Crispin: Cross of Lead (Newbery Medal Winner)

About this book

A fourteenth-century English peasant boy is falsely accused of murder in this Newberry Medal-winning, New York Times –bestselling mystery adventure. "A page turner to delight Avi's fans, it will leave readers hoping for a sequel." — Publishers Weekly Sometimes I ran, sometimes all I could do was walk. All I knew was that if the steward overtook me, I'd not survive for long. . . . Crispin is a poor thirteen-year-old peasant in medieval England. Accused of a crime he did not commit, he has been declared a "wolf's head," meaning he may be killed on sight, by anyone. He flees his tiny village with nothing but his mother's cross of lead. In the English countryside, Crispin meets a man named Bear, who forces Crispin to become his servant yet encourages him to think for himself. But as Crispin's

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Why widely assigned

This Juvenile Fiction title, typically at grades 3–7. Written in the 2000s; cited across 1 curriculum framework.

Where this book is assigned

• Newbery Medal

  • recommended·3rd gradesource: Newbery Medal (American Library Association), via Wikipedia — 2003 Newbery Medal winner
  • recommended·4th gradesource: Newbery Medal (American Library Association), via Wikipedia — 2003 Newbery Medal winner
  • recommended·5th gradesource: Newbery Medal (American Library Association), via Wikipedia — 2003 Newbery Medal winner
  • recommended·6th gradesource: Newbery Medal (American Library Association), via Wikipedia — 2003 Newbery Medal winner
  • recommended·7th gradesource: Newbery Medal (American Library Association), via Wikipedia — 2003 Newbery Medal winner

Common questions

What grade level is Crispin: Cross of Lead (Newbery Medal Winner)?

Crispin: Cross of Lead (Newbery Medal Winner) is most commonly assigned in US schools in grades 3–7. Specific grade placement varies by curriculum — AP Literature and IB English Literature typically use it in grades 11-12.

How long does it take to read Crispin: Cross of Lead (Newbery Medal Winner)?

It takes about 5h 55m to read Crispin: Cross of Lead (Newbery Medal Winner) (324 pages) at an average adult reading pace of about 250 words per minute — roughly 355 minutes. Faster or slower readers will vary; the estimate is a planning guide for assigning the book.

What curricula assign Crispin: Cross of Lead (Newbery Medal Winner)?

Crispin: Cross of Lead (Newbery Medal Winner) appears on reading lists for Newbery Medal. Each assignment on this site links to its primary-source citation.

Is Crispin: Cross of Lead (Newbery Medal Winner) banned in schools?

Crispin: Cross of Lead (Newbery Medal Winner) does not appear in PEN America's Index of School Book Bans 2022-2024. No documented multi-district removals on record, but individual districts may challenge titles locally.