"Matilda Bone" Book Review

1.      Bibliography

Cushman, Karen. 2000. MATILDA BONE. New York, NY: Houghton Mifflin Company. ISBN 0395881560

2.      Plot Summary

Fourteen year old Matilda was brought up in a manor during the 14^th century by Father Leufredus and was highly educated to read, write, learned Latin, French, Greek, and learned of the Saints.  She is abandoned to live in Blood and Bone Alley with Red Peg the Bonesetter.  Set in a medical quarter of the medieval English Village, Matilda is to be apprenticed by Red Peg but is disgusted with the lowly tasks asked of her.  She is forced to do manual labor in order to stay with Red Peg.  Matilda thinks she is above making fire, cooking, and even the company she is forced to be around.  Red Peg teaches Matilda how to set bones, make ointments and tonics, and ease arthritic pain.  Matilda eventually learns not to judge a book by its cover and that these simplistic people around her can offer her more knowledge than that she has learned from books. 

3.      Critical Analysis

Karen Cushman gives readers a look at what life was like with medicine during the medieval times.  The information is presented with just enough detail that will get readers interested and thankful they live in today’s time and age.  Matilda is a relatable character who is sarcastic and humorous.  She is who she has been taught to be, one who believes she is above some of the characters she is forced to interact with.  She later learns she can learn from these common folk, and in fact learn more than she realized.  Cushman gives readers more fascinating information of her research of medieval medicine in her author’s note and gives additional reading for medieval times. 

   

4.      Review Excerpt(s)

School Library Journal, Best Books of the Year

School Library Journal – “This humorous, frank look at life in medieval times shows readers that love and compassion, laughter, and companionship are indeed the best medicine.”

5.      Connections

* Medieval Exhibits/Virtual Field Trips
Higgins Armory Museum, Worcester, Massachusetts
www.higgins.org

* Medieval Medicine
Information about medieval medicine.
www.geocities.com/MedievalWorld/LinksMedicine.html