Bibliography:
Cushman, Karen. 1995. THE MIDWIFE'S APPRENTICE. New York, New York. Clarion Books. ISBN: 0395692296
Plot Summary:
The Midwife's Apprentice takes place in medieval England, where a homeless, nameless girl is discovered laying next to a dung pile by a sharp-tempered, sharp looking midwife. The girl begs the midwife for food but the midwife refuses to help beggars. She then offers to work, the hesitant midwife gives in and figures the girl has to have some sense in at she was sleeping next to the dung pile; smart enough to know that it would be warm there. The girl goes through a series of names. She does not know her name, she knows it to be Brat, yet when discovered in the village the boys call her dung beetle among the many names she is called by the midwife such as nitwit, idiot, nimcopoop, clodpole among many others. Until she is later mistaken as Alyce which is the name she takes on. Alyce runs errands for the midwife, she does the work diligently and with her head down. The cat she saves, her one and only friend she names purr. Even though she works hard she is still teased by the village boys, she still sleeps on the floor at the midwife's home. She eventually earns the respect of the boys because she saves one of them when the rest left him thinking he drowned. She also helps the bailiff's wife deliver her baby when the midwife is attending to Lady Agnes. She also helps Tansy with his cow who gives birth to twin calves. She also sends a little boy to the Lady to get a job. As, she starts to gain confidence and respect her courage is shattered when she cannot deliver Emma's, the bailiff's sister- in-law, baby and the midwife has to be brought in. She feels like a failure especially since Emma had specifically asked for her. So she runs away. She then works at the Inn and although things are going well there she is sad because she misses the village. She works and stars to become educated through purrs conversations with Magister Reese. She also discover she is not as ugly as she thinks, she discovers this on her visits with Edward, while helping the shepherds bathe the sheep. But the delivery of a wealthy couple's baby; and everyone at the village wanting her to come work for them gives her the boost to return to the village where she has longed to return to. She is excited to return thinking she will be allowed to return however upon returning to the midwife's house she is not welcomed back, ready to quit at first, she realizes what the midwife wants and goes back to her and answers the midwife's question again and is welcomed back. Fulfilling her want to have a place to belong, full belly and a contented heart.
Critical Analysis:
Cushman tells a story of a girl growing up in medieval England. Cushman's simple but appealing writing catches and holds the reader from start to end. She write about a young girl's struggle to fit in while growing up, something that we all can relate to. The story is told from "Alyce's" point of view. Letting the reader follow her thoughts and feelings but limiting what the other character's think or feel. Cushman writes using humor and simple vocabulary. Broken up in chapters but reads smoothly and quickly. Keeps readers attention because you want to know what will happen next to Alyce, there are so many times through out t
he story that you just know she is going to get in a serious bind, but you still want her to succeed.he is resourceful and has common sense and the urge to survive. In the end Alyce gets what she has always wanted a place to belong, content and to not go hungry again. This book is one that many can relate to, a book about not fitting in, being bullied, failing and running away from it. But Alyce's persistence gets her what she has been longing for. Alyce wins.
Review Excerpts:
"This is a world, like Chaucer's, that's neither sweet nor fair; it's rough, dangerous, primitive, and raucous. Cushman writes with a sharp simplicity and a pulsing beat."- Booklist
"Fortunately, Cushman (Catherine, Called Birdy, 1994) does the fathoming for them, rendering in Brat a character as fully fleshed and real as Katherine Paterson's best, in language that is simple, poetic, and funny. From the rebirth in the dung heap to Brat's renaming herself Alyce after a heady visit to a medieval fair, this is not for fans of historical drama only. It's a rouser for all times." -Kirkus Review
"Having focused on a well-born young heroine in her Newbery Honor debut novel, Catherine, Called Birdy, Cushman returns to a similar medieval English setting, this time to imagine how the other half lived. The strengths of this new, relatively brief novel match those of its predecessor: Cushman has an almost unrivaled ability to build atmosphere, and her evocation of a medieval village, if not scholarly in its authenticity, is supremely colorful and pungent." -Publishers Weekly
Connections:
Have students write a short story about a time they didn't fit in.
Have students choose a chapter and create an illustration for it.
have students chose ac character and rewrite the scene from their point of view.
Book Two:
Bibliography:
Lowry, Lois. 1989. NUMBER THE STARS. New York, New York. Houghton Mifflin. ISBN: 0440403278
Plot Summary:
Number the Stars takes place in the German occupation of Denmark, during WWII 1943. It is told from a ten year old girl's point of view. The ten year old girl is Annemarie Johansen. She tells the story of how the Nazis come and took over her town of Copenhagen, Denmark. She is best friends with a Jewish girl, named Ellen Rosen. When the Nazis came to take the Jews, the Johansen's help the Rosens by taking in Ellen. They say Ellen is their daughter, when the Nazis question her dark hair Mr. Johansen's quick thinking of showing photos of his dead daughter Lise who was born with dark hair. Pretending to be angry, he rips the pictures of Lise, he also rips off the date so the Nazis won't see them and realize she would have to be older. Then one day Mrs. Johansen takes the children to the coast to Uncle Henrik's place. Henrik is a fisherman. As the story unfolds we learn that the Johansens are part of the Resistance. We learn that they are smuggling Jews on the fish boats. Annemarie plays a crucial part when upon her mothers return she realizes the package that was suppose to be delivered to Henrik was still at the house. Annemarie must take it to him because her mother broke her ankle when she tried to hurry back so Annemarie wouldn't worry. She has Annemarie take it to her uncle and tells her that if she is stopped by the soldiers to act like a little girl. When Annemarie questions her mother about the package and what is going on, she tells her it is better to not know, she can be braver. It is her mothers advice and her 5 year old sister's actions that keeps her alive when the soldiers stop her. She is able to get the package to her uncle. Later her parents explain to her what she has done and how she helped her friends the Rosens. They also revel to her how her sister Lise really died, she was run over by the Nazis when they were breaking up a meeting of the Resistance.
Critical Analysis:
Lowrey tells a interesting story through her main character Annemarie. It is in first person point of view. Lowrey uses simple vocabulary and suspense to keep the reader wanting to know more. She limits the information that is revealed to Annemarie which also limits what the reader knows until the end the story comes completely together. Throughout the story the question of bravery is brought up a number of times. The fact that one can be braver knowing as little as possible. which is the case for Annemarie, she can be brave because she doesn't know what it is she is really doing.
Review Excerpts:
"Lowry tells her story well, fashioning a tense climax." -Booklist
"The whole work is seem less, compelling, and memorable-impossible to put down; difficult to forget." Horn Book
"Readers are taken to the very heart of Annemarie's experience, and, through her eyes, come to understand the true meaning of bravery." -School Library Journal
Connections:
Have students discuss how Annemarie had to grow up quickly. and how she was robbed of her childhood.
Ask students about the role of fairy tales in the novel. For example, discuss how Annemarie uses the story of Little Red Riding Hood to give her courage to deliver the packet to Uncle Henrik. Who is the wolf? Little Red Riding Hood? The Grandmother? What represents the basket? What is the symbolism of the woods?
During World War II, Swedish scientists did develop a solution that killed the sense of smell in dogs. So the handkerchief that Annemarie delivered to Uncle Henrik’s fishing boat could have really existed. Ask students to find out other ways scientists contributed to the Resistance.
Book Three:
Bibliography:
Curtis, Christoopher Paul. 2007. ELIJAH OF BUXTON. New York, New York. Scholastic. ISBN: 0439023440
Plot Summary:
Elijah of Buxton is a somewhat refreshing and touching story that takes place in 1859 on a settlement in Buxton, Canada. This settlement is located near the American border and is comprised of runaway slaves who have called upon heart, determination, and very hard work to create a safe haven where they could build homes, raise families and enjoy their freedom. This story revolves around the life of Elijah Freeman, an eleven year old boy who was the first free-born person on the settlement and the lessons that he learns. When the story commences, Elijah is best known for having an “accident” on Fredrick Douglass when he was a baby, when Douglass came to celebrate the success of the settlement. Elijah’s mother characterizes her son as “fra-gile” because of his quickness to run screaming when he is startled which also causes looseness and sloppiness in his nose. The irony is that Elijah is very smart and has inner strength that helps him deal with a variety of situations that he finds himself in throughout this story. The most important challenge that faces Elijah is when a friend is robbed of a large sum of money that he has been saving to buy his family out of slavery. Elijah is put in a position to help find the man who robbed his friend, which takes him into America and puts him in danger of being taken captive. On this journey, Elijah comes face to face with the realism of slavery. Initially, he starts to crumble at this sight, but then draws on his strength and offers to take the baby of female runaway slave so that she can live a life outside of slavery. Idealistically, Elijah will now be thought of as a hero instead of being known for his previous “infraction” on Fredrick Douglass.
Critical Analysis:
Elijah of Buxton is written in a southern dialect that is consistent with language used by slaves. This text adds to the realism of the story and makes it believable. This story provides many lessons to the reader through experiences that Elijah had. Some of these lessons included; always offering your help when it is needed, being aware of anyone who is trying to sweet talk you, expecting bad things will bring them to life, and learning lessons better when they are experienced. Christopher Paul Curtis interweaves these lessons very smoothly within the story with humor and without lecturing the reader. Curtis also does an outstanding job of providing suspense throughout the story to keep the reader interested in the story.
Review Excerpts:
"Award winner Christopher Paul Curtis doesn't fail to deliver with his latest novel. Eleven-year-old Elijah is the first child born free in the Canadian town of Buxton. Elijah's character is crafted believably yet with trademark humor, as he learns powerful lessons regarding respect and freedom on his journey to adulthood."- Library Media Connection
"The arresting historical setting and physical comedy signal classic Curtis (Bud, Not Buddy), but while Elijah's boyish voice represents the Newbery Medalist at his finest, the story unspools at so leisurely a pace that kids might easily lose interest." -Publishers Weekly
" Curtis's talent for dealing with painful periods of history with grace and sensitivity is as strong as ever" - School Libarary Journal"
Connections:
Have students research Buxton, Canada and see what Elijah would have lived.
Hope is a prominant theme throughout the story. Have students discuss how elijah is a symbol of hope.
Have Students read Harriet Tubman's story. Compare her story and Elijah's story. Although she was born into slavery, how are their stories similar? How they differ?
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