Crispin: The Cross of Lead

Crispin: The Cross of Lead by Avi copyright 2002 Newberry Award winner

I read this book a month or so ago. I found it at the Scholastic book fair at my children's school. Although labeled a "children's" book, I enjoyed it. There is a lot of good to be said about a quick read. The setting is medieval England countryside. The story begins with a thirteen year old boy burying his mother in a pauper's grave with only the town priest in attendance. The boy doesn't even know he has a name other than "Asta's son" which is what people have always called him. He is the lowest of the low on the social rungs of the little country town social ladder. One might think that he would just fade away for lack of a way to support himself, but rather than shrink into nothingness, the boy becomes the object of intrigue and must run away. Before he does, the priest tells him his name and tries to help him, but the priest is killed for his trouble.

The story moves along at a brisk pace with Crispin running for his life, finding a friend and protector and finally learning why he is in trouble in the first place. Although the storyline would like be more developed if it were a book written for an adult audience, I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book. I think there is a sequel, but I haven't located it yet.

Chickens in the Headlights

Chickens in the Headlights by Matthew Buckley copyright 2005

Funny. This book is filled with giggles, guffaws and outright belly laughs. The story centers around a family with seven young sons living in rural Utah. The antics are endless.
"When the school year ends Mom and Dad decide to harness some of their boys' apparently inexhaustive energy and buy some goats and chickens for them to take care of. While they are initially thrilled with the 'responsibiliy,' the boys soon learn that it's far tougher--and far funnier for the reader-- than it appears."

Seriously, the chapter where the family travels to California in their van, I couldn't breathe I was laughing so hard. Maybe because I've lived some similar experiences. . . Anyway, this is a fun, upbeat read. It is also available on audiobook and mp3.

Deerskin

Deerskin by Robin McKinley

Generally speaking, I enjoy light fantasy fiction. Robin McKinley hasn't disappointed in the past with novels such as Beauty: a retelling of Beauty and the Beast, or The Outlaws of Sherwood. I even really liked reading The Hero and the Crown when I was in high school. Deerskin, however, was not to my liking. I thought the storyline was rather lame and disjointed. I do recommend reading any of the above mentioned titles. They are very entertaining, especially Beauty.

Deerskin is that kind of fantasy novel when the main characters have odd names, so be prepared for that. In a nutshell, it is the story of a princess who is born to parents who are so self-absorbed and popular rulers, that they pretty much forget their daughter exists. The story turns bizarre when the Queen gets ill and dies and the King goes mental. A couple years after the mother has died, the princess is so lovely that the King (who has gone quite nutty and violent) decides he wants to marry his daughter. Instead of immediately running away (which I could not for the life of me figure out why she didn't) she locks herself in her room. Well, the King breaks in, rapes and beats the poor girl and leaves her for dead. FINALLY, the princess pulls herself together and runs away.

During the running away part, the princess, Lissar, has sort of a mental break and can't remember why she's hurt or who she is. Her only companion is her faithful dog whose been her only friend and who the King also beat up. Lissar finds a cabin in the woods and manages to stay alive through a long (apparently 5 years) winter. In the spring, she is visited by the "The Moonwoman" her heals her broken body, changes her appearance and gives her special gifts.

Lissar calls herself Deerskin now (because of the dress she is wearing) and runs for days towards the local kingdom (not her own). She eventually tends the Prince's dogs, and yes, the prince falls in love with her. There are a few twists and entanglements, but there is a happy ending.

I would not have finished this book if I hadn't already invested about 100 pages and was too confined to my bed to search out other things. If you like fantasy or are a devoted Robin McKinley fan, maybe you'll like it better than I did.