THE MIDWIFE’S APPRENTICE

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Cushman, Karen. 1996. THE MIDWIFE’S APPRENTICE. Read by Jenny Sterlin. Prince Frederick, MD; Recorded Books, ISBN: 1-4025-2320-3 Reading level: age 12 up

PLOT SUMMARY

A young girl named Brat is a main character. She is an orphan, found in a dung heap by Jane Sharp, a village midwife. She called Brat Beetle and Beetle became Jane’s assistant. Beetle worked for Jane to get food. Everyone in the village teased Beetle, and she had no friends. One day, she found a stray cat and became friends with it. Beetle was shocked to watch the delivery of a baby from Miller’s wife. After that, the midwife called Beetle ‘Brainless brat’ and ‘Clodpole’ and ‘Good-for-Nothing.’ When she visited the Saint Swithin’s Day Fair for the midwife, Beetle was treated with a respect and adopted new name, ‘Alyce.’ As time went by, Alyce gained confidence and was accustomed to helping the midwife. When Alyce succeeded in helping Bailiff’s wife to deliver a baby by herself, she was proud. One day, Alyce was asked to deliver Emma’s baby, but she failed because it was very difficult. Alyce felt very frustrated, and ran away with her cat. When she arrived at Inn, Alyce thought she couldn’t return to the village. She worked there for food, and met a renowned scholar, Magister Reese. He taught Alyce how to read. Finally, Alyce realized what she really wanted and returned to Jane’s village.

CRITICAL ANALYSIS

Narrated in the third person, this audio book consists of 3 CDs with sixteen chapters, and is unabridged. The narrator, Jenny Sterlin, is a native Englishwoman. Although there are no sound effects, readers may feel the medieval England mood with detailed description provided. The book offers a delicate and vivid description about the historical background and events. In this sense, the author did a good job. Also, this book shows how an orphan girl overcame her external adversities and internal conflicts.

REVIEW EXCERPTS

Publishers Weekly (August 19, 1996)

In reviewing this 1996 Newbery winner, PW said that Cushman "has an almost unrivaled ability to build atmosphere, and her evocation of a medieval village, if not scholarly in its authenticity, is supremely colorful and pungent." Ages 8-12. (Sept.)

Publishers Weekly (February 27, 1995)

Having focused on a well-born young heroine in her Newbery Honor debut novel, Catherine, Called Birdy, Cushman returns to a similar medieval English setting, this time to imagine how the other half lived. The strengths of this new, relatively brief novel match those of its predecessor: Cushman has an almost unrivaled ability to build atmosphere, and her evocation of a medieval village, if not scholarly in its authenticity, is supremely colorful and pungent. The protagonist here first appears asleep in a heap of dung; the ``rotting and moiling'' of the refuse give forth heat enough to compensate for the stench. Homeless and nameless, she can remember no time when she did not wander from village to village. She is rescued from the dung heap by a sharp-tongued local midwife, who feeds her in exchange for work. Gradually the girl forges an identity for herself and learns some timeless truths. Some of the characterizations lack consistency (particularly that of the midwife), the plot depends on a few too many conveniences and the development of the themes seems hurried풺ut no matter. The force of the ambience produces more than enough momentum to propel the reader from start to finish in a single happy sitting. Ages 12-up. (Mar.)


CONNECTIONS

*Discussion questions
http://mrcoward.com/slcusd/midwifesq.html

*Other books of Middle ages.
Cushman, Karen. Catherine, called Birdy. ISBN: 0-7587-0246-9
Southern, W.R. The making of the Middle Ages ISBN: 0-7581-0032-9
Huizinga, Johan. The autumn of the Middle Ages. ISBN: 0-226-35994-8
Willis, Connie. Doomsday book. ISBN: 0-613-92255-7