Cushman, Karen. 1995. THE MIDWIVE’S APPRENTICE. New York: Clarion Books.
In THE MIDWIVE’S APPRENTICE, Cushman tells of a time when a young girl sleeping in dung can be taken and shaped into a valued member of the society, a midwife. The Midwife is training the apprentice, whom she named Dung Beetle, yet she is very harsh in the way that she treats her during the process. Dung Beetle sees that she is worth a proper name and commences to rename herself Alyce. Lacking in confidence after two birthing mishaps, Alyce runs away. Will she have the courage to return to the training that will allow her to perform a service for her community that tugs at her heart? Cushman does not sugar-coat the realities of the time as she depicts the harsh conditions of the Middle Ages. The dialog is fresh and engaging, as readers are excited to find out what happens to the young apprentice through her many mishaps. Cushman includes historical notes on the times that give the reader insight into historical background of midwifery.
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