Missing May - Chapter Book # 6

Missing May

Author: Cynthia Rylant

John Newberry Medal Winner

Publisher: Dell Publishing New York 1992

Genre: Realistic Fiction

Themes: Love, family, death, moving-on, spirits, friendship

Primary Characters: Summer, Ob, Cletus

Secondary Characters: May

Summary:

     Ob and May loved each other with a love Summer had never seen before.  They loved each other so much it made Summer want to cry forever from happiness.  That's why when May died it seemed like Ob would fall apart.  May and Ob are the only people that cared about Summer since her momma died.  Everyone else just passed her around when they got tired.  Summer already lost May and now she was clinging to Ob for fear of losing him to grief.  There is only one person that can help save Ob from himself.  Cletus.  Cletus is a weird kid that collects any picture he can.  Perhaps that's why Ob takes a liking to him.  One day Ob feels May's spirit while in the yard and is determined to talk with her.  Cletus has some crazy ideas like going to see a bat lady and Ob is willing enough to go along.  Summer just isn't sure if Ob is able to be disappointed.  Will Ob talk to May?  Will the two ever be happy again?

This book will be good for upper middle grades or high school because it has very little profanity.  It covers the topic of death and explains how's these two family members cope with the loss of their glue, May.  This would be great for someone who has lost someone in their life or for a sympathy lesson on death.  Simple writing makes it great for many levels and easily comprehensible.

The Midwife's Apprentice - Chapter Book #5

The Midwife's Apprentice

Author:Karen Cushman

John Newberry Medal Winner

Publisher: HarperCollins Publishers New York/ 1996

Genre: Historical Fiction, Fiction, realistic fiction

Themes: Homelessness, childbirth, apprenticeship, abuse, childhood, friendship, overcoming, farming life, European peasantry

Primary Characters: Brat/ Beetle/ Dung Beetle/ Alyce

Secondary Characters: Jane Sharp, Purr, Edward, Jennette

Summary:

          Brat was found asleep in a pile of dung for she had no warm home that winter.  In fact, she never had a home.  Jane Sharp the village's midwife found her buried like a dung beetle and named her so.  She took the young woman in and offered her work for meager meals and a semi-warm bed.  However, the young girl was constantly abused by both Jane and villagers both verbally and physically.  However, as she works for the midwife she learns the trade and delivers her first baby nearly a year later.  Soon after, a visit to the fair and a few compliments prompts Brat/ Dung Beetle, as the Midwife called her, to choose a fitting name.  She dubs herself Alyce and prompts the villagers to call her so.  They are not so interested.  Unfortunately, a young woman requests Alyce specifically to deliver her baby.  This angers the midwife.  Alyce is unable to coax the baby out and the midwife arrives and triumphantly delivers the baby.  Alyce turns and runs away because she is nothing and can do nothing.  She never belonged to anyone and deserved nothing.  At wits end, Alyce arrives on a lowly inn.  She goes inside and begs work for food.  Does Alyce ever find happiness?  Does anyone ever care for her?  Will she find her place in this world and someone to love her as we all desire? 

This would be a great story to accompany a history lesson about Medieval Europe.  It has great depictions of life and beliefs from that time period but is dramatic enough to interest stubborn readers.  The would be good for fifth to sixth grade.  This can also be a great example for explaining how people can overcome everything.  Poor Alyce was hated by all and loved by none but she overcame that, named herself, and became determined to make something of herself.  Great lesson for bullied kids.