Karen Cushman crea narrativa storica con un profondo interesse per il comportamento umano e gli studi museali. La sua scrittura è nota per la sua autenticità e la vivida rappresentazione del passato. I lettori apprezzano la sua capacità di dare vita alla storia attraverso narrazioni avvincenti e ambientazioni dettagliate.
È abituata a sopravvivere racimolando qua e là pane secco e pezzi di cipolla e dormendo nei mucchi di rifiuti per stare un po' al caldo. Ma la vita di questa ragazza medievale cambia bruscamente quando la levatrice del villaggio la prende come assistente. Per "Scarafaggio", autobattezzatasi Alice in onore della dignità acquisita, si dischiude allora un mondo in ci ha tutto da imparare, ma anche tanto da patire.
A girl rejected by her alchemist fatherwho is working to change base metal
into goldmeets challenges made all the greater by the fact that she needs
crutches to walk, and undergoes her own transformation to a strong, and
confident young woman in the process. Introduction by best-selling author Gary
D. Schmidt.
Set in 1849, the story follows a twelve-year-old girl named Lucy, who struggles with her family's relocation from Massachusetts to a small California mining town. As she manages the boarding house, Lucy seeks solace in literature while yearning to return to her former home. The narrative explores themes of displacement, resilience, and the power of books to provide comfort in challenging times.
Set against the vibrant backdrop of Elizabethan England, the story follows Will Sparrow, a young runaway grappling with his identity as a liar and thief. As he encounters various con artists and joins a troupe of unique performers, Will learns that deception comes in many forms. His journey reveals the complexity of appearances and the realization that he has been deceiving himself all along. This comic tale explores themes of self-discovery and the nature of truth through a cast of engaging characters.
The narrative follows a young woman's journey of self-discovery, delving into themes of friendship and the complexities of growing up Catholic. Set against a backdrop that resonates with contemporary youth, it captures the challenges and triumphs of adolescence, making it a relatable exploration of identity and faith.
Unwillingly catapulted from a reclusive life of prayer and study to
becomeassistant to Red Peg the Bonesetter, Matildadiscovers that
companionship, compassion, laughter, and love are the best medicine in this
witty novel. Introduction by Newbery Honor winner Adam Gidwitz.
The thirteen-year-old daughter of an English country knight keeps a journal in which she records the events of her life, particularly her longing for adventures beyond the usual role of women and her efforts to avoid being married off
Publishers Weekly: "You can run, but you can't hide'' is the rather belated conclusion reached by Catherine, called "Birdy'' for her caged pets, in this fictive diary of a medieval young woman's coming-of-age and struggle for self-determination. Escaping regularly into a fantasy life of daring escapades and righteous battles, Birdy manages to postpone the inevitable sale of herself as a wife to a very unwelcome suitor. Just as she resigns herself to her fate with the comforting knowledge that "I am who I am wherever I am," word comes that she will not have to marry the oaf after all. Birdy's journal, begun as an assignment, first wells up in the reluctant and aggressive prose of hated homework, and then eases into the lighthearted flow of descriptive adventures and true confessions; the narrative device reveals Birdy's passage from rebellious child to responsible adult. Despite the too-convenient ending, this first novel introduces an admirable heroine and pungently evokes a largely unfamiliar setting
In medieval England, a nameless, homeless girl is taken in by a sharp-tempered midwife, and in spite of obstacles and hardship, eventually gains the three things she most wants: a full belly, a contented heart, and a place in this world.
