The words etched on his mother's treasured lead cross may provide some clue ... "I have no name," Crispin tells Bear, whose rough manners and appearance mask a tender heart.

Avi's "Crispin: The Cross of Lead" was awarded the 2003 Newbery Medal. Eric Rohmann's "My Friend Rabbit" won the Caldecott Medal for children's book illustration. "Crispin" is a coming-of-age ...

Crispin: The Cross of Lead, published by Hyperion Books for Children ... The book follows Crispin and Bear, a juggler who befriends him. In announcing the award, the Newbery judges commend ...