AVI, born 1937

Avi

Avi (born 1937) is an American children's author whose Crispin: The Cross of Lead won the 2003 Newbery Medal.

Books
31
Editions tracked
38
First editions
30
Nationality
United States
Born
New York City, 1937

Official websiteWikidataOpen LibrarySearch within Avi

Avi wrote 31 books we track between 1975 and 2012; in publication order they begin with No More Magic (1975).

Life

About Avi

Writer

Known as
writer, novelist, children's writer, young adult author
Citizenship
United States

Background

Educated at
Antioch University, Stuyvesant High School, Antioch College, Little Red School House and Elisabeth Irwin High School

Awards and honours

  • Newbery Medal (2003)

Notable works

From Wikidata (CC0); Wikipedia has articles on Avi in 7 languages.

About Avi

Avi (born Edward Irving Wortis on 23 December 1937) is an American author of fiction for children and young adults, whose Crispin: The Cross of Lead won the 2003 Newbery Medal. He was born in New York City and grew up in Brooklyn.

Avi has written about 80 books, ranging across historical fiction, adventure, fantasy, mystery, ghost stories, comedy and picture books. The earliest dated title in his bibliography is Things That Sometimes Happen (1970). The True Confessions of Charlotte Doyle was published by Orchard Books in 1990; it was a Newbery Honor book in 1991 and also won the Boston Globe-Horn Book Award. Nothing but the Truth (1991) received a Newbery Honor in 1992. Poppy (1995) opened his Dimwood Forest animal series. Crispin: The Cross of Lead, set in England in 1377, was published by Hyperion Books for Children in 2002 as his fiftieth book and won the Newbery Medal in 2003.

For collectors

His Newbery titles are the natural focus for a collection: the Orchard Books first edition of The True Confessions of Charlotte Doyle (1990) and the Hyperion Books for Children first edition of Crispin: The Cross of Lead (2002).

For collectors

Collect Avi

Earliest first editionNo More MagicPantheon Books, 1975 Most editions trackedRagweed3 editions
First published by
Reading guide

Avi books in order

In publication order

  1. 1No More Magic1975
  2. 2Night Journeys1979
  3. 3Who Stole the Wizard of Oz?1981
  4. 4Sometimes I Think I Hear My Name1982
  5. 5The Fighting Ground1984
  6. 6Wolf Rider1986
  7. 7Romeo and Juliet Together (and Alive!) at Last1987
  8. 8Something Upstairs1988
  9. 9The Man Who Was Poe1989
  10. 10The True Confessions of Charlotte Doyle1990
  11. 11Nothing But the Truth1991
  12. 12Windcatcher1991
Show all 31 books in order
  1. 13Blue Heron1992
  2. 14The Barn1994
  3. 15Poppy1995
  4. 16Beyond the Western Sea1996
  5. 17The Escape From Home1996
  6. 18Poppy and Rye1998
  7. 19The True Confessions of Charlotte Doyle and Related Readings1998
  8. 20Midnight Magic1999
  9. 21Ragweed1999
  10. 22Ereth's Birthday2000
  11. 23Prairie School2001
  12. 24The Good Dog2001
  13. 25The Secret School2001
  14. 26Crispin2002
  15. 27The Book Without Words2005
  16. 28Iron Thunder2007
  17. 29A Beginning, a Muddle, and an End2008
  18. 30City of Orphans2011
  19. 31Sophia's War2012
In order

First editions, year by year

  1. 1975No More MagicPantheon Books
  2. 1979Night JourneysPantheon Books
  3. 1981Who Stole the Wizard of Oz?Knopf
  4. 1982Sometimes I Think I Hear My NamePantheon Books
  5. 1984The Fighting GroundLippincott
  6. 1986Wolf RiderBradbury Press
  7. 1987Romeo and Juliet Together (and Alive!) at LastOrchard Books
  8. 1988Something UpstairsOrchard Books
  9. 1989The Man Who Was PoeOrchard Books
  10. 1990The True Confessions of Charlotte DoyleOrchard Books
  11. 1991Nothing But the TruthOrchard Books
  12. 1991WindcatcherBradbury Press
  13. 1992Blue HeronBradbury Press
  14. 1994The BarnOrchard Books
  15. 1995PoppyOrchard Books
  16. 1996Beyond the Western SeaOrchard Books
  17. 1996Beyond the Western SeaOrchard Books
  18. 1998The True Confessions of Charlotte DoyleMcDougal Littell
  19. 1998Poppy and RyeAvon Books
  20. 1999RagweedAvon Books
  21. 2000Ereth's BirthdayHarperCollins
  22. 2001The Good DogAtheneum Books for Young Readers
  23. 2001The Secret SchoolHarcourt
  24. 2001Prairie SchoolHarperCollins
  25. 2002CrispinHyperion Books for Children
  26. 2005The Book Without WordsHyperion Books for Children
  27. 2007Iron ThunderHyperion Books for Children
  28. 2008A Beginning, a Muddle, and an EndHarcourt Children's Books
  29. 2011City of OrphansAtheneum Books for Young Readers
  30. 2012Sophia's WarBeach Lane Books
Books and editions

Which edition do you have?

Questions collectors ask

Frequently asked questions

What order should I read Avi's books in?

In publication order they begin with No More Magic (1975), then Night Journeys (1979) and Who Stole the Wizard of Oz? (1981). Books in a series are listed in series order on this page.

What was Avi's first book?

The earliest book we list is No More Magic, first published in 1975.

When was Avi born?

Avi was born in 1937.

How many Avi books does MyVolumes track?

We track 31 books by Avi across 38 editions, 30 of them first editions.

What awards has Avi won?

Avi has won Newbery Medal (2003), according to Wikidata.

Sources

Where these facts come from

Every fact on this page was checked against the sources listed. Checked 19 October 2026. Reviewed by Harriet Ellis; read how we check facts.

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