Criss Cross (2006)

In Lynne Rae Perkins' remarkable book, a girl and her wish grow up. Illustrated throughout with black and white pictures, comics, and photographs by the author. The lives of Debbie, Patty, Hector, Lenny, and Phil (and a few other friends) are woven together, crisscross, through one spring and summer. Though nothing extraordinary happens, the characters' internal thoughts reveal the typical awkwardness and uncertainty of early adolescence. Constantly questioning their identities, the characters undergo a string of moments in which they connect and disconnect with one another.

Winner of the 2006 Newbery Medal