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The Midwife's Apprentice
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The Midwife's Apprentice
Author: Karen Cushman

Book Information
Publisher: HarperTrophy
Book Type: Paperback
Rating:

ISBN-13: 9780064406307 - ISBN-10: 006440630X
Pages: 128
Reading Level: Ages 9-12


Other Versions of this Book: Hardcover, Audio Cassette (Abridged), Audio Cassette

Book Description:
"I am Alyce. Not Brat Or Oung Beetle Or Beetle. Alyce."

One frosty evening, a girl who knows no home, no parents, and no name but Brat finds shelter and warmth in a farmer's dung heap. There Jane the village midwife finds her. So it is that Brat--now called Beetle by her new mistress--begins her career as a midwife's apprentice.

It's not a soft life. Jane is a hard woman with a sharp glance and a sharper temper. Still, Beetle makes a place for herself, adopting a cat and befriending one of the village boys. By secretly watching Jane work, she learns some of the skills the midwife greedily tries to hide. Beetle even gives herself a real name at last: Alyce.

Then one day she fails at an important assignment. Alyce runs away, believing she is too stupid to be of use to anyone. Is she truly Brat, a know-nothing who belongs nowhere? Or is she Alyce, the midwife's apprentice, a person with a name and a place in the world?

Winner, 1996 Newbery Medal; New York Public Library 1995 List of Recommended Books; Booklist for Youth Editor's Choice 1995; School Library Journal Best Books of the Year, 1995; An American Bookseller Association Pick of the Lists, 1995; A 1996 Notable Children's Book (ALA); A 1996 Best Books for Young Adults (ALA)

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Top Member Book Reviews

Sally R. wrote on 5/7/2007...

2 member(s) found this review helpful.

A wonderful look at how a begger becomes worth wial.

Clarise W. (clarisew) wrote on 4/3/2007...

2 member(s) found this review helpful.

very easy read and a good a good story

Claire F. (Blaidd) wrote on 11/3/2006...

2 member(s) found this review helpful.

this is a book for the young and old. absolutely brill. touching, sad at times, sweet, but altogether funny! a must read!

Julie T. wrote on 10/20/2005...

2 member(s) found this review helpful.

VERY good book. Young girl goes from being homeless and abused to a respected member of society.

Kathleen M. wrote on 3/6/2007...

1 member(s) found this review helpful.

This book is appropriate for ages 12 and up. It is a Newberry Medal Winner.

Dana W. (Mommad) wrote on 9/21/2006...

1 member(s) found this review helpful.

Good book! My 15yo dd enjoyed it!

Amber T. (booknerd21) wrote on 7/7/2006...

1 member(s) found this review helpful.

This wasn't my kind of book, but I know a lot of people have enjoyed it.

Tracy J. (kiltedfaerie) wrote on 3/17/2006...

1 member(s) found this review helpful.

Okay, so I read this book a *while* ago, bu I do remember that I liked it. Very good for any kid who is interested in history.

Ruth R. (yomamaruth) wrote on 8/28/2005...

1 member(s) found this review helpful.

award winning novel for young adults-orphan becomes apprentice midwife


Please Rate these Book Reviews

Julie N. (Juloyes) wrote on 5/6/2009...


This is dealing with a MIDWIFE'S apprentice, so there were just a couple descriptions that I would not have been ready for my 8 year old to read, even though we were studying medieval history in our homeschool. I'm very thankful I read it first. I might recommend this to an older, more mature child but not a little kid. Seems like you sometimes can't trust the Newbery Award to be without questionable materials so I've learned to use discretion and read the books first. We're much more sensitive in our home about sexuality in books, movies, and TV than maybe most people are, I guess. It was still well written and I enjoyed the setting of the middle ages.

Donna E. (impossible) wrote on 9/22/2008...


An interesting story. It presents a young heroine who starts out from the gutter and learns how to care for herself and others and make a place for herself in her world.

Sandy H. wrote on 8/7/2006...


Newberry Medal Winner


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