The Midwife's Apprentice

Bibliography

Cushman, Karen. 1995. THE MIDWIFE’S APPRENTICE. New York: Clarion. ISBN 0395692296

Plot Summary

The Midwife’s Apprentice is a historical novel that takes place in medieval England. Awakened in a dung heap, a nameless and homeless young girl is found by the village midwife, Jane Sharp. Willing to work for food and shelter, Jane quickly names the young girl Beetle and takes her in as her apprentice. Gradually, Beetle becomes knowledgeable in the trade while secretly watching Jane deliver the babies. Beetle befriends a cat and a village boy and soon gains confidence in her skills. When she is complimented by a merchant and mistaken for a girl that could read, she decides that she needs a proper name and renames herself Ayce. But when Alyce fails a challenging solo, she believes that she is ignorant and runs from the village. After working at a country inn for a period of time, Alyce realizes that her return to Jane Sharp will give her what she has always wanted, “a full belly, a contented heart, and a place in this world.”

Critical Analysis

In this short novel, Cushman takes us on a journey of a homeless girl searching to find her place in the world. The setting takes us to a stable in a small village during medieval times in England, where Beetle rests her “unwashed, unnourished, unlived, and unlovely body” among the rotting dung heap for she “knew no home and no mother and no name but Brat.” The reader instantly becomes aware of the hardship Beetle has had to endure, and understands that Beetle “dreamed of nothing, for she hoped for nothing and expected nothing.” Her character soon begins to change with the help of Jane Sharp as Beetle begins to learn the trade of midwifery. Although Jane Sharp is harsh and greedy, Beetle becomes more confident in her abilities and begins to think that she is worthy of being noticed and loved. She grew from a young girl without a name who had nothing and dreamed of nothing to Alyce who knows “about babies and birthing, singing songs and cooking chickens, and laughing and reading.” A girl that knows “how to try and risk and fail and try again and not give up.” Although set in a time period so long ago, readers will be able to connect with Beetle’s struggle to find her place in society.

Medieval daily life of eating “two meals a day of onions, turnips, dried apples, cheese, bread, and occasional bits of bacon” and sweeping of the cottage’s dirt floor and dusting the shelves “packed with jugs and flasks and leather bottles of dragon dung and mouse ears, frog liver and ashes of toad” allows readers to understand what life might have been like during times in the middle ages. This was a time when midwifery was prevalent and herbal remedies, magic and superstitions were used. An author’s note follows the conclusion to the story detailing the importance and acceptance of midwifery during this time period.

Review Excerpts

ABC Children’s Booksellers Choices Award Winner 1996 Young Adults United States
John Newbery Medal 1996 United States
Young Reader’s Choice Award Winner 1998 Senior Pacific Northwest

Starred review in School Library Journal: "A truly delightful introduction to a world seldom seen in children's literature."

Starred review in Kirkus Review: “From the rebirth in the dung heap to Brat's renaming herself Alyce after a heady visit to a medieval fair, this is not for fans of historical drama only. It's a rouser for all times.”

Starred review in Booklist: “Kids will like this short, fast-paced narrative about a hero who discovers that she's not ugly or stupid or alone.”

Connections

Other titles by Karen Cushman include:

Cushman, Karen. CATHERINE, CALLED BIRDY. ISBN 0064405842

Cushman, Karen. MATILDA BONE. ISBN 0395881560

Cushman, Karen. THE BALLAD OF LUCY WHIPPLE. ISBN 0395728061