Crispin: The Cross of Lead by Avi
Winner, 2003 Newbery Award
Quick Summary
In England in 1377 A.D., thirteen-year-old Crispin (known as "Asta's son") finds himself on the run after being falsely accused of theft after the death of his mother.
Favorite Quote
Still, what assaulted my senses more than anything—from the sheer numbers of people of all ages and the ensuing cacophony—was the stench that filled the air: rotting goods, food, dung, manure, human slop, and swill, mixed together into such a ghastly brew as to make me want to swoon.
About the Author
Avi published his first book in 1970. Raised in Brooklyn, he currently lives in Colorado "in a log house in the Rocky Mountains." Crispin: The Cross of Lead was his fiftieth book.
My Project
For the background, I wanted to create an ancient wall since that fits some of the themes in the book. People are divided by class, religion, and misunderstandings, but there are also literal walls like the one surrounding Great Wexly where the last part of the book takes place. I used broken Popsicle sticks for the bricks which I painted a muddy brown/black. I added a little sand to give the wall a clumpy, uneven texture.
Of course I added the lead cross from the title, although mine is actually made with roughly hand cut recycled brass that I painted dull black and gray. I actually painted the entire cross a dark, uniform gray, but as I was putting it together I decided I liked how the back of the cross looked with the uneven color variations and used that as the front. You may see some very faint text on the brass, but you probably can't quite read it, which seems perfect for the book as the main character cannot read.
Final Thoughts
This book started slowly for me with a dreary setting and a subservient narrator who didn't have any thoughts of his own. (The book opens: "The day after my mother died, the priest and I wrapped her body in a gray shroud and carried her to the village church.") The story picked up considerably once Crispin meets a juggler known as Bear who is lively and opinionated. I enjoyed seeing how the main character changed over the course of the book and the rough, authentic setting. The last part of the book has some thrilling moments at the main character keeps inadvertently running into the men who want to kill him. A sequel titled Crispin: At The Edge of the World was published in 2006.
Your Turn
Readers: If you read this book, I'd love to hear what you think in the comments.
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