Book Review #14

The Midwife’s Apprentice

Author: Karen Cushman

Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company, March 1991

ISBN: 9780395692295

Genre: Historical Fiction

 4 Roars! 🦁🦁🦁🦁

Why 4 Roars? I remember reading this book years ago and enjoying the idea that it did not romanticize medieval life. However, for many young readers that could pose a problem. It is abrasive at times and does describe how children are born. One such example is the protagonist finding an unmarried couple in the barn together. This might not work for many young readers.

Main Characters: A young girl with no name that eventually calls herself Alyce, a midwife named Jane, and a homeless boy Alyce named Edward.

Setting: Village life in medieval England

Plot: A homeless young girl without a name, who finally becomes Alyce, is taken in by a midwife named Jane.  Alyce assists Jane in the mundane duties of a midwife and finds a future for herself as a midwife. Along the way, Alyce helps an orphaned boy that she names Edward and runs away after a difficult birth. She returns to the town to check on Edward and decides to continue her midwife’s apprenticeship.

Style: The plot was fast paced but simple.  It has colorful characters and keeps the reader's attention. It emphasizes the need for self-improvement and making a place in the world.

“Just because you don't know everything don't mean you know nothing.” 

~~ The Midwife’s Apprentice

Theme: Readers can easily sympathize with the conditions of children in the medieval period. This theme of appreciating the quality of life that readers have today compared with that of the past is undoubtedly the main take away. 

The improved conditions of hospitals and modern medical knowledge is a glaring premise that the reader cannot help but grasp and appreciate.     

 
Additional Criteria: Medieval midwives had a great many superstitions, and these helped to make the book more historically accurate. The speech patterns felt genuine and the main character does seem to be a typical twelve or thirteen-year-old girl. The Author’s Note provided background and historical knowledge on midwifery.

“With simplicity, wit, and humor, Cushman presents another tale of medieval England. Here readers follow the satisfying, literal and figurative journey of a homeless, nameless child called Brat, who might be 12 or 13? No one really knows. She wandered about in her early years, seeking food and any kind of refuge and, like many outsiders, gained a certain kind of wisdom about people and their ways. Still, life held little purpose beyond survival until she meets the sharp-nosed, irritable local midwife, which is where this story begins. Jane takes her in, re-names her Beetle, and thinks of her as free labor and no competition. Always practical but initially timid, the girl expands in courage and self-awareness, acquiring a cat as a companion, naming herself Alyce, and gaining experience in the ways of midwifery. From the breathless delight of helping a boy to deliver twin calves, to the despair of failure during a difficult birth, to the triumph of a successful delivery, Alyce struggles to understand how she can allow herself to fail and yet have the determination to reach for her own place in the world. Alyce wins. Characters are sketched briefly but with telling, witty detail, and the very scents and sounds of the land and people's occupations fill each page as Alyce comes of age and heart. Earthy humor, the foibles of humans both high and low, and a fascinating mix of superstition and genuinely helpful herbal remedies attached to childbirth make this a truly delightful introduction to a world seldom seen in children's literature.”  

~~ School Library Journal

 
Awards: Newbery Medal

Connections:
Karen Cushman Books

Book Review #13

 

The Hired Girl

Author: Laura Amy Schlitz

Media: Audible Audiobook – Unabridged

Publisher: Candlewick 

Release Date: Audible.com September 11, 2015

Narrator: Rachel Botchan  (12 hours and 48 minutes) 

ASIN - B0159JDVMA

Genre: Historical Fiction

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Why 4 Roars? Epistolary novels are typically not a style that I prefer to read, but because it was an audible book it was less of a distraction for me. (Epistolary – a novel written as a series of documents.) I gave it 4 roars because this could be confusing for some readers. 

Main Characters: Fourteen-year-old Joan Skraggs is the main character. Her biological family and the Rosenbach family make up the additional characters. 

Plot: Joan is the only girl in her family. Her father is verbally insulting and burns her few books.  Joan runs away from her farm in Pennsylvania. She finds herself being taken in as the hired girl by a kind Jewish family, the Rosenbach family.  

She is also the “Shabbos goy” or  goy shel shabat (גוי של שבת) that performs tasks that are not allowed for Jewish people on the Sabbath. Joan involves herself in the eldest Rosenbach son’s love life, she tries to convert the grandson to Catholicism, finds herself less than endeared to the lady of the house, and then decides she is in love with the Rosenbachs’ younger son. In spite of all of these growing pains, Joan manages to become a strong independent young lady.

Setting: A farm in Pennsylvania during 1911 and Baltimore in a Jewish household. 

Theme: This work reflects the morals of the times and explores the topics of beliefs, religions, social classes, feminism, and young love. 

“Fourteen-year-old Joan Skraggs is a reluctant drudge on her family's farm, and no one appreciates her. She pours her thoughts and emotions into her diary, which is the lens through which readers experience her life. And life on her family's 1911 hardscrabble Pennsylvania farm grinds on endlessly. She loves to read and longs for more education but is trapped by her circumstances. Her boorish father pushes Joan too far the day he burns her best friends—her books. Soon afterward, she escapes and makes her way to Baltimore. She is taken in by a wealthy Jewish family as a hired girl. They are like no family she has ever met; their affection, religion, and education bind them into a warm unit totally foreign to Joan. She grows to love the family and is surprised and hurt to learn of anti-Semitism.” ~~ School Library Journal

Style: This is a coming-of-age drama written in diary format. There were many positive references to art, literature, and the need for education. There were 5 illustrations at the beginning of each of the different parts of the book; that was a nice touch. 

Additional Criteria: There are plenty of period details. The author included the idea of Jewish persecution, and the main character had to learn about the running of a Jewish household. For example, how to store meats and dairy foods separately, kosher laws, and religious holidays. These are very accurate depictions of this time period and the cultural differences the main character might have encountered. 

“The diary format allows Joan's romantic tendencies full rein, as well as narrative latitude for a few highly improbable scenarios and wildly silly passion. Tons of period details, especially about clothing, round out a highly satisfying and smart breast-clutcher from this Newbery-winning author.” 

~~Kirkus Reviews

"An unusual novel, brilliantly executed, this book is well worth the reader's time and will not be easily forgotten." 

~~ Jewish Book Council

Awards: 

Scott O'Dell Award for Historical Fiction, 2016 

Association of Jewish Libraries Sydney Taylor Award Winner 

Winner of the 2016 National Jewish Book Award for Children's and Young Adult Literature

Connections: 

Jewish Dietary Laws Overview 

Book Review #12

 A Home for Mr. Emerson

Author: Barbara Kerley

Illustrator: Edwin Fotheringham

Publisher: Scholastic Press, 2014

ISBN: 978-0545350884

Genre: Children's Picture-book Biography

Topic: Biography of Ralph Waldo Emerson 

              (19th Century American Philosopher)

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Why 5 Roars? I absolutely love great quotes, and this book is full of great quotes! 

"Insist on yourself; never imitate." 

~~Ralph Waldo Emerson

Critical Analysis

Accuracy: Barbara Kerley is a well-known children's author. She has written quite an interesting and diverse collection of books for children. 

“The team behind creative picture-book biographies The Extraordinary Mark Twain (2010) and What To Do About Alice? (2008) turns its attention to 19th-century American philosopher Ralph Waldo Emerson.” 

~~ Kirkus Reviews

Organization: The book is laid out with bright, whimsical illustrations and short text. The images seem to leap off the page at times. It reminds me of a comic strip in many ways. 

“A small, inviting window into the life of Ralph Waldo Emerson and an inspiring tribute to a life’s dream realized (author’s note, philosophical prompts, source notes, acknowledgments).” 

~~ Kirkus Reviews

Design: The design of the book is very much like her other books, The Extraordinary Mark Twain and What To Do About Alice? I think she found a rhythm and flow that she liked and knew a good thing when she found it. The arrangement makes it easy to follow along and understand the information. 

Style: I think the quotes are what separate her style into a distinctive category. They add a touch of wisdom and depth that will engage even the older readers and adults. 

"Quotes from his writings are liberally used to illuminate moments of his life, allowing readers to get to know the man through his own words.” 

~~ School Library Journal

Awards: NCTE Orbis Pictus Honor Book

Oregon Spirit Book Award for Nonfiction

Connections:

Barbara Kerley

One last quote for the road!

"All life is an experiment.

The more experiments

you make

the better."

~~Ralph Waldo Emerson

Book Review #11

 What Do You Do with a 

Tail Like This? 

Authors: Steve Jenkins & Robin Page 

Publisher: HMH Books for Young Readers

ISBN: 978-0618997138

Genre: Children's Non-fiction

Topic: Animal Anatomy 

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Why 4 Roars? This is a cute book, but the information is very generalized. The reading level is given as 4 - 7 years. I am unsure of how much new information a child over the age of 5 would learn. I think it is directed at a younger audience. 

Critical Analysis

Accuracy: 

The information is simple and easy to fact-check. The book presents simple statements like, "if you're a monkey, you hang from a tree by your tail" and " if you're an eagle, you spot tiny animals from high in the air." 

The authors are a husband-and-wife team that own a graphic design studio. Steve Jenkins is a well-known children's non-fiction writer and illustrator. 

Organization: 

The book is organized into a simple layout. It starts by asking a question and then answering it on the next page. At the end of the book, it offers an extra paragraph of information and a small illustration of the animals discussed in the book. 

Design:

The design presents lovely cut-paper animal collage illustrations to keep a young learner's attention. It asks the reader a question, and younger readers will enjoy guessing at what is coming next. It could easily be turned into a guessing game or making predictions. 

Style: 

I think the author best describes his style in his own words below: 

"Every book begins with pages—often many pages—of notes and rough sketches. It is during this part of the process that lists of possible subjects are made and modified, and we begin to explore the relationship between images and text on the book's pages. These quick, rough notes make it easy to consider lots of different approaches. At this stage, it's also relatively painless to throw out ideas that don't seem to be working." ~~ Steve Jenkins

Awards:

Caldecott Honor

Connections: 

Steve Jenkins

Book Review #10

  Hitler Youth: Growing Up in 

Hitler's Shadow

Author: Susan Campbell Bartoletti

Publisher: Scholastic Inc. 2005

ISBN: 9780439353793

Genre: Children's Non-fiction

Topic: The book's topic is about the lives of the children and youth that the National Socialist German Workers' Party (Nazis) affected. 

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"I begin with the young. We older ones are used up...But my magnificent youngsters!  Look at these men and boys!  What material! With them, I can create a new world." 

~~ Adolf Hitler, Nuremberg 1933 

Why 5 Roars? Anyone that can tackle topics like Hitler Youth, National Socialism, the violation of human rights, the destruction of democracy, and the German Resistance deserves 5 roars! 

Critical Analysis

Accuracy: 

To determine the accuracy of the book took a good bit of research. I started with the topic of Hitler Youth. This topic was so integrated into the rise of Hitler that it took a good bit of study to grasp it all.

The quote below was Hitler’s view on integrating young people into the Nazi Movement:

“These boys and girls enter our organizations [at] ten years of age, and often for the first time get a little fresh air; after four years of the Young Folk, they go on to the Hitler Youth, where we have them for another four years . . . And even if they are still not complete National Socialists, they go to Labor Service and are smoothed out there for another six, seven months . . . And whatever class consciousness or social status might still be left . . . the Wehrmacht [German armed forces] will take care of that.”

~~Adolf Hitler (1938)

The attempt to create a National Socialist German Workers' Party without class consciousness, social status, or religious views promising internal peace, national unity, and a utopian future was not hard to sell to the German public. So where do you start this movement? 

With the youth that would build it. Hitler Youth was fueled in the beginning by the uncomplicated human need to be part of the group and the ideas of building a better future. No one wanted to be viewed as unpopular or an outsider, and who would not want to be part of building a better future for humanity?

“The Nazi youth movement was not only about preparing for the future. The Hitler Youth and the League of German Girls were also used to weaken traditional social and religious authorities. Nazi youth activities intentionally replaced activities previously sponsored by religious institutions in an effort to challenge the churches’ claims to moral authority. The Hitler Youth monopolized members’ daily lives so children did not have time for activities outside Nazi control. The Hitler Youth and League of German Girls also encouraged members to report to their leaders about what was happening in their schools, churches, and families.” 

~~ United States Holocaust Memorial Museum.

(Note: Membership in any Hitler Youth organization was voluntary until 1936.)
Bartoletti does a great job of objectively telling both sides in this book. She creates heart-wrenching stories of the Hitler Youth supporters and the resistance and avoids typical stereotypes.

She continues to add to her accuracy by interviewing Karl-Heinz Schnibbe, the only survivor of the Helmuth Hubener Resistance Group, as part of her research.

Due to her interviews, I have reason to believe the author has expertise in the area of Hitler Youth. These firsthand accounts of what it was like to be part of this movement were a large portion of what makes this book special.

(Note: In 1933, 3.5 million children were members of the Hitler Youth. This would become the largest youth group in history.)  

Organization:

Bartoletti organizes her book around the interviews with 12 former members. With one additional episode about Helmuth Hübener, who died (beheaded) at age 17 and was sentenced to death by the Nazis. He was the youngest anti-Nazi German to be murdered for resistance.

"German boys! Do you know the country without freedom, the country of terror and tyranny? Yes, you know it well, but are afraid to talk about it. They have intimidated you to such an extent that you don't dare talk for fear of reprisals. Yes, you are right; it is Germany—Hitler Germany! Through their unscrupulous terror tactics against young and old, men and women, they have succeeded in making you spineless puppets to do their bidding".

~~ Helmuth Hübener 

(from one of his pamphlets)

Bartoletti went on to write the book “The Boy Who Dared” in 2015 about this additional section of the book. 

Design:

The design is centered around the photographs that speak to you about the powerful influence that the older generation had over the younger generation’s lives. They evoke a strong sense of responsibility and how easy it is to mislead and corrupt children and youth. The naivety, trust, and lost childhoods are front and center with no words needed to envision the cost. 

Style:
Bartoletti's style is subtle but powerful. The book could easily be used as a coffee table book or displayed for its use of photography. It speaks a language of once you look, it's hard to forget. It plays on your mind, and you find yourself returning for just one more glance at those compelling images. 

Awards:

• Newbery Honor Book
• A YALSA Best Book for Young Adults
• A Booklist Editors' Choice
• A Bulletin Blue Ribbon Book
• A Kirkus Reviews Best Book of the Year
• A Publishers Weekly Best Book of the Year
• A School Library Journal Best Book of the Year
• Winner 2005 Parents' Choice Gold Seal Award

Connections: 

German Resistance Against National Socialism

Nazi Germany- Hitler Youth

The Blog of the National Library of Israel 

Works Cited:

Blair R. Holmes and Alan F. Keele (1995) When Truth Was Treason: German Youth against Hitler. Urbana: University of Illinois Press. 

United States Holocaust Memorial Museum. “Introduction to the Holocaust.” Holocaust Encyclopedia. https://encyclopedia.ushmm.org/content/en/article/introduction-to-the-holocaust. Accessed on 10/27/20

Book Trailer

Book Trailer : "Leave Me Alone!" 

by Vera Brosgol

Book Review #9

M is for Monster: A Fantastic Creatures Alphabet

Author: J. Patrick Lewis 

Illustrator: Gerald Kelley 

Publisher: Sleeping Bear Press 

 ISBN: 9781585368181

  

Main Characters: Baba Yaga, Frankenstein, mummies, werewolves, zombies, and more!

Plot: Creatures of popular legends and mythology come to life in this Alphabetic romp with poetry.  

Genre/Theme/Style: The book combines both historical and cultural origins of the creatures and poetry.

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Critical Analysis: J. Patrick Lewis is a former U.S. Children's Poet Laureate, the author of more than 70 books for children, and shows off his poetry skills in this book. 

• Imagery - Scary, playful, and factual collide in this unique combination of imagery.

• Emotions - The author attempts to provide plenty of information, humor, fear, and a bit of the unknown,  

I also loved the Audio version on this book lends well to a performance that is both exciting and fascinating.

• Rhythm, Rhyme & Sound- 
  
  

        "An elf I am,

                    gentle as a lamb,

         but in days gone by,

                                horrid was I." 

The poetry rhymes, but the information given alongside the poetry does not attempt any rhythm or rhyming. 

Why 5 Roars? I think this book would be great for so many things. Discovering poetry, historical information on cultural mythologies, a few newer creatures to consider from modern children's literature, and most importantly a good scare. 

It would be great for middle school readers who love creatures, a good Halloween book, or a way to open up a discussion on a new topic. 

Illustrations: The illustrations are a perfect addition to the poetry. 

Gerald Kelley wrote and illustrated the picture book, Please Please the Bees. His book won the 2017 Frances and Wesley Bock Award for Children's Literature. 

Background Information on Poet/Poetry: J. Patrick Lewis is a member of the Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators, National Council of Teachers of English, and International Reading Association. 

J. Patrick Lewis reading

Animal Poetry. 

Connections:
Poetry Foundation