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A video interview with

Avi

Avi is the 2003 Newbery Medal award winning author of Crispin: A Cross of Lead, and widely acclaimed for his works of historical fiction for middle grade readers. In this exclusive video interview with Reading Rockets, Avi talks about the challenges of writing, his years as a librarian, and his symptoms of dyslexia.

He also recalls what it was like to win the 2003 Newbery Medal in this engaging and wide-ranging conversation.

Click on the links below§ to watch this interview online or to download it. You can also read the interview transcript. or a short biography of Avi, or see a selected list of his children’s books.

Download this video from:

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iTunes (audio)
OMN (video & audio)

For more information and options, please see the Podcasts & Videos section.

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Writer's block (1:15)
Do actors ever get actor's block? Do mailmen ever get mailman's block? In this video clip, Avi demystifies the legend of writer's block.
Symptoms of dyslexia (1:45)
Throughout his school years, Avi's writing was often criticized by his teachers for being "sloppy" and "careless". But neither he nor they realized that Avi had symptoms of dyslexia.
Kids are wonderful readers (1:50)
When was the last time you wrote a fan letter to your favorite author? In this video clip, Avi explains how and why children are so supportive of their authors.
Embracing change (1:00)
Avi explains how exposure to history can change the way a young reader sees the world.
The challenges of historical fiction (2:00)
How do you even begin to reconstruct a setting that existed over 500 years ago? Avi describes some of the challenges of writing historical fiction.
On teaching writing (1:30)
A life-long writer gives advice on how to effectively teach writing to children.
Winning the Newbery Medal (3:00)
In this video clip, Avi discusses what it was like to win the most prestigious award in children's writing.

^§ To play this clip, you'll need a copy of the free RealOne Player. Most computers already have it installed, or you can download it now.

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