Historical Fiction
BIBLIOGRAPHY
Cantos,
J. (2011). Dead end in Norvelt. New York: Farrar Straus Giroux.
PLOT SUMMARY
It was the summer of 1962 in historic Norvelt,
Pennsylvania and all Jackie Gantos wanted to do was play baseball with his
friends, read books, and have as few nosebleeds as possible. However, his grand
plans are waylaid when his father’s Japanese sniper rifle fired one evening
while he was playing with it. Jackie
protested his innocence in loading the rifle, but to no avail. His punishment- help old, arthritic Miss
Volker write obituaries for the town’s last living original residents. In the span of two months Jackie would come
to learn more about history, friendship, and himself that he’d ever dreamed.
CRITICAL ANALYSIS
The
author, Jack Gantos, did an amazing job of wearing history into the fictional
adventures of the story’s protagonist, who also happens to be his namesake. Although the character, Jackie Gantos, years
for many of the same things boys his age have in summer of 1962, he seems to
possess an old soul, keen on learning, no matter how he gets the
information. It was interesting to see
how many of the historical facts relayed within the text related to the current
event or situation taking place in the story.
I found the historical background of Norvelt, itself, to be the most
interesting. Although some of the story’s
hijinks were a bit unconvincing, it was a fun read nonetheless.
REVIW EXCERPTS
“A
bit of autobiography works its way into all of Gantos’ work, but he one-ups
himself in this wildly entertaining meld of truth and fiction by naming the
main character…Jackie Gantos.” -Publisher’s Weekly, Starred Review
“Cantos,
as always, delivers bushels of food for thought and plenty of outright guffaws.”
-Booklist
CONNECTIONS
This
is a perfect story to pair with a non-fiction text on the Great Depression.
BIBLIOGRAPHY
Cushman,
K. (1995). The midwife’s apprentice.
New York: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing.
PLOT SUMMARY
Brat
is a homeless waif in during the Middle Ages.
She has no memory of a home or family.
She has moved from village to village begging scraps and working for a
place to sleep when she can. On a cold
morning, Jane Sharp, the village midwife, finds Brat sleeping in a dung heap. After attempting to run Brat out of the
village, she realizes it was rather smart of her to use the dung heap to stay
warm and decides to use her for help and calls her Beetle. Beetle eventually becomes the midwife’s
apprentice, but Sharp is abusive and never formally trains her. Beetle begins to realize she has potential
and takes the name “Alyce”. However,
after a rather difficult birthing situation with the miller’s wife, Alyce runs
away to another village. Although Alyce
found work and learned to read, she yearned to be a midwife. After helping to
deliver a baby, Alyce knew she had found her calling and returned to Jane Sharp
and refused to leave until she’s taken back as the midwife’s apprentice.
CRITICAL ANALYSIS
Karen
Cushman captured the spirit of the Middle Ages in the triumphant journey of The Midwife’s Apprentice. Although it begins with a heartbreaking scene
of a young girl sleeping in a dung heap, the storyline is humorous, and the
text is simple. The protagonist’s character
is as authentic as the medieval setting.
Cushman provides the reader with a brief but fascinating history of midwives
and the perils of childbirth during the Middle Ages at the end of the book.
REVIEW EXCERPTS
“Some
of the characterizations lack consistency (particularly that of the midwife),
the lplot depends on a few too many conveniences and the development of the
themes seems hurried—but no matter.” -Publisher’s
Weekly
“How
Brat comes to terms with her failure and returns to Jane’s home as a true
apprentice is a gripping story about a time, place, and society that 20th-century
readers can hardly fathom.” -Kirkus
Review
CONNECTIONS
This
book would be suitable for teaching about the Middle Ages or in women’s
studies.
BIBLIOGRAPY
Bradley,
K. B. (2015). The war that saved my life.
New York: Dial Books for Young Readers.
PLOT SUMMARY
Ada
is a young girl, crippled by a club foot, has never been outside the one room
flat she shares with her cruel and abusive mother and younger brother Jamie. Ada, who never learned to walk, can no longer
bear the emotional and physical abuse she suffers at the hands of her mother. Ada
secretly teaches herself to walk in hopes that her mother will no longer be embarrassed
of her disability. However, World War II
is looming and children are being evacuated from London in the event of air
raids by the Germans. When Ada discovers
her mother is only going to send her brother away, she successfully plans to
escape with Jamie. Once she and Jamie
arrive at their new adoptive village outside London, the siblings are forced upon
a single, childless woman named Susan Smith.
In Susan, the children find the nurturing and caring they never received
from their own mother and Ada discovers she is capable of more than she ever imagined.
CRITICAL ANALYSIS
Kimberly
Brubaker Bradley gives no quarter to the emotional well-being of the reader in The War That Saved My Life. She opens the story by diving right into the
heart of the abuse suffers at the hands of her mother. Although the setting is the English
countryside during World War II, the story itself is of one girl’s triumph over
life’s hardships. The historical aspect of
the story does, however, lend itself to the plot to make it relevant.
REVIEW EXCERPTS
“The
plot at times stretches credulity…but the emotional content feels completely
true, especially in the recognition of how deeply Ada has been damaged and just
how far her journey will be to both physical and mental health.” -The Horn Book, Starred Review
“Ignorance
and abuse are brought to light, as are the healing powers of care, respect and
love. Set against a backdrop of war and sacrifice,
Ada’s personal fight for freedom and ultimate triumph are cause for celebration.”
-Kirkus Reviews, Starred Review
CONNECTIONS
This
is a book which can be used to shed some light on the effects of World War II
on the children who were evacuated from London during that time.
BIBLIOGRAPHY
Williams-Garcia,
R. (2010). One crazy summer. [Audible Audiobook]. Retrieved from audible.com.
PLOT SUMMARY
In
the summer of 1968, the Gaither sisters, Delphine, Vonetta, and Fern are sent
by their father to Oakland, California, to meet the mother who had abandoned
then seven years before. Unbeknownst to the girls, their mother, Cecile
Johnson, had no interest in being a parent.
In an effort to be rid of the girls as much as possible, Cecile sends
them to The People’s Center where the Black Panther Party serves equal helpings
of breakfast and Black Power at their children’s day camp. As the girls try desperately to connect with
their mother, Delphine discovers she doesn’t just want a connection, she wants
answers.
CRITICAL ANALYSIS
In
One Crazy Summer, Rita Williams-Garcia
introduces readers to the vivid personalities which are the Gaither sisters. In the audiobook, the narrator, Sisi Aisha
Johnson, tells the story the voice of oldest sister Delphine, capturing all of
the intended curiosity and maturity portrayed in the book. The Black Panther Party is used to provide
support to the both the plot and the historical aspect of the story.
REVIEW EXCERPTS
“Emotionally
challenging and beautifully written, this book immerses readers in a time and
place and raises difficult questions of cultural and ethnic identity and
personal responsibility. With memorable
characters (all three girls have engaging, strong voices) and a powerful story,
this is a book well worth reading and rereading.” -School Library Journal, Starred Review
“The
story is tightly centered around three sisters.
In sparse, poetic prose Williams-Garcia layers nuanced descriptions and brief,
evocative scenes to create three utterly distinctive character.” -New
York Times
CONNECTIONS
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