The Midwife's Apprentice Paperback – June 19, 2012

Karen Cushman has such a knack for historical fiction. I've enjoyed reading and sharing all of her books again and again...though I must admit this one is my favorite (and well Catherine too..and Rodzina...I take it back...I love them all! ;). Of course, everyone is entitled to their own opinion. - the very point of this review option...but it just amazes me how some people find the ending or the overall treatment of this girl to be offensive. Life was HARD in medieval times, particularly for the downtrodden and children (who in many ways weren't really recognized as being in any special group...just "little adults")...most were lucky to actually reach adulthood. Sure the midwife is obnoxious and at times cruel but "Brat" was given a home...and over time, a trade (more of a passion, I'd say). She came into her own at the end...and knew exactly what she was doing with that final decision. Sure nobody (well I hope) actually enjoys reading about a child suffering ...in whatever way (and on that note, animals too), but it was what it was. Won't say more because I don't want to be a spoiler...but Brat aka Alyce overcame it all...she was a survivor! One great read.

This is the book review my 12 year old granddaughter wrote. A dung heap is a warm place to sleep, especially if you have no place to call home, no food to call your own, no family to call upon, nothing but the dirty rags you wear. The Midwife’s Apprentice, by Karen Cushman, is a journey through the life of a young, skinny, big eyed girl, known as Brat. Though she is hindered by many failures, she manages to overcome them with courage, hope, and tenacity.Compared to Mrs. Cushman’s other books, this was by far her best because I could personally relate to the story; not necessarily sleeping in a dung heap, but as a pre-teen, girl searching for her place in the world. This book rarely left my finger tips! It not only included all sorts of thrilling and exciting elements, but also included sad and regretful moments in Brat’s experiences as well. With all the encouraging and surprising components that the book offers, I would say it’s a “must read” and give it the highest rating possible.

I've read reviews and agree that perhaps this book is not age appropriate for an 8 year old, but a 10-12 year old I feel would do much better with it. Granted parents today keep their children in the dark concerning almost everything at times, in a push to keep them young, but with the poor-media they are swarmed with day to day on TV, perhaps parents should look first at limiting/screening what their kids are watching; over what, inspiring, books of learning and growth they are not allowing them to read. This book is a definite parent read first, and than be ready and open to their kids as/when they have questions post reading.The book in itself is simply a story of a lost, abandoned girl, who finds and discovers herself in a non-disney-type, false-fantasy story of real life. Very powerful and very truthful in its telling, The Midwife's apprentice is truly a masterful piece of literature, eye-opening, thought provoking and deserving of the praise granted it by writers and educationalist alike.

Karen Cushman has meticulously researched the Middle Ages in England, and created a teenaged main character with whom modern readers can totally relate. Birdy, the daughter of a knight, is a 14-year-old free thinker and sort of a tomboy. Her unsympathetic father feels that she is rapidly passing her prime and needs to be married off ASAP. Birdy has no interest in becoming a wife or in men in general (unless she could pass for one in her fantasy of joining in The Crusades). Written in the form of Birdy's journal, we learn the creative ways in which Birdy deliberately repulses all prospective suitors. The historical accuracy to details of daily life in that period are in turn fascinating, repugnant and at times hilarious, as we see that teenagers way back then had reactions and ideas the reader can relate to now. A wonderfully well written and totally entertaining book!

I love this book! This book teaches you many things such as kindness, caring, and believe in yourself. It also have some cool information of what midwives used in the back of the book. Would recommend!

I loved this story and became immersed in the Medieval setting from the very first page. Cushman is not only a great researcher, she's a great writer, conveying much with few words. The story of a homeless girl taken in by Midwife Jane as her apprentice is gripping. As the girl, called Beetle (for Dung Beetle) by Jane, grows and learns, she chooses her own name: Alyce. She also thinks she can do as much as the midwife can, but when she fails, she doesn't know what to do but run away. In the running, though, she fends for herself and comes to realize that Yes, she wants to be a midwife, and so she returns to Jane. The returning is not a defeat, but a victory: a choice about the direction Alyce wants her life to go in. A very rewarding story.

For young readers, the ragtag main character Alyce's life may seem shocking. She has no home, almost no food or clothing, and no one to care whether she lives or dies. Her daily existence includes verbal abuse and physical neglect. In her fourteenth-century world most people, including her, just don't matter much. But Alyce has spunk and heart and goals. Her struggle to find a place for herself in an unwelcoming society makes her appealing and real. In the end, her willingness to keep trying is what offers her a future.

I adored Cushmans "Catherine Called Birdy" and decided to give her other works a try. This book is not nearly as immersive as Birdy, but it is not written to be like Birdy. It is a fun narrative about a peasant girl growing up and discovering her own worth in 13th century England. If you like light reading, and have a taste for historical fiction you will most likely enjoy The Midwife's Apprentice.

I read this after coming late to 'Catherine Called Birdy' by the same author. Having an interest in historical fiction, especially when it chronicles the lives of ordinary people, I absolutely adored this. The writing is totally unsentimental yet deeply moving. It is also wonderfully evocative and does what I want every historical novel to do: it transports me back in time.

I bought this and a few other Karen Cushman books for some research on a project I'm working on. I like how (in this book and in others) she get the historical accuracy in, without it ever getting boring and I certainly learned a lot!. Even if you're an adult, reading her books can certainly teach you a thing or two, and it's clear a lot of research has gone in to her work. I would definitely recommend any of her books for a young person with an interest in history.The great strength of the midwife's apprentice is the main character and how she's learns to trust herself and stand up for herself, starting on a dungheap and ending quite well. Also showing that even though she hasn't had any education, she's smart enough to pull off a big trick on the whole village.

My ten-year-old daughter loved it. Stirred up her empathy for the character and gave her a sense of life at the time. Engaging.

Das Buch beschreibt wie sich das Leben des obdachlosen Bettelmädchens Beetle, später Alyce, wendet, als die Hebame eines Dorfes sie im Misthaufen findet. Sie wird Gehilfin der strengen und schlecht gelaunten Jane Sharp, lernt ihr Handwerk, freundet sich mit einer Katze an, hat Erfolge und Schickssalsschläge bis sie herausfindet wer sie ist und was sie vom Leben möchte.Ich fand die Geschichte im ersten Drittel sehr oberflächlich. Die Kapitel erzählen einzelne Szenen sehr kurz und mir wenig Detail. Die Charaktere bleiben zuerst eindimensional und man bekommt wenig persönliches mit, als wird die Geschichte von einem rein beobachtenden Erzähler erzählt.Erst ab der Mitte des Buches werden die Charatere und ihre Handlungen nachvollziehbarer, man bekommt mehr Hintergrund, mehr Gefühl und Nähe zu der Protagonistin. Das Buch wurde für mich besser und nachvollziehbarer um so länger es ging. Leider ist es nur sehr kurz, das macht den langsamen, schwerfälligen Einstieg besonders schade.Ich habe mehrfach gelesen, dies Buch sollte man Kindern nicht zu lesen geben, wenn sie noch wenig Ahnung von Geburt oder Schwangerschaft haben, dass es vulgär wäre.Das Buch erwähnt natürlich viele Geburten, geht aber keineswegs in Details, oder ist grausig oder blutig, obwohl der Vorgang natürlich als schmerzhaft beschrieben ist.Die exakten Vorgänge werden gar nicht beschrieben, aber es gibt Erwähnungen das ein Kind falsch herum geboren wird und auch dass nicht alle Babies und Mütter die Geburt überleben, aber nur in einem Nebensatz. Tatsächlich kommen letztendlich alle Babies in diesem Buch gesund und munter auf die Welt.Es werden auch einige Aberglauben im Bezug auf Geburten erwähnt, aber auch funktionierende Kräutertränke und Methoden, wie es eben zu der damaligen Zeit üblich war.

La escuela de mi hijo necesita