in your latest chapter helps you picture Crash's world? Explain what it means and why it works well.
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Chapter 6
What do you think of the way Crash treats other people in the pages you have read? Support your opinion with one example.
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Chapter 7
Retell the most important event in your latest chapter. Why does it matter to Crash's story?
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Chapter 8
What does Crash seem to want most at this point? Explain how his words or actions show that goal.
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Chapter 9
Where have you noticed kindness, or a lack of kindness, in the story so far? Describe what that moment teaches you.
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Chapter 10
What might Penn think about Crash, based on what you know of them so far? Explain the clues behind your prediction.
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Chapter 11
Find a word in your latest chapter that you do not often use. How do the nearby sentences help you figure out its meaning?
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Chapter 12
If you could give Crash advice about something he has done so far, what would you say? Explain why that advice could help.
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Chapter 13
Which detail in your latest chapter seems especially important to remember? Explain its connection to a character or problem in Crash.
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Chapter 14
How does Crash explain or excuse his own behavior so far? Tell whether his explanation helps you understand him.
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Chapter 15
What has the story suggested about being different from other people? Use something you have learned about Crash or Penn.
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Chapter 16
Which relationship in Crash seems most likely to change next? Explain what makes you think so.
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Chapter 17
Choose a line of dialogue from your latest chapter. What does the speaker's choice of words reveal about that person?
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Chapter 18
Would you want Penn Webb as a friend, based on what you know so far? Explain your answer using details from the story.
Example answer: I would want Penn as a friend because he tries to be friendly to Crash. He does not seem to think that everyone has to be just like him. I would rather have a friend who is kind than one who is always trying to prove he is better than other people. Penn's friendly behavior matters more to me than whether Crash thinks he is cool.
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Chapter 19
What problem is Crash facing right now, and what has he done about it? If he does not notice the problem, explain what you notice.
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Chapter 20
When has Crash seemed sure of himself, unsure of himself, or both? Explain what his behavior shows.
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Chapter 21
How important does winning or being the best seem to Crash so far? Explain what the story suggests about that attitude.
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Chapter 22
What question about Crash or Penn do you hope the next chapter will answer? Explain why it interests you.
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Chapter 23
Find a strong action word in your latest chapter. How does that word help you imagine what is happening?
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Chapter 24
Which choice in the story so far do you agree or disagree with most? Explain your reasons.
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Chapter 25
How does your latest chapter connect to something you read earlier in Crash? Describe the connection and why it matters.
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Chapter 26
What does Crash notice about other people, and what might he overlook? Support your answer with a detail from your reading.
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Chapter 27
What have you learned about friendship from the story so far? Explain whether the characters are showing a helpful or harmful kind of friendship.
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Chapter 28
If Crash faces a similar problem again, do you think he will make the same choice? Explain your prediction using what you know so far.
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Chapter 29
Choose a description in your latest chapter that creates a clear feeling, such as excitement, worry, or sadness. Which words create that feeling?
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Chapter 30
How fair is Crash's judgment of another character at this point? Explain what you would keep or change about his judgment.
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Chapter 31
What caused the main event in your latest chapter, and what happened because of it? Explain the chain of events.
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Chapter 32
How does Crash react when someone acts differently from what he expects? Use a moment from the story so far.
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Chapter 33
What does the story suggest about respect at this point? Explain how a character earns, shows, or fails to show respect.
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Chapter 34
What could make Crash rethink an opinion he has now? Predict a possibility without assuming that it will happen.
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Chapter 35
Look for a word with more than one possible meaning in your latest chapter. Explain which meaning fits the sentence and how you know.
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Chapter 36
Which moment in your reading made you feel most strongly about Crash or Penn? Explain what you felt and what caused that feeling.
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Chapter 37
What new information did your latest chapter give you about Crash's life? Explain how it adds to what you already knew.
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Chapter 38
How might another character describe Crash differently from the way Crash describes himself? Use evidence from the pages you have read.
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Chapter 39
Where do you see pressure to fit in or be popular in the story so far? Explain how a character responds to that pressure.
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Chapter 40
What do you expect will happen if Crash keeps acting the way he does now? Explain a possible result and the clues that support it.
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Chapter 41
Find a word or phrase that sounds like something Crash would say. What does it show about his voice or attitude?
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Chapter 42
Which character's point of view would you most like to hear besides Crash's? Explain what that person might help you understand.
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Chapter 43
What does Crash's nickname make you expect about him? Explain how his behavior so far fits or challenges that expectation.
Example answer: The nickname Crash makes me expect someone who is rough and full of energy. His interest in football fits that idea because football is a physical sport. His way of pushing other people around also fits the nickname, but it makes me uncomfortable. I think there is a difference between playing hard in a game and being mean to someone.
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Chapter 44
What can you tell about Penn's values from what you have read? Explain which words or actions helped you decide.
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Chapter 45
How does the story so far help you tell the difference between strength and kindness? Use a character's behavior to explain your thinking.
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Chapter 46
What small detail from your latest chapter might become important later? Explain your prediction.
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Chapter 47
Choose a sentence from your latest chapter that helps you hear, see, or feel something. Explain how its language brings Crash's story to life.
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Chapter 48
If you were part of Crash's school or neighborhood, which action you have read about would you want to encourage or stop? Explain why.
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Chapter 49
How has your understanding of Crash changed since you began reading? Describe what you thought at first and what you think now.
Discussion questions for after Crash
Bigger questions for when the book is finished, each printed on its own ruled page at the end of the booklet.
- How does your understanding of Crash change from the beginning of the book to the end? Explain which experiences and relationships most affect him, using details from different parts of the story.
- What do you think Crash is really saying about friendship, kindness, and being strong? Discuss how Crash and Penn help develop that message, and explain how it could matter to someone your age.
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How to use this Crash reading journal
At home, as a discussion guide
After each chapter your reader writes a few lines on that chapter’s question. Read the answer together at bedtime: it shows what they understood and gives you something real to talk about, without a quiz.
In class, as a novel study
Print a class set (booklets fold from plain letter paper) and use one question per chapter as the reading-response or literature-circle prompt. The example answers at the front show what a full answer looks like.
Homeschool
One booklet covers the whole book, 49 chapters, so it doubles as the reading log for Crash. Reword any question before printing to match your reader.
Printing
The booklet PDF prints on ordinary 8.5 × 11 paper: print double-sided (flip on the short edge) at 100%, fold the stack in half and staple on the fold. There is also a one-page-per-sheet PDF and A5 binder pages.
Where the questions come from
Questions about this story, good after any chapter. We know the book, its characters, setting and story, but not what happens in each chapter. So every question is written for this book, and any of them works wherever your reader has just stopped. The questions were drafted with AI from what is known about the book and checked before publishing; every one is editable before you print.
Browse: All books by Jerry Spinelli