Historical Fiction

Artwork by Trina Schart Hyman
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The Midwife's Apprentice 

by Karen Cushman 

BIBLIOGRAPHY

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

PLOT SUMMARY

In The Midwife’s Apprentice Karen Cushman tells the story of a homeless, orphaned young girl with low self-esteem who transforms into a young woman with a true name, a true identity, and the confidence to take on the challenges put in front of her. On a cold winter morning, in an unnamed English medieval village, Brat is seeking the comfort of a warm compost heap when she is found by Jane Sharp, the village midwife. Recognizing the girl’s ingenuity, Jane renames her Beetle (as in dung beetle) and takes her in as her apprentice. Though treated cruelly, overworked, and underfed, Beetle goes through several experiences that demonstrate her courage, cleverness, and self-worth, including deserving of the name Alyce. She slowly, and covertly, learns about midwifery by watching Jane, even successfully helping a mother give birth when Jane is away. But when a mother specifically requests Alyce’s help and not Jane’s, Jane feels threatened and promises to make Alyce’s life even more difficult. The birth, however, does not go well and Alyce is forced to call for Jane’s help. Feeling stupid and humiliated, Alyce runs away, and begins working at a nearby inn. There she meets others who recognize her intelligence and strong work ethic, despite the fact that she doesn't see these qualities in herself. Eventually, however, Alyce discovers exactly what she’s capable of, that others really do care about her and need her, and that she can take charge of her life, on her terms.

CRITICAL ANALYSIS

Karen Cushman’s descriptions of the village, the villagers, and their daily comings and goings successfully bring medieval England to life. From the people’s occupations, to their humble dwellings, she transports the reader to a place and time where hardship, poverty, and superstition were part of everyday life. Cushman does an excellent job of using England’s under-educated, lower-class dialect and speech patterns to add to the authenticity of the story, and her atmospheric details and depictions constantly remind readers that they are in a place long ago and far way. Cushman does not gloss over the realities of daily medieval existence, either, depicting such occurrences as the cruel abandonment of children and the difficulty of natural childbirth. Yet, this story definitely speaks to the universal idea that, through hard work and fortitude, one’s destiny is in one’s hand. Alyce’s attitudes, emotions, and journey to self-discovery, while interwoven into a historical novel, are very relevant to modern young readers who are on their own journey to self-discovery.

The Midwife’s Apprentice is recommended for students in grades 6 through 9.

REVIEW EXCERPTS and AWARDS

“Cushman has an almost unrivaled ability to build atmosphere, and her evocation of a medieval village is supremely colorful and pungent." (Publisher’s Weekly, Feb. 1995)

"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." (Booklist starred review, Mar. 1995)

"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 starred review, Mar. 1995)

"Earthy humor, the foibles of humans both high and low, and a fascinating mix of superstition and genuinely helpful herbal remedies attached to childbirth make this a truly delightful introduction to a world seldom seen in children's literature." (School Library Journal starred review, May 1995)

"The graphic and convincing portrayals of medieval life and especially the villagers given to superstition, casual cruelty, and duplicity – afford a fascinating view of a far distant time." (The Horn Book, starred review, Jul/Aug 1995)

"Readers interested in this time period or in understanding the incredible misery of children living in past ages will enjoy this novel." (The Book Report, Sept/Oct 1995)

• Newbery Medal 1996
• 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
• Notable Children's Book in the Language Arts
• American Bookseller "Pick of the Lists"

CONNECTIONS

Use this book for an in-depth lesson on character analysis, including the changes (physical, emotional, mental, etc.) the character goes through, throughout the course of the book.

Visit a Medieval-themed restaurant or a local Renaissance Festival. Two in/near the Dallas area are Medieval Times Dinner and Tournament and Scarborough Renaissance Festival

Other historical fiction books by Karen Cushman

--Will Sparrow's Road (2012)

--Alchemy and Meggy Swann (2010)

--Matilda Bone (2000)

--The Ballad of Lucy Whipple (1996)

--Catherine, Called Birdy (1994)

Other historical fiction books for children set in medieval times.

--Young Joan by Barbara Dana

--The Winter Hare by Joan Elizabeth Goodman

--The Striped Ships by Eloise Jarvis McGraw

--The Sword and the Circle: King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table by Rosemary Sutcliff

 --Passager by Jane Yolen

Other Newbery Books from the 1990’s

--Holes by Louis Sachar(1999)

--Out of the Dust by Karen Hesse(1998)

--The View From Saturday by E.L. Konigsburg (1997)

--Walk Two Moons by Sharon Creech (1995);

--The Giver by Lois Lowry (1994)

Visit the Karen Cushman’s website. 

Listen to an excerpt from the audio book as read by Jenny Sterlin found on the author's website.