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Quick answer: If you loved Crank, read Ellen Hopkins's Glass, then Elizabeth Acevedo's The Poet X, With the Fire on High and Clap When You Land, then Jason Reynolds's Long Way Down, and Laurie Halse Anderson's Speak, Wintergirls and The Impossible Knife of Memory and Melvin Burgess's Smack. All are raw verse novels for teens.
Ellen Hopkins's Crank is a verse novel about a teenager's addiction. These picks share its raw honesty.
Table of Contents
Quick Picks at a Glance
| Book | Author | Ages | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| Glass | Ellen Hopkins | Teen | the sequel to Crank |
| The Poet X | Elizabeth Acevedo | 14+ | more Acevedo |
| Long Way Down | Jason Reynolds | Teen | verse novels |
| Speak | Laurie Halse Anderson | 13+ | readers who want a modern classic |
| Wintergirls | Laurie Halse Anderson | 15+ | older teens ready for heavy topics |
| Smack | Melvin Burgess | Teen | teens and heroin |
| Thirteen Reasons Why | Jay Asher | Teen | issue-driven stories |
| Girl in Pieces | Kathleen Glasgow | 15+ | older teens |
| Hate List | Jennifer Brown | Teen | aftermath of a shooting |
| Before I Die | Jenny Downham | Teen | bucket-list stories |
| The Impossible Knife of Memory | Laurie Halse Anderson | 14+ | readers who want family stories |
| Fat Kid Rules the World | K.L. Going | Teen | music and friendship |
| Under Rose-Tainted Skies | Louise Gornall | 14+ | readers who want a close-up of anxiety |
| With the Fire on High | Elizabeth Acevedo | Teen | food and hope |
| Clap When You Land | Elizabeth Acevedo | 14+ | readers who like verse |
1. Glass by Ellen Hopkins
Kristina's addiction deepens. Intense and fast.
Best for: the sequel to Crank.
2. The Poet X by Elizabeth Acevedo
Xiomara, a Dominican girl in Harlem, finds a voice through slam poetry. A verse novel and National Book Award winner.
Best for: more Acevedo.
3. Long Way Down by Jason Reynolds
A boy rides an elevator down seven floors on his way to avenge his brother's death. A novel in verse that is quick and gripping.
Best for: verse novels.
4. Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson
Melinda stops talking after an assault at a summer party. A classic about trauma and speaking up.
Best for: readers who want a modern classic.
5. Wintergirls by Laurie Halse Anderson
Lia struggles with anorexia after the death of her friend Cassie. Haunting and heavy, with strong content notes.
Best for: older teens ready for heavy topics.
6. Smack by Melvin Burgess
Two runaways fall into addiction. Gritty and honest.
Best for: teens and heroin.
7. Thirteen Reasons Why by Jay Asher
Clay receives tapes from a classmate who died, explaining why she ended her life. Controversial and hard to forget.
Best for: issue-driven stories.
8. Girl in Pieces by Kathleen Glasgow
Charlotte, a teen who self-harms, leaves a treatment center and tries to build a life. Intense and moving, with heavy content.
Best for: older teens.
9. Hate List by Jennifer Brown
A teen faces the fallout of her boyfriend's shooting. Hard and honest.
Best for: aftermath of a shooting.
10. Before I Die by Jenny Downham
A girl with terminal cancer makes a list of things to do. Honest and sad.
Best for: bucket-list stories.
11. The Impossible Knife of Memory by Laurie Halse Anderson
Hayley's father returns from war with PTSD, and she tries to protect him and herself. Powerful and tender.
Best for: readers who want family stories.
12. Fat Kid Rules the World by K.L. Going
A heavy teen who nearly jumps in front of a train is rescued by a punk guitarist and joins his band. Raw and funny.
Best for: music and friendship.
13. Under Rose-Tainted Skies by Louise Gornall
Norah has agoraphobia and OCD, and her life changes when a new neighbor reaches out. Raw and sensitive.
Best for: readers who want a close-up of anxiety.
14. With the Fire on High by Elizabeth Acevedo
A teen mother and gifted cook dreams of a culinary career. Warm and hopeful.
Best for: food and hope.
15. Clap When You Land by Elizabeth Acevedo
Two sisters, one in New York and one in the Dominican Republic, learn about each other after their father dies in a plane crash. A verse novel.
Best for: readers who like verse.
How We Chose These Books
Every pick is a real, widely available book that shares something specific with Crank: its tone, its themes, its pace or the kind of characters it puts at the center. We mixed well-known favorites with a few less obvious titles, and we noted who each book suits best so you can match it to the reader. Where a book belongs to a series, we list the first volume so you can start at the beginning.
If you are not sure where to begin, start with the first three picks in the table: they are the closest match to Crank. The rest of the list moves further out, so it works well once you know which part of the original you liked most.
How to Choose
For more verse, read Glass or The Poet X. For harsh truths, try Speak or Wintergirls. For tough stories, pick Smack or Thirteen Reasons Why.
Related: Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson: Summary and Key Takeaways · With the Fire on High by Elizabeth Acevedo: Summary and Key Takeaways
Frequently Asked Questions
Who wrote Crank?
Ellen Hopkins, in 2004.
Is it about addiction?
Yes, based on her family's experience.
What age is it for?
Older teens, with mature content.
Which book here is best for readers who like verse?
Try Clap When You Land by Elizabeth Acevedo, which suits readers looking for readers who like verse.
Which book here is best for food and hope?
Try With the Fire on High by Elizabeth Acevedo, which suits readers looking for food and hope.
Which book here is best for readers who want a close-up of anxiety?
Try Under Rose-Tainted Skies by Louise Gornall, which suits readers looking for readers who want a close-up of anxiety.