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I picked this up because I was fascinated to read about how midwifery was handled for a juvenile audience. You know how people freak out about kids knowing where babies come from? It was interesting from that perspective, but I ended up really enjoying the book. The protagonist is a homeless, nameless ragamuffin who gets taken in by a village midwife and learns a bit about the work of bringing babies into the world. The confidence that comes from having a place in the world starts to change the
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When I went to pick this one up at the library, I was surprised by how thin and little it was -- barely a hundred pages, and in a large font besides.
When I finished the book, I was even more surprised. I read regularly from this genre and expect good things from Newbery winners. Yup, this one won the Newbery -- but I couldn't figure out why.
The plot was quite simple -- and perhaps it's because Alyce, the main character, is so simple herself. As a forgotten, unloved orphan, she comes into the st ...more
When I finished the book, I was even more surprised. I read regularly from this genre and expect good things from Newbery winners. Yup, this one won the Newbery -- but I couldn't figure out why.
The plot was quite simple -- and perhaps it's because Alyce, the main character, is so simple herself. As a forgotten, unloved orphan, she comes into the st ...more
Cushman, Karen. The Midwife's Apprentice. New York: Clarion Books, 1995. Print. 122 p.
Newbery Medal 1996
An orphaned young girl, with no place in the world, finds a home with the town's midwife, the ill-tempered Jane Sharp. In Medieval England the business of giving birth is often aided by herbs, exercises, and magic rituals led by the only practiced hand, Jane and her apprentice. The young girl, known first as Brat, and then Beetle after sleeping in a dung heap, renames herself Alyce after bein ...more
Newbery Medal 1996
An orphaned young girl, with no place in the world, finds a home with the town's midwife, the ill-tempered Jane Sharp. In Medieval England the business of giving birth is often aided by herbs, exercises, and magic rituals led by the only practiced hand, Jane and her apprentice. The young girl, known first as Brat, and then Beetle after sleeping in a dung heap, renames herself Alyce after bein ...more
I read this to teach it to seventh graders last year (but hadn't changed it to read). It was okay--it was good for teaching perseverence and to teach about life of peasants in medieval times.
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I have no strong feelings about this book...I walked away feeling completely indifferent, even on my second read.
(Newbery Medal Winner, 1996)
(Newbery Medal Winner, 1996)
A very well written children's book. Enjoyable.
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Sep 13, 2007
Dana
rated it
really liked it
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
junior-fiction,
historical-fiction
Feb 27, 2008
Brenda
rated it
really liked it
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
historical-fiction,
child
Sep 03, 2019
ette
marked it as to-read
Sep 17, 2019
Margaret
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Dec 01, 2024
Crystal
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