Crispin, The Cross of Lead by Avi, Winner of the Newbery Medal

CRISPIN, THE CROSS OF LEAD, Winner of the Newbery Medal is one of Kids Wings' favorites. Set in Medieval England, the adventure takes many frightening turns and concludes with an unbelievable surprise.

Asta's son, a poor peasant in 14th Century England, was only 13 when his mother died and his whole world crumbled. His mourning was soon replaced by inexplicable terror when, it seemed, the whole world was suddenly determined to see him dead! On the advice of his priest, Crispin escaped from the only home he had ever known and ran into a world he had never known. With him, he carried his only possession, a cross of lead. Having no skills, no friends, no family, and no experience in finding food, Crispin's problems began to multiply.

Why was Crispin being pursued?
Who was the mysterious stranger he met in a deserted village?
What was the secret held in the cross of lead?

Crispin transports students from grades 4-12 into Medieval times in this propelling story. Readers emerge with a deep understanding of the people, the social system, and the difficulties encountered during these dark times.

Suzy Red's Kids Wings literature guide for Crispin, The Cross of Lead contains the following activities:
Creating and Using a Dialectical Journal, Working with a Literature Group
Working by Yourself or with a Partner
Anticipation Guide
Making Connections
A Pre- and Post-Reading Discussion Guide
The Heart Beat of the Story
Vocabulary Master
Five in a Row
Character Connections
From Mourning to Fear, Multiple Choice Check-Up
Midnight Meeting, Readers Theater Script Writing
Compare Crispin’s Life with Yours-2 pages
A Map of Stromford, 2 pages, Logic Puzzle
In Other Words, Summarizing
Review of Chapters 1-19, Crossword Puzzle
A Step of Faith, Multiple Choice and Short Answer Check-Up
Great Wexly--Make an Amazing Model Game Board
Comparing a Movie with the Book
Bear’s Wisdom
Get the Picture? Descriptions, Similes, and Metaphors
The Ballad of Bear, Sing the first 2 chapters and add summary verses as you read
Timeline of Important Events in Crispin’s Lifetime
Report on Feudalism, Reading Assessment
Guilds and Craftsmen--Creating Your Guild
Writing Prompts
Dialectical Journal--Working with a Literary Circle
Answer Page

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