Crispin : The Cross of Lead

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Summary: Crispin
Review:
The book I will be writing about is called Crispin the Cross of Lead. The author of this book is named Avi. He has written many books before. Some are Nothing but the Truth and Good dog. This book Crispin is a very violent book.
Crispin was originally called "Asta's son." Crispin's father passed away from the Great Plague. His mother died the same way 13 years later. However Crispin's father died before he was born. Later the steward found that money had been stolen from a manor in their village. The people blamed it all on Crispin. The steward declared him as a wolf head that meant anyone could kill him. Crispin ran away from the village. Along the way Crispin ran into a man that could help him. With that Crispin had to become the man's servant.
The characters are somewhat gross and violent. The only good characters are Crispin, Crispin's mother, Bear, and the priest. These characters are very caring and Christian like. Some characters were nice, gross, and rude at the same time. Most of the characters are not in the story for long. They pass away; they get killed, or stay in the book till later. Anyway, when Crispen's father passed away everything went downhill. Crispen and his mother became hungry and poor.
The words in this book are somewhat hard to understand, the vocabulary has challenged me. I had to take many notes so I could look up words and fully understand them. The book challenged me with new vocabulary but it did not interrupt me from understanding the main points. Looking up the words helped me fully understand what was happening. The vocabulary has taught me many new words that I can use in the future.
I would recommend this book because of the storyline. Also because of how challenging it was. When reading this book you have to understand the vocabulary and be mature enough to handle the violence. The book includes many scenes with violence such as death, and emotional parts that may make you want to cry. At first the story starts out boring and slow. The book gradually becomes better around chapter three. The book provides you will experience the joyful ending.






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Summary: Valley View Book Club Review by Darla, Jordan & Maccaelaa
Review: A 13-year-old boy, known only as "Asta's son, finds out after his mother's death that she was keeping secrets from him. The clue to the secret is written on the lead cross she left him, but he can't read the words. Before his friend, the priest, can tell him anything more than the fact that his real name is Crispin, something awful happens, and the boy is blamed. Crispin is then declared a "wolf's head" - meaning he can be shot on sight. When he runs for his life, he meets a juggler who claims him as a servant. This man plays an important part in Crispin's quest to find freedom and to find out who he really is.

Avi's historically accurate and vivid descriptions, use of language, and sense of suspense place the reader in the year 1377 and cause him to hear and feel all the sights and sounds of a culture plagued by the "black death" and steeped in religion and the Feudal system. Avi manages to build anticipation in such a way that he makes this book a page turner.

Even though the book has a hint of violence, we recommend it for grades 4 and above.

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Summary: Crispin the Cross of Lead by Avi
Review: Crispin the Cross of Lead is a great book for young children. This book is about a boy, Crispin, who is declared a "wolf's head" and is wanted for dead. At the end of Crispin's journey, he learns something very important about himself. He learns why his enemies are so determined to kill him. This book is a good book for many reasons. First, the characters and setting are unique and believeable. The book takes place in medieval England, a time period where peasants were poor and put to work. Crispin's mother died, and he was left with no home or family. After Crispin was declared a "wolf's head," he was forced to leave his village. He did not know where to go until he met a man named Bear, who took Crispin as his servant. Bear and Crispin became good friends. Second, the vocabulary used in the book is precise and figurative language is used. Avi uses dialogue that relates to medieval times. Third, the dialogue provides insight into the characters. For example, the reader can get a mental picture about Crispin and Bear through the following quotes. "Your tunic is equal parts dirt, rags, and rents. Your face is scratched and mucked as are your naked arms and legs. Your hair is long and unkempt. I can barely count your fingers for the caked filth. In short, you're more cur than boy." "At first, all I saw was rubble and rot. Then, partly hidden in the shadows, I saw a man who was anything but a skeleton. On the contrary, he was a mountain of flesh, a great barrel of a fellow, whose arms and legs were as thick as tree limbs, and with a tublike belly before all." Fourth, the plot has subtle major dramatic question, meaning that the reader starts to wonder something. Crispin has a cross that his mother gave him before she died. There is an inscription on the cross, however Crispin never learned to read. Crispin eventually learns what is on the cross, and he realizes why John Aycliffe is trying to kill him. Crispin is supposedly declared a "wolf's head" for stealing money. The reader starts to wonder if there is another reason why Crispin is wanted, the reason that Crispin learns at the end of the novel. Finally, the mood and tone of the story facilitate suspension of disbelief, meaning that the story feels real. The reader can put themselves in Crispin's shoes and feel how difficult his life is and how hard he fights to stay alive.

The audience would enjoy Avi's specific and sequential dialogue, which helps readers understand and relate the story to medieval times. Crispin is about twelve years old in this story, which is similar to the age of young children reading this book. These young readers can get a feel as to the hardships of a young boy during medieval times. This story is suspenseful and mysterious, leaving the reader on the edge of their seat. Avi also adds an exciting twist to the end of the story. This book would be excellent to use in the classroom to connect a literature lesson along with a lesson about medieval times. I highly recommend this book to all young children. It's a must read that the reader will not be able to put down.

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Summary: Crispin: The Cross of Lead, A must read
Review: Crispin: The Cross of Lead is a book that definitly deserved to win the Newberry medal. This interesting book set in midevil England about a 14 year old boy's struggle for freedom is of very high literary merit. The midevil setting of the book is very believable. Everything is described just as history tells us that they were in midevil England. Avi does a wonderful job of making us feel as if we are actually there with Crispin on his journey through England. The characters are also all very believable. The book is experienced by the reader through the point of view of the main character, Crispin as he travels through England after the death of his mother. He was declared a "wolf's head" by the steward of his home town which means that anyone can kill him as if he was any other animal and they will recieve a reward for doing so. Unaware of why this label has been put on him, Crispin simply flees, hoping to find freedom along the way. There are many surprises along the way, but they all flow naturally with the story as if that is what the reader knew was going to happen all along. The theme of the struggle for freedom is revisited throughout the story, sometimes subtly and sometimes not so subtly. On the first page of the book is an intriguing quote from Crispin: "In the midst of life comes death." How often did our villiage priest preach these words. Yet i have also heard that "in the midst of death comes life." If this be a riddle, so was my life." This quote is very intriguing throughout the book, but at the end it all comes together and the meaning of the quote is simple. In the midst of others' death, Crispin gains freedom, therefore a life.

This book would be very interesting for anyone who enjoys reading about midevil times. Even if a reader does not always enjoy reading about medevil times, Avi makes it interesting to anyone. So, I guess I would say that anyone should enjoy this book. It is full of enough suspense to keep the reader's attention until the end. Even after the end, the reader will still be thinking about the book and the theme within it. This book would be excellent to use in a middle grade level classroom where midevil times is be taught. The students could perform a play about the book. They could dress in midevil clothing and use some dialect from midevil England. Another way to use the book in the classroom would be to integrate science into it. The students could research to find out about life in midevil times compared to present time. They could then tell how Crispin's journey would be different if he would have had some of the technology that is available today.

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Summary: Richie's Picks: CRISPIN: THE CROSS OF LEAD
Review: CRISPIN: THE CROSS OF LEAD is a thrilling and endearing tale, unquestionably my favorite book of Avi's from the bunch I've read. (This is, in fact, his fiftieth book.) CRISPIN is set in 1300s England. Not only is the story steeped in the history of feudalistic medieval Britain, but Avi brings that history to life most vividly without ever once hitting you over the head with it.

"Time was the great millstone, which ground us to dust like kerneled wheat. The Holy Church told us where we were in the alterations of the day, the year, and in our daily toil. Birth and death alone gave distinction to our lives, as we made the journey between the darkness from whence we had come to the darkness where we were fated to await Judgment Day."

CRISPIN is the name of the 13-year-old peasant main character; although, the only name he's known for himself is "Asta's Son." That is until his mother dies, and in his blinding grief he stumbles upon a secret meeting in the woods between John Aycliffe--the steward of the manor--and a wealthy stranger. In a flash he finds himself the target of a plot in which he is falsely accused of a theft and declared a "wolf's head," allowing anyone to kill him on sight. On his way "out of town" the village priest tells the boy his real name, tells him to hide out for 24 hours until he can round up some provisions, and promises to reveal some more vital information the next day. Then the priest proceeds to get his throat slit and Crispin is on the run with the theft AND the priest's murder hanging over him. What happens to him is one of those stories that is so well crafted that you can taste and smell the settings, as well as hear the sinister growl in Aycliffe's throat, as you anxiously wait for something to go right for Crispin.

While trying not to reveal any more of the story, I'll also tell you that there is a character in here who I find darn near as lovable as Hagrid.

I hope that Avi is contemplating a sequel to this one--the end came way too soon for me.

Richie Partington
http://richiespicks.com
[e-mail]

Rating:
Summary: Crispin and the Cross of Lead
Review: CRISPIN:by-Avi Period-1
Reviewed by;A.Alagappan
This book is about a young boy who lives in a village. He has no idea that his father (who abandoned him and his mother) is the cruel Lord Furnival. His living causes his mother's and priest Quinel death! He leaves the village to get freedom. Later he meets a big man with a red beard. He finds that Crispin has no lord and so he becomes his lord. Crispin calls him Bear. Later they make up a good companionship and become partners. Bear teaches Crispin to play music, read, and write. No one wants a nobody like Crispin to become in line for the next royal throne. So the Duke of his village tries to kill Crispin and declares him a wolf's head. So Bear and Crispin find themselves in many life threatning crisis and soon kill the duke, win the battle, and they set of out of their freedom.
I liked this book because it was thrilling and kept you on the edge of your seat. Usually many books get good after about fifty to seventy pages. But this one made you jump from the beginning. It also held a lot of suspense.
There wasn't any reason for me to dislike this book. I really thought it was thrilling and held a lot of suspense.
My favorite part of the book is when Crispin is hiding in a hotel. Bear was out gor an important meeting. His friend came upstairs to give Crispin his dinner and a bit of hope. Crispin then takes out his cross of lead. His mother had wrote something on it, before she had died. Bear had read it and not told him. Crispin asks Bear's friend what it said, and she replied saying that it said "Crispin son of Furnival".

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Summary: A medieval adventure
Review: From the first page, your attention is grasped by the situation Crispin finds himself in after his mother's death. Anyone familiar with Avi's writing will appreciate his clear dialogue and description of the action, which at times moves fast. The Middle Ages come alive for the reader and for those learning about serfs and castles in social studies will have a good reference of what it was like to be a 13-year-old boy on his own in the world. The ending is great, as it does not diminish the journey that Crispin has gone through to achieve his right to be his own man in the end. This book is perfect for the 10-13 year-old boy, when reading this book with the Seventh graders at school I had an immediate wait list for the books. I would highly recommend this book for anyone who would like to get a little taste of the Dark Ages.

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Summary: Another Avi must have!
Review: I began reading books by Avi in junior high with Nothing But the Truth. You just never know what you're going to get when you read a novel by him. Not every book by Avi is the greatest, you must pick and choose. This is one to choose! The introduction leaves you wondering where this is all going, and when it's all done I was left wondering what would happen next. That would be my only complaint, I wanted to know more. The story ended feeling a little unfinished. Overall a great story.

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Summary: Crispin; Cross of Lead
Review: I teach reading to Jr. High students, and they loved this book. The girls loved it, the boys loved it, and I loved it. It is full of great characters and has a wonderful moral. It is very nice to see a story like this one. It does not sacrifice plot in order to speak to a younger audience. I am an adult, and I have read for years and years of my life. I, honestly, enjoyed it as much as my kids did. I probably liked it even more because they were so in love with the story. It makes teaching so much more fun when your students like what they are doing. I recommend it highly to young and old alike. P.S. The story is historically accurate and the setting is prefectly rendered. It is a history lesson as well.

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Summary: crispin
Review: The beginning started off slow and boring. Then little by little it got better and better. When Crispin finds out Cerdic lead him into the trap is when the book started to get better. Next Crispin starts is wandering away. Then Crispin finds Bear. Bear was scary in the beginning and nice, father like towards the rest of the book. it starts to get boring until Bear teaches Crispin to play the recorder and performs in the first town. The best part is when they enter Great Wexly. Read the book to find out the rest. The book over all has a good concept. p.s.- The boring parts don't last very long.