A Matter of Life or Death
It's 1849, and twelve-year-old, Lucas Whitaker is all alone after his whole family dies of a disease calle... read full description
It's 1849, and twelve-year-old, Lucas Whitaker is all alone after his whole family dies of a disease calle... read full description
reviews
Nov 07, 2009
Barbara
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Excellent example of historical fiction for kids at its best. Lucas loses his whole family to consumption and is left on his own feeling guilty that he has not done everything to save his mother. Superstition abounds as science begins to inform medicine and culture. This is a wonderful read for 4th graders and up. It would make a great book club discussion book. Too bad it's not readily available. I found it on my shelf at home and decided to finally read it. I should have done so a long
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Jan 02, 2009
Duane
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This book is based on historical facts about the different ideas people had back then about the diseases and conditions people suffered. Lucas looses all his family to consumption and so he strikes out on his own and soon finds himself becoming the apprentice to a local doctor. Lucas soon learns that what people hear as remedies can sometimes be simply last hopes for their suffering loved ones. A great read for anyone interested in historical medicine or times. Ideal for pre-teen and teenage rea
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Mar 29, 2008
Mark
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The Apprenticeship of Lucas Whitaker, a novel of historical fiction set in 1849, tells the touching story of a 12 year-old boy whose entire family is killed by consumption, known better as tuberculosis. With no family left and unable to tend the farm alone, Lucas sets off, grief-stricken, and serendipitously happens upon the house of Doc Beecher in a nearby town and becomes his apprentice. Given the tragic frequency of tuberculosis at the time, Lucas is quickly reunited with the illness that rav
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Apr 07, 2009
Heather
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Great historical novel, especially if you are teaching about the late 1800's in the U.S. during the tuberculosis epidemic. Lucas is a fresh, honest and honorable young narrator who represents the country's shift from superstition to scientific awareness. I think kids who would normally turn up their noses at historical fiction might be won over. There's enough gruesome and fascinating experiences to grab their attention, and they'll surely learn and grapple with some interesting dilemmas thro
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Apr 30, 2010
Vanessa
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this was a great book that had an excelent message to it... when his family died i thought that would be the end of him to... i was sure that the cure wouldn't work and it turns out it doesn't but i learned that disease can never be underestimated.
Feb 24, 2011
Courtney
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I had to read this book for a science project. It wasnt horrible but it was pretty boring. It did teach you alot though. So I would recomend this book to someone who needs a science report book, or needs a scientific book to read.
Oct 03, 2008
Beth
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I read this book for a Children's Literature class that I am taking from our Community College. Cynthia DeFelice was the Library teacher at the school where I work when Matt and Dan were in elementary school here. She has published several picture books and novels for young adults. I will be doing a paper and presentation on her writing for my final project. This book deals with a folk remedy for consumption that was practiced in New England in the late 1880's involving digging up the dead.
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Oct 28, 2008
Nomi
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Great historical fiction. Set in the mid 19th century before the rise of germ theory and during a tuberculosis epidemic in New England, young Lucas who loses his family to TB apprentices himself to a wise doctor. During this time desperate families are digging up their dead who they believe are harming the living (usually after a cold winter). Consequently, corpses appear full, healthy, and rosy leaving their families no alternative but to cut out their hearts! DeFelice provides ample historical
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Jul 12, 2011
Novia
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Cool cool cool. I miss this. I miss reading this kind of books. Cool. Haha. My version of waxing poetic.
Nov 03, 2009
Sylvia
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Apprentice to a doctor must overcome superstitions to save lives, see scientifically.
Jan 01, 2009
Flower
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Interesting look at medical knowledge 150 years ago. Nicely told story.
Jan 20, 2008
Tonya
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I read this book for a teachers book club. I thought it was a nice historical fiction piece. The author does a good job of drawing the reader into the story. It's also not too long, which might appeal to some students :) I would recommend it to middle school and above.
Sep 29, 2007
Krista the Krazy Kataloguer
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This was interesting for its depiction of science versus superstition in the treatment of tuberculosis in the mid-1800s. Author is from central New York State.
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