Review

VOYA:

“The suspense stays taut until the very end of the book, when Crispin discovers his identity and then must decide how to act on the information. . . . Avi renders the sights, sounds and smells of medieval England accurately and compellingly. He shows the pervasiveness of the church in medieval society and, in a subplot, weaves in details about John Ball and the Peasant's Rebellion.  Exciting and true to the past. This novel is historical fiction as its finest."

Awards and Honors

Newbery Award, 2003
ALA Notable, 2003
Starred Review: School Library Journal
Starred Review: Publishers Weekly
Booksense Top Ten
Best Children's Books of the year, 2003 list, Bank Street College of Education
Children's Choice nominee, Kansas
Children's Choice nominee, Vermont
Children's Choice nominee, Texas
Colorado Book award