THE MIDWIFE'S APPRENTICE

BIBLIOGRAPHY
Cushman, Karen. 1995. The Midwife's Apprentice. New York, NY: Clarion Books. ISBN: 0395692296
PLOT SUMMARY
Beetle, is a young girl that lived in the 14th century in a small village in England.  She is a 12 or 13 year old homeless girl that has been abused and neglected for as long as she can remember.  She had moved from village to village in search for a sense of belonging.  She meets Jane, a midwife, whom takes her in as an apprentice to help our during deliveries.  Beetle learns a lot from Jane and even grows confidence and respect from others.  She goes on to name herself Alyce. She is given the opportunity to deliver a baby for June and is successful.  Anther opportunity arrives but this time Alyce is unsuccessful and feels horrified and decides to run away.  She arrives and an inn and begins to work there.  While there she meets a writer named Magister Reese who teachers her how to read.  While at the inn the opportunity to deliver a baby arises and Alyce decides that what she really wants is to be a midwife.  At that point she decides to return to her previous village and see if Jane takes her back as her apprentice. 

CRITICAL ANALYSIS

The author helps the reader live in the  moment with the descriptive words.  She uses such vocabulary as "unwashed, unnourished, unlived, and unlovely body". It sounds so Medieval to me that I can feel, smell, and see what it was like to live in that time.  The setting is vivid throughout the story and the characters are entertaining.  Will Russet was a homeless boy who Alyce rescues from drowning.  He would bully her  when he was with his friends.  Later in the story she has another encounter with Alyce and this time he's respectful and polite to her.  He also changed in the story for like Allyce and become better people to others regardless of their unfortunate circumstances.  Over time Alyce change tremendously in that she grew from a young girl without a name and who knew nothing as to what she wanted to do to a young girl that wanted to be a midwife apprentice.  This story teaches us that when we fail at something the best thing to do is try and try again until we achieve what we want.  Alyce struggled a lot and achieved much with the help of mentors and loving, helpful people. 
 

AWARDS AND REVIEW EXCERPTS 

Awards
Newbery Medal
ALA Best Book for Young Adults
ALA Notable Book for Children
Booklist Editors' Choice
Horn Book Fanfare Selection
School Library Journal, Best Books of the Year
ALA Best Book for Young Adults
Hungry Mind Review Book of Distinction
Notable Children's Book in the Language Arts
Not Just For Children Anymore! Selection (CBC)
Parenting Magazine Reading Magic Awards
Pacific Northwest Library Association Young Readers Choice Award Short List
Parents' Choice Gold Award
American Bookseller "Pick of the Lists"
New York Public Library, 100 Titles for Reading and Sharing
ABC Children's Booksellers Choice Award 

Reviews

"A truly delightful introduction to a world seldom seen in children's literature."

                                             --School Library Journal

“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.”

                                             --Kirkus Review

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

CONNECTIONS

1) Take a field trip to Medieval Times in Dallas, TX
2) Have the students make a flip book with two flaps and on one flap have them write Present and on the other flap they can write Medieval Times.  Have them research life in the Medieval times and they can write similarities and differences for both times under the designated flap. 
3) Students can write and perform in a Readers Theater for The Midwife's Apprentice.