Crispin: The Cross of Lead by Avi Date of Publication: 2004 ISBN: 0439574684 Number of Pages: 262

REQUIRED READING ABILITY: Junior: Average / High Intermediate : Average
GENRES: Historical Fiction/Adventure
THEMES : Good versus Evil - Life versus Death - Sacrifice and Redemption - Family  Prejudice - Loyalty - Appearance versus Reality - Coming of Age - Survival - Isolation

SUMMARY:
A young peasant boy in medieval England has just lost his beloved mother. As if this isn't traumatic enough, he overhears the Steward of the manor house talking to a stranger about him...and in none too favourable terms. They are clearly planning to kill him, and he has no idea why. When they discover him eavesdropping, he narrowly escapes being killed at that moment, and after hiding all day, learns he has been accused of a serious crime. Clearly there's more to his background than he understands, and when the boy finally has a chance to speak to the kind village priest, he discovers his true name, Crispin, and learns his mother was actually literate and had many secrets of her own. Crispin is promised the truth about his mother, his long dead father, and his heritage if he returns the next night...but when he does, he soon learns he's been set up. Men are waiting to dispose of him, the priest has been murdered, and Crispin is framed.

Taking the advice of the priest from their last encounter, and grabbing the lead cross that was always his mother's favourite possession, Crispin flees in the night and heads to London. On the way he dodges repeated encounters with his enemies, and meets with all manner of medieval characters. The most important of these is a freeman named Bear, who teaches Crispin how to survive. Can Crispin really trust him, however...especially when Crispin's true identity is finally revealed?

WHO WOULD LOVE THIS BOOK? A kid who...
- is interested in medieval times
- likes historical fiction
- enjoys adventure sprinkled with excitement and swordplay
- is willing to wait until the end of the story for the big "reveal"

WHAT ELSE?
This book won the Newbery Medal for 2004 and the author has won numerous other awards as well. There are literature circle questions in the back of the book, and a great deal of teaching materials online. The sequel was released in 2006 (Crispin at the Edge of the World) and there is a third book promised.

RELATED LINK:
http://www.edhelper.com/books/Crispin__The_Cross_of_Lead.htm
Avi's website: http://www.avi-writer.com/