1. Crispin and the Cross of Lead By: Avi Presentation by: Hannah Gantt

2. “AS THEY SHUNNED MY MOTHER IN LIFE, SO THEY SHUNNED HER NOW.” A 13 year old boy’s mother, Asta, dies, and hears a conversation between the village leader, John Aycliffe, and a mysterious stranger. “Asta’s son” is all he’s ever been called, and he does not know his real name.

3. Asta’s son meets with Father Quinel, a priest who is his only friend. There, he learns that he was declared a “wolf’s head” by John Aycliffe, which means any man can kill him. Father Quinel gives Asta’s son his mother’s cross of lead, and learns his name: Crispin. Father Quinel tries to help Crispin escape. “Then, from his pocket, he removed my mother’s cross of lead, the with which she so oft prayed, which was in her hands when she died.”

4. “BUT AS I WAS PASSING THE BROKEN CHURCH I HEARD A SOLITARY SINGING VOICE: ‘AH DEAR GOD, HOW CAN THIS BE, THAT ALL THINGS WEAR AND WASTE AWAY!’” The next night, Crispin gets caught by John Aycliffe while trying to escape, and finds Father Quinel dead. Crispin travels through the forest, trying to avoid people that might try to kill him. Soon, he comes across an abandoned village and hears singing when…

5. “AS SOON AS THE OPPORTUNITY ALLOWED, I WENT TO THE MAIN STREET, AND RAN IN THE DIRECTION BEAR HAD GONE. I HAD TO WARN HIM.” He finds a large juggler named Bear, who makes Crispin his servant. He teaches Crispin to play songs on the recorder, and they travel from city to city to preform and earn money. They reach the capital, and stay at the Green Man’s Inn where they meet Widow Davenry. Bear notices there’s writing on the cross of lead, but wont tell Crispin what it says, since Crispin cannot read or write. Crispin escapes the room Bear tells him to stay in, and finds a ominous one-eyed man following Bear, and goes to warn him of the danger.

6. “His reply was to gaze at me with eyes full of hate.” Right as Crispin warns Bear, soldiers burst in and take Bear away. Crispin goes back to the Inn and tells Widow Davenry of the incident. She hires a man to lead Crispin out of the city, but when the man leaves, Crispin goes to find and rescue Bear. At the castle, he learns the truth about who he is; Lord Furnival’s son. Lord Furnival is the ruler of many cities and villages, and was also married to Crispin’s mother. He left Asta when he learned she was going to have a baby. Crispin uses his new found power to get John Aycliffe to release Bear, but has to give John Aycliffe his mother’s cross of lead at the capital gates.

7. “I KEPT ASKING MYSELF IF I FELT DIFFERENT. I WAS DIFFERENT. THE ANSWER WAS ALWAYS YES. I WAS NO LONGER NOTHING…” When they get to the gates, Crispin gives John Aycliffe the cross of lead, but John surrounds them with soldiers, still trying to kill Crispin. Bear and Crispin fight John and the soldiers, eventually killing them all. Crispin goes back to living with Bear, and they have a happy life, playing music, dancing, and having fun.