By the award-winning author of Waiting for Normal and All Rise for the Honorable Perry T. Cook, Leslie Connor. Muliple award winner: Kirkus Reviews Best Children’s Book * Smithsonian Magazine Notable Book for Children * Cooperative Children’s Book Center Choice Crunch asks: What might happen if the earth’s supply of gas runs out? It’s a perfect classroom read to spark discussions about energy conservation and the future of our planet. Dewey Marriss is stuck in a crunch. He never guessed that the gas pumps would run dry the same week he promised to manage the family's bicycle-repair business. Suddenly everyone needs a bike. And nobody wants to wait. Meanwhile, the crunch has stranded Dewey's parents far up north. It's up to Dewey and his older sister, Lil, to look after their younger siblings and run the bike shop all on their own. To top things off, Dewey discovers that bike parts are missing from the shop. He's sure he knows who's responsible—or does he? Will exposing the thief only make more trouble for Dewey and his siblings? “Charming and original.” —Kirkus Reviews (starred review) Kids Home Alone: When a nationwide fuel crisis strands their parents hundreds of miles away, Dewey and his sister Lil are left in charge of the house, the farm, and their three younger siblings. - Sibling Story: Fourteen-year-old Dewey is in charge of the family bike shop, but he’ll need the help of his artistic older sister and his talented-but-shy younger brother to keep the business—and their family—from falling apart. - Problem Solving: With the whole town suddenly desperate for pedal power, Dewey must figure out how to manage an avalanche of repairs, a shortage of parts, and customers who don’t want to wait. - Community and Resilience: A thoughtful exploration of what happens when the gas pumps run dry, perfect for sparking discussions about self-reliance, community, and what really matters when the world grinds to a halt. “Kids…will find themselves rooting for the duo to succeed and thus take great satisfaction in the happy ending.” - Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books “The element of uncertainty keeps the pages turning while Connor addresses a timely issue—America’s dependence on fossil fuels—that will provoke classroom discussion and invite further reading.” - Booklist “The New England setting is attractively realized, and the underlying energy crisis treated seriously but not sensationally...the whole family is so engaging that anything less than the happy ending would be disappointing indeed. Charming and original.” - Kirkus Reviews (starred review) Dewey Marriss is stuck in a crunch. He never guessed that the gas pumps would run dry the same week he promised to manage the family's bicycle-repair business. Suddenly everyone needs a bike. And nobody wants to wait. Meanwhile, the crunch has stranded Dewey's parents far up north. It's up to Dewey and his older sister, Lil, to look after their younger siblings and run the bike shop all on their own. To top things off, Dewey discovers that bike parts are missing from the shop. He's sure he knows who's responsible—or does he? Will exposing the thief only make more trouble for Dewey and his siblings? Leslie Connor is the author of several award-winning books for children, including two ALA Schneider Family Book Award winners, Waiting for Normal and The Truth as Told by Mason Buttle , which was also selected as a National Book Award finalist. Her other books include All Rise for the Honorable Perry T. Cook , Crunch , and The Things You Kiss Goodbye . She lives in the Connecticut woods with her family and three rescue dogs. You can visit her online at www.leslieconnor.com. Author: Connor, Leslie. Publisher: Katherine Tegen Books Pages: 336 Publication Date: 2012-03-27 Binding: Paperback MSRP: 6.99 ISBN13: 9780061692345 ISBN: 0061692344 Other ISBN: 9780061998355 Other ISBN Binding: print Language: en Store Location: Chapter "Book cover image may be different than what appears on the actual book."