Lesson Ideas
Explain to students that they will have a chance to discuss the books Poppy and Crispin online. They can share their thoughts, and other students can respond to them. The author, Avi, will come online between October 24 and 28 to answer their questions and respond to their ideas. To help them prepare for the bulletin board discussion, have them write about their favorite part of each book. What did they like about it? What did they learn from it? What would they tell or ask the author about it?

In many works of literature, a character goes on a long journey that changes him or her. This happens to both Poppy and Crispin. Have students complete a graphic organizer with spaces to describe the different places they go and corresponding spaces to describe what happens and what they learn at each place. They can do this for either novel or both. Also, they can do it before the bulletin board discussion to prepare to answer questions or after, using what they read to help them.

Before the bulletin board discussion begins, you might also want to use these book-specific activities with your class:

1. Hold a discussion about bullies. As a class, brainstorm to list the characteristics of a bully. What does the book Poppy have to say about bullies?
2. Invite students to write about something they have in common with Poppy. Have they ever been scared of someone like Mr. Ocax? Have they ever wanted to show their families something about themselves? Have they ever liked someone who their family didn’t understand? Then ask them to think about what part of their story they might want to share with other students online. (Remind them not to give anyone’s last name or personal information online.)

Crispin

1. Crispin takes place in a very different time and place from today. Some of these differences might be difficult for students to understand. Have students write down their observations about the setting. What seems confusing to them?
2. Ask students to imagine they are Crispin. What would the word “family” mean to them? Who would they say is in their family? Why? How do family members treat each other? Students can use their reflections on this question when responding to the bulletin board questions.

After the bulletin board discussion, round out the experience by asking students to write down some interesting things they learned about Avi from the bulletin board. Why do they think he likes to write for children? What did students learn about why Avi wrote Poppy and Crispin or how he went about doing it?

You might also want to use these book-specific activities as follow-ups to the bulletin board discussion:

1. Ask students to think about how they would describe the character Poppy. They can use what they read on the bulletin board to help them. What did they realize about her that they didn’t think of before?

Crispin

1. As a class, have students make a list of what they know about the Middle Ages. What did they learn from the bulletin board responses that they didn’t know before?
2. Put students in pairs and have them interview each other about what they realized about the character Crispin or the plot of the book from the bulletin board. Have volunteers report back to the class.

• Ereth’s Birthday
  
• Midnight Magic
  
• Perloo the Bold
  
• The Good Dog

In the Teacher Store
Build your Avi collection with these titles, available in Scholastic’s Teacher Store.

City of Light; City of Dark
By Avi
Sarah has been told falsely that her mother died. Carlos can't understand why an old blind man is so interested in a subway token he's found. Together, Sarah and Carlos discover the truth: The evil Mr. Underton was blinded by Sarah's mother eleven years ago when he tried to steal the token that's the source of power for New York City. If the token isn't delivered to safekeeping each December 21st, the whole city will freeze.
Grades 4–7
Paperback

Midnight Magic
By Avi
Mangus the Magician must free a princess from a terrifying ghost. But Mangus doesn't believe in ghosts. In fact, he doesn't even believe in magic. But his servant boy, Fabrizio, is a secret friend of the princess and is determined to prove that the ghost is real.
Grades 6–9
Paperback

Never Mind!
By Avi and Rachel Vail
Edward and Meg are like night and day, oil and water. Meg zigs while Edward zags. They may be twins, but they don't have to like it — or each other! Strangely enough, it's just when they get out of each other's way that trouble begins.
Grades 6–9
Paperback

In The Scholastic Store
Build your Avi collection with these titles, available in The Scholastic Store.

The End of the Beginning: Being the Adventures of a Small Snail (and an Even Smaller Ant)
By Avi
Avon the snail is quite the bookworm, and his reading leads him to believe that adventure is the key to happiness. So he sets off with his buddy Edward, the ant, to find the end of his tree branch and the beginning of the sky.
Grades PreK and up
Hardcover

Perloo the Bold
By Avi
In this comic fantasy, Perloo, a bookish, history-loving member of the rabbitlike Montmers, is chosen to succeed Jolaine the Good as leader of the tribe. But when things go awry, Perloo is forced into an unexpected and irresistible adventure.
Grades 3–9
Hardcover

Crispin: The Cross of Lead
By Avi
Avi, a prolific and well-respected children's author, has created a breathtaking adventure for his 50th book. Follow the engaging story of 13-year-old Crispin, an orphaned serf growing up during the Middle Ages, as he battles adversity and uncovers secrets from his past. Winner of the 2003 Newbery Medal.
Grades 4–8
Paperback

The True Confessions of Charlotte Doyle
By Avi
On an 1832 transatlantic voyage, pampered teen Charlotte discovers she's sailing with a murderous captain and rebellious crew. She'll have to work and prove herself indispensable to the ship if she hopes to reach land alive. Combining history, adventure, and girl power, this Newbery Honor book shows your child how she can survive — and thrive — under extraordinary circumstances.
Grades 4–8
Hardcover

Nothing But the Truth
By Avi
When a ninth grader is suspended for not standing at "respectful, silent attention" during the national anthem, the students, parents, teachers, school officials, and national media get caught up in questions of respect, freedom, and patriotism. Written entirely in transcripted conversations and reproduced documents, this remarkable novel challenges your child to define the truth.
Grades 4–9
Hardcover

Who Was That Masked Man, Anyway?
By Avi
"With his glasses perched over his mask, sixth-grader Frankie Wattleson of Brooklyn, New York, tries to be a Master Spy... Avi tells the whole story through dialogue. There's not even a 'he said' to show who's speaking, though a different typeface sets off radio excerpts. Yet, the characters and the parody are so sharp, the fast-paced scenes so dramatic, that readers will have no trouble following what's going on." — Booklist, starred review
Grades 5–7
Hardcover

Beyond the Western Sea
By Avi
"It is no small feat replicating the narrative style, character types and intricate plotting of a 19th-century serial novel, but Avi continues to accomplish this task with panache... Its short chapters full of clever narrative hooks and fast-paced adventure will keep most readers on the edge of their seats." — Publishers Weekly, starred review
Grades 6–7
Hardcover