Booktalking Colorado - Full Booktalk Record

Booktalking Colorado Full Record:

	Title:	Crispin: The Cross of Lead
	Author:	Avi
	Date Published:	2002
	Genre:	Fantasy
	Grade Level:	6 - 8
	Booktalker:	Susan Bartel
	Awards:	Former Blue Spruce Award Nominee

Booktalk:
Here are but a few of the things that happened in the days following my mother’s death. I was chased by the hated steward of our village, an unkind man named Aycliffe. He chased me after I saw him talking and “great dangers” in the middle of the forest. The cottage I’d shared with my mother was destroyed: first by axes, then by fire. Aycliffe claimed I’d stolen from the manor house. I’d never even been near that house. I was declared a wolf’s head. This meant my life was worth that of an animal’s. It meant I was to be killed on sight. The one person in the village I could trust, Father Quinel, told me my mother had christened me “Crispin.” I’d not heard this name before. I had always been known only as “Asta’s son.” He gave me the lead cross my mother wore around her neck. He claimed my mother herself wrote the inscription on the cross. I always thought my mother unable to read or write. He was to tell me of my father, whom I’d always thought to be dead, but before he could tell me my own story, he himself was killed. Now there is nothing for me to do but run. I’ve never been beyond my own village, but now I must run for my life. You’ll be wanting to hear about my encounter with the juggler named Bear who takes me in and teaches me about music, making a living by one’s wits, and … revolution. We make our way to Great Wexley where there will be a great feast and many people gathering. There we will entertain, clandestinely meet with others within the revolution, and see if we are able to avoid the trap that Aycliffe is laying for me.