The Midwifes Apprentice, Karen Cushman
The Midwifes Apprentice, Karen Cushman
List: $10.99 | Sale: $7.70
Club: $5.49

The Midwife's Apprentice

Author: Karen Cushman

Narrator: Jenny Sterlin

Unabridged: 2 hr 50 min

Format: Digital Audiobook Download

Publisher: Recorded Books

Published: 05/23/2008


Synopsis

Lyrical yet unsentimental, The Midwife's Apprentice won the coveted 1996 Newbery Medal. Filled with striking characters, it paints unforgettable pictures of village life in the Middle Ages, the midwife's craft, and a very remarkable girl's growing independence and pride. Brat has no name, no home, and no shelter against the 14th-century English winter except the foul warmth of a dung heap. So when Jane the Midwife wakes her with a kick and takes the half-starved creature to her cottage, a curious relationship begins. Jane teaches Brat to gather herbs and make the poultices used to ease the pain of childbirth for the village women. The skinny young girl quickly learns to obey the sharp-tongued midwife, and secretly watches Jane practice her art whenever she can. But Jane is also teaching Brat unspoken lessons that will take longer-maybe a lifetime-to master.

About Karen Cushman

Karen Cushman's acclaimed historical novels include Catherine, Called Birdy, a Newbery Honor winner, and The Midwife's Apprentice, which received the Newbery Medal. She lives on Vashon Island in Washington State. Visit her online at karencushman.com and on Twitter @cushmanbooks.


Reviews

Goodreads review by Aerin on February 23, 2009

I read Catherine Called Birdy, a Newbery Honor Book, about ten years ago, and while it was interesting it wasn’t quite captivating enough for me to want to read anything else by Karen Cushman. Still, when The Midwife’s Apprentice showed up on Paperback Swap, I figured I’d give it a try. A Newbery Med......more

Goodreads review by Jennie on August 07, 2007

The midwife finds Brat asleep in a dung heap. She says she will work for food, so the midwife takes her on, having her do the housekeeping and herb-gathering and renames Brat, Beetle. Beetle is not allowed to assist when the midwife delivers a baby, but she watches from the windows and learns the mi......more

Goodreads review by Set on December 18, 2022

I love this author so much. She among a few other author are the reason why I started enjoying reading at a very young age. And when I realized that reading isn't dreary like those books we were forced to read in grade school. I wanted to become a Midwife after reading this book my mother whom used......more

Goodreads review by Chicklet on October 17, 2007

A lot of historical research must have gone into this book, very well done. I'm amazed at both how much and how little people of this era new about pregnancy and childbirth. While the cover of this book seems to be geared toward children, I would NOT hand this over to a child who does not already k......more

Goodreads review by Bobby on July 24, 2008

Summary: Orphaned since as long as she can remember, Beetle becomes employed by the cold village midwife. And while her payment is meager, Beetle eventually gains confidence in herself and her abilities through her work. Strengths: While it uses the language of the time, the book is surprisingly access......more