The Midwife's Apprentice facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
The Midwife's Apprentice

Author	Karen Cushman
Country	United States
Language	English
Genre	Children's Historical Fiction
Publisher	Houghton Mifflin
Publication date	March 1991
Media type	Print (Hardback and Paperback)
Pages	122 pp
ISBN	0-613-00185-0
OCLC	173089913
LC Class	PZ7.C962 Mi 1995

The Midwife's Apprentice is a children's novel written by Karen Cushman. This book tells the inspiring story of a homeless girl. She becomes an apprentice to a midwife and learns to find her own place in the world. The story shows how she gains hope and overcomes challenges. In 1996, this novel won the prestigious John Newbery Medal.

Karen Cushman, the author, shared that writing the book took about nine months. She had already researched the Middle Ages for another book, Catherine, Called Birdy. This helped her know a lot about the time period. For The Midwife's Apprentice, she focused her research on topics like childbirth, herbs, and healing practices of that era.

What Is the Story About?

This section will tell you about the main events in the book.

A New Beginning for a Homeless Girl

The story starts in medieval Europe. A young orphan girl has no name and remembers being called "Brat." One cold night, she tries to find warmth in a pile of rotting straw and waste. She wakes up to rude village boys teasing her. Then, a stern local midwife named Jane Sharp finds her. Jane decides to take the girl on as her apprentice. She renames the girl "Beetle." However, Jane is worried about competition. Because of this, she doesn't teach Beetle much about midwifery.

Learning and Growing

Even without much help, Beetle tries to learn all she can. She starts to grow and change as a person through her experiences. One day, she gets a chance to choose a new name. People mistake her for another girl named Alyce, so she decides to keep that name. Alyce also becomes friends with a homeless orphan boy. With her encouragement, he names himself Edward, after the King. Alyce tells him to go to a nearby manor house. She hopes he can find food and a job there.

Challenges and Discoveries

One day, Jane helps a woman give birth, with Alyce's assistance. Soon after, news arrives that the Lady of the Manor is also in labor. Jane leaves the new mother with Alyce. She rushes off to help the Lady. Alyce is kind to the woman she is left with. She successfully helps deliver the baby. The grateful parents pay Alyce and name their child "Alyce Little."

Later, a woman's son asks Alyce to help his mother deliver her baby. This birth is much harder. Alyce feels overwhelmed and unable to help. Jane then arrives and finishes the job. Feeling ashamed, Alyce runs away with her cat.

Finding Her Path

Alyce travels to another town. She finds an inn where the kind owner gives her work and food. A scholar from Oxford is staying there for the winter. He teaches Alyce how to read and write. As time passes, Alyce misses little Edward. She returns to her old village to check on him. Their reunion is like that of a brother and sister. But Alyce cannot stay long.

She goes back to the inn just in time to find a married couple needing help. The woman is in labor, but neither she nor her husband knew she was pregnant! Alyce is able to help, and the birth goes well. This experience makes Alyce realize she truly wants to be a midwife.

Filled with a new sense of purpose, she returns to Jane's home. She asks to be her apprentice again. Alyce declares she will keep coming to Jane's door until she is allowed back. She promises to work harder than ever before. The story ends with Jane silently letting Alyce back into her home.