Review: Crunch

Crunch by Leslie Connor
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

This is a good book, with an interesting premise: the gas shortage has turned into a complete unavailability of gasoline. So bicycles are now the chief mode of transportation and the bike repair business is booming. But the parents are stuck away from home, so the kids have to manage on their own - with the help of the community.

I am always struck by the ways especially American authors seem to find ways to get rid of the parents so that the kids have agency on their own. I would have bet that this was an American book, even before I looked it up and found out that I am right. Many of the Australian kids' books keep the parents in the books. In the Australian books, the kids are allowed to try to solve their problems as much as possible themselves, with the parents there for backup if needed. In the American books, most of the time, the kids are left to solve the problems on their own, often with help from others in the community, but not usually the parents. I am not sure what that says about the two mindsets. It makes me feel that the Australian kids are trusted to venture out on their own, as they are able. The American kids aren't necessarily trusted to do so - they are thrust into the necessity to do so by various circumstances. Americans seem to expect that the kids will make it through the problems largely on their own, because they have to. Aussie kids are allowed to make it on their own, but support is there and given, if it is needed.

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