In this State Standards-aligned Literature Kit(TM), we divide the novel by chapters or sections and feature reading comprehension and vocabulary questions. In every chapter, we include Before You Read and After You Read questions. The Before You Read activities prepare students for reading by setting a purpose for reading. They stimulate background knowledge and experience, and guide students to make connections between what they know and what they will learn. The After You Read activities check students' comprehension and extend their learning. Students are asked to give thoughtful consideration of the text through creative and evaluative short-answer questions and journal prompts. Also included are writing tasks, graphic organizers, comprehension quiz, test prep, word search, and crossword to further develop students' critical thinking and writing skills, and analysis of the text. About the Novel: Criss Cross is a Newbery Medal winning story about several teenage characters living in a small town of Seldem in the 1970's. The story intersects between several characters, each with their own issues and each one trying to discover who they are as individuals. There is the shy, introspective Debbie; the multitalented Lenny; the nerdy, guitar-playing Hector; and the brainy, all-together sister of Hector, Rowanne. Criss Cross is a story that deals with first love, the importance of communication among friends and family, self-identity, and coming-of-age. Each character is portrayed in a refreshingly unique and poignant manner, creating a novel that is both humorous and thought-provoking throughout. All of our content is aligned to your State Standards and are written to Bloom's Taxonomy.