Crusade in Jeans facts for kids
First edition
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| Author | Thea Beckman |
|---|---|
| Original title | Kruistocht in spijkerbroek |
| Country | Netherlands |
| Language | Dutch |
| Genre | Historical, Alternate history, Children's, Novel |
| Publisher | Lemniscaat (Dutch) Scribner (USA) |
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Publication date
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1973 (orig.) (Eng trans. February 1976) |
| Media type | Print (Hardback & Paperback) |
| Pages | 275 p. (hardback edition) |
| ISBN | 0-684-14399-2 (hardback edition) |
| OCLC | 2113934 |
| LC Class | PZ7.B38179 Cr |
Crusade in Jeans is a popular children's novel written by Thea Beckman in 1973. It tells a fictional story about the Children's Crusade of 1212. The main character, Rudolf Hefting, is a boy from the 20th century who accidentally travels back in time. The original title in Dutch is Kruistocht in spijkerbroek. A movie version of the book was released in 2006.
Contents
Story of the Book
Rudolf "Dolf" Wega is a 15-year-old boy who tries out a time machine. Something goes wrong, and Dolf gets stuck in the 13th century. He saves the life of a smart young man named Leonardo Fibonacci da Pisa, without knowing how famous Leonardo will become. Dolf even teaches him about Arabic numerals, which were new at the time.
Dolf and Leonardo then join the German Children's Crusade. This was a real historical event where many children set out on a journey. Dolf uses his modern knowledge to help the children avoid many dangers. However, his unusual knowledge also makes some people think he is involved in witchcraft.
In the story, two bad men trick the children into joining them. They promise the children that their innocence will help them free Jerusalem. But these men actually plan to sell the children as slaves. With his smart thinking and a few modern items, like a box of matches, Dolf helps most of the children stay safe. He eventually leads them away from danger.
Main Characters
Dolf
Dolf's full name is Rudolf Hefting, and he is 15 years old. He is from Amstelveen in the Netherlands. When he gets stuck in the past, he becomes the main leader of the Children's Crusade.
Leonardo
Leonardo Fibonacci is a very intelligent young man from Pisa. He is one of the few real historical figures in the book. The real Fibonacci was a famous mathematician in the Middle Ages.
Marie
Marie is an 11-year-old girl who has no parents and begs for a living. She is very kind and sensitive. Both Dolf and Leonardo become very fond of her during their journey.
Frank
Frank is a 12-year-old boy from Cologne. His father was a tanner, someone who prepares animal hides.
Peter
Peter is a strong 12-year-old boy. During the Crusade, he was in charge of finding fish for everyone to eat. After a sad event in Genoa, he becomes more serious.
Hans
Hans knows a lot about trees because his father was a woodcutter. His knowledge is very helpful to the group.
Bertho
Bertho is a tall and strong boy. He feels bad about things he did in his past.
Everard
Everard is one of the main hunters in the group, along with Carolus and Bertho. He grew up in the forest and was very skilled at hunting. He bravely dies fighting farmers in Lombardy.
Dom Thaddeus
Dom Thaddeus is a priest who joins the Crusade from a village near where Dolf first gets lost.
Dom Anselmus and Dom Augustus
These two men pretend to be monks. They work for a man named Boglio and try to sell the children into slavery. Luckily, they do not succeed.
Nicolas
Nicolas is a young shepherd boy. The fake monks trick him into believing he is chosen by God to lead the Children's Crusade.
Carolus
Carolus is a young nobleman who believes he will become king when they reach Jerusalem. Sadly, he dies from appendicitis before they get to Genoa. This disease was deadly back then. His death is very hard for Dolf, who cared for him a lot.
Fredo
Fredo is a strong boy whose father was a knight who lost his money. Fredo leaves the Crusade before they cross the Alps, taking about 800 followers with him.
Hilda
Hilda von Marburg is the daughter of a count. She grew up in the palace of her uncle, the archbishop of Cologne. She is thought to be the "future queen of Jerusalem." During the Crusade, she helps care for the sick and injured.
Frieda
Frieda is the daughter of a servant. She knows a lot about different berries, herbs, and root vegetables, which helps the group find food.
Gardulf
Gardulf is a baker. With the help of Frank and Dolf, he bakes 200 loaves of bread in one night. This helps prevent the children from starving.
Wilhelm
Wilhelm is a cheerful boy who is always ready to help Dolf.
Awards and Recognition
Crusade in Jeans has won several important awards. In 1974, it won the Gouden Griffel, which is a major Dutch prize for children's books. It also won the European prize for best historical youth book that year. In 1976, it received the Prix de la Divulgation historique. In 2019, the book was chosen as a classic for a special "gift a book" campaign, making it available as a paperback for a very low price.
Movie Adaptation
A movie version of the book was made in 2005. It was directed by Ben Sombogaart. The film was released in Belgium and the Netherlands on November 15, 2006. It was also shown at the famous Berlin International Film Festival in February 2007. The movie was released in other countries in theaters or on DVD between 2008 and 2010.
