Period 8

Chris Crutcher has written nine critically acclaimed novels, an autobiography, and two collections of short stories. Drawing on his experience as a family therapist and child protection specialist, Crutcher writes honestly about real issues facing teenagers today: making it through school, competing in sports, handling rejection and failure, and dealing with parents. He has won three lifetime achievement awards for the body of his work: the Margaret A. Edwards Award, the ALAN Award, and the NCTE National Intellectual Freedom Award. Chris Crutcher lives in Spokane, Washington.

"Period 8 is the best of Crutcher: warmth, humor, and spot-on teen reality, but coupled with terrifying intensity and a shocking ending." -- Laurie Halse Anderson, author of Wintergirls and Speak Praise for Deadline: "As usual, Crutcher does not hesitate to incorporate serious subject matter within an engaging first-person narrative." -- Voice of Youth Advocates (VOYA) (Starred Review) "Crutcher uses dark humor and self-deprecation effectively to avoid maudlin situations, and teens will appreciate the respectful tone of the work." -- School Library Journal Praise for Whale Talk:"Crutcher offers an unusual yet resonant mixture of black comedy and tragedy that lays bare the superficiality of the high school scene." -- Publishers Weekly (starred review) "Cataclysmic and triumphant." -- Kirkus Reviews