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Content snapshot
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Violence
A lot
Common Sense Media's summary is exact: "A priest's throat is slit, a hung man is described, a bear is tortured, and a man is impaled
Language
None
No profanity
Sexual Content
None
None
Substance Use
Barely any
Men drink in a village pub; ale is the ordinary drink of the period
Emotional Intensity
Some
Crispin is declared outlaw, loses his mother, and learns his identity has been a lie
What this book is about
Newbery Medal winner set in 1377 England. Common Sense Media rates it 9+ and flags the violence specifically: a priest's throat is slit, a hanged man is described, a bear is tortured for sport, and a man is impaled. The brutality is medieval and matter-of-fact rather than lingering, and reviewers there split on whether ten-year-olds are ready for it. There is no profanity and no sexual content; the difficulty is entirely the violence and the theology of a boy who has been told he is legally worthless.
Notes for sensitive readers
Reader-flagged moments and themes that may affect your experience.
A throat-slitting, a hanging, an impalement and bear-baiting
Constant threat of a child being killed on sight
Reader Verification
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