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The Cruisers (Cruisers #1)
Zander Scott and his friends Kambui, LaShonda, and Bobbi are in trouble. Even though they?re students at DaVinci Academy for the Gifted and Talented in Harlem, their grades are slipping, and Mr. Culpepper, the assistant principal and chief executioner, is ready to be rid of them. When the school starts a unit on the Civil War, and kids split up into Union and Confederate s...more
Audio CD
Published
August 1st 2010
by Brilliance Audio
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My book of choice for my review is The Cruisers by Walter Dean Myers. Zander, LaShonda, Bobbi, and Kambui are group of friends who attend DaVinci Academy for the Gifted and Talented. It’s one of the best schools of in Harlem. The four of them each have a talent for writing and creative expression, but they have failing grades. Mr.Culpepper, the assistant principal, has had enough of them and he’s ready kick them out. Zander, the main character in the book, lives with his single mother while his...more
The Cruisers
By Walter Dean Myers
The cruisers genre is realistic friction base on friend and friendship, school life. The book was took place in Harlem, New York. Walter Dean Myers was born on August 12 1937, in Martinsburg, West Virginia. For some reason his mother died when he was three and his dad was very poor so his father give him away to Harbert Dean. He was real good writer in high school. However he about to drop out but on of his teacher advised him to keep on writing no matter what hap...more
By Walter Dean Myers
The cruisers genre is realistic friction base on friend and friendship, school life. The book was took place in Harlem, New York. Walter Dean Myers was born on August 12 1937, in Martinsburg, West Virginia. For some reason his mother died when he was three and his dad was very poor so his father give him away to Harbert Dean. He was real good writer in high school. However he about to drop out but on of his teacher advised him to keep on writing no matter what hap...more
I really did not enjoy this book very much. I wouldn't say it was terrible but I wouldn't say it was good either. I found that I had to force myself to read it just to get through the book. I didn't feel like I could relate to any of the characters but that could be because I'm white and the book deals with racism. I also felt like a modern day school wouldn't have allowed what happened in the book. This book is written for the younger side of young adult literature. I just felt like it wasn't e...more
The Cruisers is by prolific author and poet Walter Dean Myers. It is more accessible to a younger audience–upper elementary and middle school as opposed to high school/young adult–than his usual work. It is appropriate for grades 4-8, depending on the dynamics of each particular group/individual reader(s). The main character is in 8th Grade.
This book looks at race and slavery as kids in the middle school divide into North & South for a Civil War project. This particular plot is not unique, i...more
This book looks at race and slavery as kids in the middle school divide into North & South for a Civil War project. This particular plot is not unique, i...more
The novel is set in and around a magnet school for the gifted and talented in Harlem. The main character and his friends make up a group that have concluded that their middle-school grades will be of no consequence later in life (so long as they pass) and are content to “cruise” by with C’s. Their lackluster academic performance and some other antics have them on probation, and they have been told that in order to stay in school, they will need to negotiate a truce between the Union and the Conf...more
"If I'm going to have a fight I got to see the win in it so I'll know what I'm fighting for."
—Zander, The Cruisers, P. 32
With this book, Walter Dean Myers has launched a new series that I think holds a lot of promise. Zander Scott and his three friends Kambui, LaShonda and Bobbi are students in eighth grade at the Da Vinci Academy for the Gifted and Talented, in Harlem, New York. When the school's principal calls Zander and his three friends (collectively known as "The Cruisers" in reference...more
—Zander, The Cruisers, P. 32
With this book, Walter Dean Myers has launched a new series that I think holds a lot of promise. Zander Scott and his three friends Kambui, LaShonda and Bobbi are students in eighth grade at the Da Vinci Academy for the Gifted and Talented, in Harlem, New York. When the school's principal calls Zander and his three friends (collectively known as "The Cruisers" in reference...more
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 conse...more
I wish I had a category for "books based on historical events that make you think about current events and would be good simply for teaching the thoughts that come up" but I don't. I really don't think a typical kid would be very interested in this book, but from a teacher's perspective, I am really excited about it.
The events of the Civil War and all the reasons behind it are mirrored in the actions of the teenagers in the book. The power of words and the fact that you can't "just throw spit,...more
The events of the Civil War and all the reasons behind it are mirrored in the actions of the teenagers in the book. The power of words and the fact that you can't "just throw spit,...more
Zander Scott and his friends, Kambui, LaShonda and Bobbi are students at the DaVinci Academy for the Gifted and Talented in Harlem. Unfortunately, their grades are slipping and Mr. Culpepper, the assistant principal, is just waiting for the opportunity to kick them out of the school. Part of the problem is their alternative newspaper, The Cruiser, which allows them to present their own unique point of view to the rest of the students. They are given one last chance to stay. The school has begun...more
3 and a half stars to be more precise but I rounded up. Too many middle school students do not know anything about the Civil War. Myers takes a novel approach (literally) to this problem by crafting what amounts to a new civil war with fresh, interesting, if occasionally flat (I'm looking at you mom and AP) characters...
Three issues:
1. Perfect list type book except there was one biological term for male anatomy, and we all know how that goes...
2. Despite the Cruisers being enlisted to mediate be...more
Three issues:
1. Perfect list type book except there was one biological term for male anatomy, and we all know how that goes...
2. Despite the Cruisers being enlisted to mediate be...more
Walter Dean Myers is an amazing author. I was intrigued by the cover and by the premise of this story. I have to admit, I was a little disappointed. I had a hard time really getting into the story and it felt shallow. The topics that were being delt with were not shallow (racism and broken families). As the main character observes, these are complex issues, but I felt that Mr. Myers didn't go as deep into it as he could of, or as middle school readers can and want to. I'm constantly impressed by...more
The Cruisers
by Walter Dean Myers
I hate to say it, but I wish I had “cruised” right on past this slim little novel. The DaVinci school for gifted and talented students is in the midst of a Civil War assignment where a group of African-American students (The Cruisers) are charged with using the school newspaper to illustrate the types of things that were said and that some people believed during the Civil War. By doing this, the principals of the school hope to get the kids more in touch with what...more
by Walter Dean Myers
I hate to say it, but I wish I had “cruised” right on past this slim little novel. The DaVinci school for gifted and talented students is in the midst of a Civil War assignment where a group of African-American students (The Cruisers) are charged with using the school newspaper to illustrate the types of things that were said and that some people believed during the Civil War. By doing this, the principals of the school hope to get the kids more in touch with what...more
I like Myers because he tackles some interesting ideas for young adults. The Cruisers are four members of an alternative school newspaper (vs. the asst.-principal sanctioned "normal" school newspaper). They are tasked with the very difficult job of "peacekeepers" of the Civil War. They come up against the Sons of the Confederacy, a group of kids who seem to enjoy stirring up racial conflict. The topic of free speech, and the power of the mind over the power of the fists, are developed and presen...more
This is a book about a school assignment. Sounds boring, right? Well, I think it managed to be as interesting as a book about a school assignment can be. See, there are these 8th graders: Zander, Kambui, Bobbi and LaShonda, collectively known as "The Cruisers" after an alternative school newspaper they produce. The Cruisers, all of them smart but unmotivated when it comes to school, are assigned to play the role of peacekeepers in a kind of mock Civil War going on at their school. The kids playi...more
While not perfect, this is an excellent book in its ability to portray the start-point of an uncomfortable discussion. Told from the viewpoint of a middle schooler, it addresses racism, history, cultural viewpoints and other topics in a way that is believable for the setting.
Several critics have suggested that the 8th graders in the story are too smart to be believable. I didn't have that problem, given that they are in a Gifted & Talented program, more intelligent and articulate than an ave...more
Several critics have suggested that the 8th graders in the story are too smart to be believable. I didn't have that problem, given that they are in a Gifted & Talented program, more intelligent and articulate than an ave...more
A book about contemporary, academically gifted African-American kids that doesn’t back down from talking about being contemporary, academically gifted African-American kids in a mostly white school environment. And it’s for tweens. And it’s funny. Rara avis indeed.
This is actually the first of a series about four friends, the Cruisers, who are a mix of genders, ethnicities, interests, and ambitions. This little book is a breeze to get through but it clocks in at just over 100 pages, so libraria...more
This is actually the first of a series about four friends, the Cruisers, who are a mix of genders, ethnicities, interests, and ambitions. This little book is a breeze to get through but it clocks in at just over 100 pages, so libraria...more
So, I know Myers is trying to appeal to a middle school audience, but I just don't see how this will do it. The book follows a group of intellectually gifted children who write a newspaper for their school. The students and their classmates are working on a unit on the Civil War, and as the Cruisers are racial minorities in their school, things are said and done that hit some nerves. Unfortunately, more focus is put on the issues leading to the War, and so it reads like a history lesson. Then th...more
Genre: Realistic Fiction
Author: Walter Dean Myers
Summary:
It's modern day, and the Cruisers are given the task to settle a war between the North and South in a school event taking place in the historical period of late-colonial times. The Cruisers (a newspaper team)have to succeed in keeping the peace or they face being expelled. Most of the members in the Cruisers are African American, making this more then just the grade. The Cruisers must make their moves cleverly, but at the same time restra...more
Author: Walter Dean Myers
Summary:
It's modern day, and the Cruisers are given the task to settle a war between the North and South in a school event taking place in the historical period of late-colonial times. The Cruisers (a newspaper team)have to succeed in keeping the peace or they face being expelled. Most of the members in the Cruisers are African American, making this more then just the grade. The Cruisers must make their moves cleverly, but at the same time restra...more
I thought The Cruisers was a pretty alright book. It was a little short for my taste and jumped around a bit, but was good. It definitely seemed like a tween book, which I haven't really read since about third grade. So I had a bit of hard time really getting into the book. However, it was a well-written book and had a fairly good plot. There just wasn't much complexity or depth to it, I felt. It never really drew me in like all of the other books so far.
As this is a tween book, there isn't much...more
As this is a tween book, there isn't much...more
Zander is in 8th grade and enrolled in a special academic school for gifted kids. LaShonda, Bobbi, Kambui and Zander are all unique and
may not be living up to their potential, therefore cruising through school. Their assistant principal has challenged the group to mediate or be the peacemakers during the civil war debate/exercise the school is currently involved. That becomes a real challenge and makes the young men and women personally evaluate, and in some instances experience, each issue of t...more
may not be living up to their potential, therefore cruising through school. Their assistant principal has challenged the group to mediate or be the peacemakers during the civil war debate/exercise the school is currently involved. That becomes a real challenge and makes the young men and women personally evaluate, and in some instances experience, each issue of t...more
Another one for which 1/2 a start would be useful. It was a bit more than "ok" but not quite "I liked it". Certainly, it should be part of a school library and recommended to young adults. It is a short book, but one of a series about this group of kids - the "Cruisers" - so I didn't get any sense of knowing them enough to care about them. Zander has potential - interested in the normal things of the age, enjoys his unusual appearance, and aware enough to know there is more out there that he nee...more
This book just didn't draw me in - I stopped half-way through because I really didn't find it that interesting.
This book is intended for a much younger audience than most of Myers's books, which means that a lot of students expecting something more YA will be disappointed. Several characters seemed flat, and a lot of the situations just seemed unrealistic (I think someone would have called the ACLU pretty early on).
That said, I like that this book deals with racism and the Civil War in a new way...more
This book is intended for a much younger audience than most of Myers's books, which means that a lot of students expecting something more YA will be disappointed. Several characters seemed flat, and a lot of the situations just seemed unrealistic (I think someone would have called the ACLU pretty early on).
That said, I like that this book deals with racism and the Civil War in a new way...more
The Cruisers are four friends at the Da Vinci School, a school for students in Harlem. None of them are striving to what they do best, and their principal gives them one last chance to prove themselves. The school is participating in a Civil War reenactment, dividing up the students between the Union and Confederate factions. The Cruisers are charged with negotiating peace between the two groups. But when negativity in words start to been call out, things get way more complicated and the entire...more
The Cruisers are four friends at the Da Vinci School, a school for gifted students in Harlem. None of them are living up to their potential and their principal gives them one last chance to prove themselves. The school is participating in a Civil War reenactment, dividing up the students between the Union and Confederate factions. The Cruisers are charged with negotiating peace between the two groups. But when words start to fly, things get way more complicated than any of them could have imagin...more
Zander and his friends Kambui, LaShonda and Bobbie have a problem. Even though they are students at the school for gifted and talented kids, they are not living up to their potential. The assistant principal is ready to throw them out unless they can come up with a plan–and fast. Their last chance is to broker a peace between the students who have been assigned the role of Union sympathizers and Confederate sympathizers in a school-wide Civil War project. Zander hopes they can pull it off with t...more
Mar 04, 2011
Pandora
rated it
4 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
children-s,
young-adult
The sitution of a school dividing the students into the North and South is a bit far-fatched. However what the book says is worth reading. Zander has got to find a way to cool down tempers when a group called the Sons of the Confederency print a pro Southern editorial in the school paper. Zander comes up with a soild peaceful way to force the Sons of the Confederency to realize the hurt they have cause and everyone learns a powerful lesson that with Freedom of Speech comes responsibility. Myers...more
Zander Scott lives an interesting life. Estranged from his father, his mother is an actress and model trying to raise him up right in New York. He is a scholarship student at an exclusive private school where he hangs with a bunch of misfits and trouble makers, the Cruisers. When their latest joke falls flat, the Principal hatches the idea that the Cruisers will act as peacemakers during the school wide simulation of the Civil War. But can Zander and his buddies find a non-violent solution that...more
I adore Walter Dean Myers. This is the only book I've ever come across that explains race relations to teenagers. (I think people of all ages should read it, especially television "journalists" and public servants.)
I read this book with a freshman I'm tutoring. It was definitely easy reading for the student, and we both enjoyed it. Also, I think the subject matter really put into context the history and legacy of the civil rights movement. That era seems so far away to the younger set, but this...more
I read this book with a freshman I'm tutoring. It was definitely easy reading for the student, and we both enjoyed it. Also, I think the subject matter really put into context the history and legacy of the civil rights movement. That era seems so far away to the younger set, but this...more
I have to say this is not one of my favorite books. The basis was pretty great, but the characters all lacked depth. Zander and his "Cruisers" (The name of Zander and his friends alternative school paper) get in some pretty hot water because of all the pranks they pull and are forced to become mollifiers in an upcoming unit on the Civil War where the students will be spilt into North or South sympathizers. In the end Myers' does bring up several good points concerning racial issues and I think i...more
Oct 11, 2011
Jennifer Lavoie
rated it
3 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
multicultural,
classroom-library
I almost gave this book two stars, but the end got better and I understood the message it was trying to pass on. I found the characters interesting, though at times a bit confusing. Zander was my favorite because of all the changes he tries to make. When his friends want to fight, he goes against them to try to keep the peace in the project they're supposed to work on.
As a first book in the series, the characters need some more development, but I feel like readers will see that as the series go...more
As a first book in the series, the characters need some more development, but I feel like readers will see that as the series go...more
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pseudonyms:
Stacie Williams
Stacie Johnson
Walter Dean Myers was born on August 12, 1937 in Martinsburg, West Virginia but moved to Harlem with his foster parents at age three. He was brought up and went to public school there. He attended Stuyvesant High School until the age of seventeen when he joined the army.
After serving four years in the army, he worked at various jobs and earned a BA from Empi...more
More about Walter Dean Myers...
Stacie Williams
Stacie Johnson
Walter Dean Myers was born on August 12, 1937 in Martinsburg, West Virginia but moved to Harlem with his foster parents at age three. He was brought up and went to public school there. He attended Stuyvesant High School until the age of seventeen when he joined the army.
After serving four years in the army, he worked at various jobs and earned a BA from Empi...more
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“If I'm going to have a fight I got to see the win in it so I'll know what I'm fighting for.”
—
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