Special Collections

The Midwife's Apprentice

by Karen Cushman

From the author of "Catherine, Called Birdy" comes another spellbinding novel set in medieval England.

The girl known only as Brat has no family, no home, and no future until she meets Jane the Midwife and becomes her apprentice. As she helps the sharp-tempered Jane deliver babies, Brat-who renames herself Alyce-gains knowledge, confidence, and the courage to want something from life: "A full belly, a contented heart, and a place in this world."

Medieval village life makes a lively backdrop for the funny, poignant story of how Alyce gets what she wants. A concluding note discusses midwifery past and present.

A Newbery Medal Winner.

Date Added: 03/14/2019

Manners and Customs in the Middle Ages

by Marsha Groves

Describes the different manners and customs in dress and behavior that were practiced by medieval kings, knights, ladies, peasants, and religious officials on the battlefield, in a monastery, at weddings, and at funerals.

Date Added: 05/29/2019

Fever 1793

by Laurie Halse Anderson

It's late summer 1793, and the streets of Philadelphia are abuzz with mosquitoes and rumors of fever. Down near the docks, many have taken ill, and the fatalities are mounting. Now they include Polly, the serving girl at the Cook Coffeehouse. But fourteen-year-old Mattie Cook doesn't get a moment to mourn the passing of her childhood playmate. New customers have overrun her family's coffee shop, located far from the mosquito-infested river, and Mattie's concerns of fever are all but overshadowed by dreams of growing her family's small business into a thriving enterprise. But when the fever begins to strike closer to home, Mattie's struggle to build a new life must give way to a new fight-the fight to stay alive.

Date Added: 03/14/2019

Farewell to Manzanar

by Jeanne Wakatsuki Houston and James D. Houston

The powerful true story of life in a Japanese American internment camp.During World War II the community called Manzanar was hastily created in the high mountain desert country of California, east of the Sierras. Its purpose was to house thousands of Japanese American internees.One of the first families to arrive was the Wakatsukis, who were ordered to leave their fishing business in Long Beach and take with them only the belongings they could carry. For Jeanne Wakatsuki, a seven-year-old child, Manzanar became a way of life in which she struggled and adapted, observed and grew. For her father it was essentially the end of his life.In Farewell to Manzanar, Jeanne Wakatsuki Houston recalls life at Manzanar through the eyes of the child she was. She tells of her fear, confusion, and bewilderment as well as the dignity and great resourcefulness of people in oppressive and demeaning circumstances. Jeanne delivers a powerful first-person account that reveals her search for the meaning of Manzanar.Farewell to Manzanar has become a staple of curriculum in schools and on campuses across the country. Named one of the twentieth century’s 100 best nonfiction books from west of the Rockies by the San Francisco Chronicle.

Date Added: 03/14/2019

Code Talker

by Joseph Bruchac

"Readers who choose the book for the attraction of Navajo code talking and the heat of battle will come away with more than they ever expected to find."--Booklist, starred review Throughout World War II, in the conflict fought against Japan, Navajo code talkers were a crucial part of the U.S. effort, sending messages back and forth in an unbreakable code that used their native language. They braved some of the heaviest fighting of the war, and with their code, they saved countless American lives. Yet their story remained classified for more than twenty years. But now Joseph Bruchac brings their stories to life for young adults through the riveting fictional tale of Ned Begay, a sixteen-year-old Navajo boy who becomes a code talker. His grueling journey is eye-opening and inspiring. This deeply affecting novel honors all of those young men, like Ned, who dared to serve, and it honors the culture and language of the Navajo Indians.An ALA Best Book for Young Adults"Nonsensational and accurate, Bruchac's tale is quietly inspiring..."--School Library JournalFrom the Trade Paperback edition.

Date Added: 03/14/2019

Castle Diary

by Richard Platt and Chris Riddell

As a page in his uncle's castle in 13-century England, 11-year-old Tobias records in his journal his experiences learning how to hunt, play games of skill and behave in noble society. Includes notes on noblemen, castles and feudalism. Color illustrations throughout.

Date Added: 03/14/2019

The Canterbury Tales

by Geoffrey Chaucer

A lively re-telling of the medieval classic.

One fine spring day, thirty pilgrims set off from Harry Bailey's inn in Southwark for the shrine of Thomas A Becket in Canterbury. The innkeeper makes an offer that none of the travellers can refuse: a free dinner at his inn, on their return, to the person who can tell the best story. So begins the assortment of tales from such varied characters as the Knight, the Wife of Bath, the Miller and many more.

Date Added: 03/25/2019

Animal Farm

by George Orwell and Russell Baker and C. M. Woodhouse

Revisit Orwell’s 1946 classic satire Animal Farm As ferociously fresh as it was more than a half century ago, this remarkable allegory of a downtrodden society of overworked, mistreated animals and their quest to create a paradise of progress, justice, and equality is one of the most scathing satires ever published. As readers witness the rise and bloody fall of the revolutionary animals, they begin to recognize the seeds of totalitarianism in the most idealistic organization—and in the most charismatic leaders, the souls of the cruelest oppressors. Note: Does not use standard American spellings.

Date Added: 03/14/2019

An American Plague

by Jim Murphy

NIMAC-sourced textbook

The true and terrifying story of the Yellow Fever Epidemic of 1793.

Date Added: 03/14/2019