THE MIDWIFE'S APPRENTICE by Karen Cushman

1. Bibliography

Cushman, Karen. 1995. The Midwife's Apprentice. New York: Harper Trophy. ISBN 006440630-X

2. Plot Summary

Beetle is a starving, homeless orphan who has no home, family or name to call her own. One day she finds herself unexpectedly offered work and a roof over her head by the village midwife. Eager to fill the emptiness in her belly and sleep somewhere other than the warm dung heap, she takes the offer and changes her life forever. Working hard as the midwife's apprentice she befriends a ragged cat, bravely saves the life of a local boy, and chooses her own name, declaring, “I am Alyce. Not Brat or Dung Beetle or Beetle. Alyce.” Soon Alyce finds herself being asked by the local villagers to do more than pick and dry herbs or run errands.  Frightened and ashamed by her lack of skill in the art of midwifery, Alyce runs away to escape the shame of her first failure.  She finds work as a serving girl at an inn and tries to forget about the home she made in the midwife's village. When confronted with a choice to return and continue her apprenticeship to become a midwife or to remain anonymous as the inn's serving girl, Alyce must find the courage she needs to make her way in the world and claim the life she deserves.

3. Critical Analysis

Life in 15^th century England was hard.  Coming across a starving orphan child was not uncommon, and many did not have the means to care for these poor souls.  They were often left to fend for themselves.  Cushman is able to take this harsh historical reality and weave it into a timeless tale of one young woman's journey to find her place in the world and gain the courage to claim her own name. Cushman sends readers back to medieval England using rustic language and attention to the daily details of life. However, she doesn't so overwhelm her story with facts and archaic language as to make it too difficult for young modern readers to immerse themselves into this interesting world of long ago. Cushman ends her text with an Author's note on the ancient art of midwifery, but sadly does not include a list of other books or resources interested readers can check out to learn more about medieval life. The Midwife's Apprentice is a compelling story of finding one's own worth that will inspire readers to move beyond their own fears and claim the promise of the future. 

4. Awards and Review Excerpt(s)

*Newbery Medal Winner

*ALA Notable Children's Book

*ALA Best of the Best Books for Young Adults

*New York Public Library List of Recommended Books

*ALA Booklist Editors' Choice

*School Library Journal Best Book

*Starred review in School Library Journal: "With simplicity, wit, and humor, Cushman presents another tale of medieval England....a truly delightful introduction to a world seldom seen in children's literature."

*Starred review in Booklist: "This novel is about a strong, young woman in medieval England who finds her own way home....Kids will be caught up in this short, fast-paced narrative about a hero who discovers that she's not ugly or stupid or alone."

5. Connections

*Alyce is an apprentice to the midwife. Find out what it means to be an apprentice in medieval England. How long did someone work as an apprentice? What kinds of jobs required apprenticeships? How old was someone when they started as an apprentice? How have these practices changed from what we call apprenticeships now? Make a poster showing how things have changed between medieval times and now.

*Cushman refers to many of her characters by trade rather than by name. Some examples are Bailiff, Merchant, Miller, Midwife, and Inn Keeper. Find out about the social system of medieval England and see why she chose to identify most of her characters this way. Arrange these various professions by their social standing at the time.

*More books by Karen Cushman:

Will Sparrow's Road. ISBN 0547739621

Cathrine, Called Birdy. ISBN 0064405842

Alchemy and Meggy Swann. ISBN 0547231849