26) The Midwife's Apprentice by Karen Cushman

Cushman, Karen. The Midwife's Apprentice. HarperTrophy, 1995. 122 pages. ISBN: 0-06-440630-X.


Genre/Subject: Historical Fiction, Orphan


Ages: 12 and up

Plot: On a winter evening, a homeless girl finds shelter and warmth in a farmer's dung heap. A villiage midwife, named Jane finds the girl, and names her Beetle. The unnamed girl says that she will work for food, and Jane decides to keep her. Jane is a hard woman with sharp glance and harsh temper. Although Beetle is learning a few skills to help with the housekeeping, and picking herbs from the garden, Beetle is forbidden from assisting the midwife when she delivers a baby. Beetle secretly watches from the windows to see how the midwife delivers a baby, learning midwivery skills. In the middle of a difficult birth, the midwife is called away, and leaves Beetle in charge. Everyone expected the baby to die, but Alyce was able to talk the woman through the birth, and the child is delivered alive. More wives begin to ask for Alyce to assist them with delivery, more than Jane. Beetle visits the market one day and decides to establish her own identity, by creating a name for herself: Alyce.  Beetle adopts a cat, and names her Purr. When Beetle needs to call upon Jane to help her with another difficult birth, she fears that she is too stupid to be of use to anyone, so she runs away, but regains strength and returns to work as a midwife.


Review: 
This is a great depiction of a historical period; the novel is set in medieval England. Despite the fact that the girl is homeless she is able to learn skills, crafts, and the professional occupation of midwifery. The midwife progression was importance for women about to give birth before medical doctors were hired to deliver babies. This is a positive story about self-knowledge, learning by seeing, and making one’ place in the world. Beetle changes her name to Alyce and gains confidence in herself through working hard and learning a trade. The book is short, but provides much historical detail, including language of the time period. This book will alert kids that life can be hard for people who are alone in the world, but not to give up


Awards: 1996 Newberry Award