Brat, the protagonist, or main character of the novel, is a homeless, nameless young girl who might be twelve or thirteen. What are major events that happen in the book the midwife. Only 122 pages, it packs in a lot of historical detail, an engaging heroine, and a story of perseverance. The midwifes apprentice chapter 10 by karen cushman wit and wisdom 7thgrade module 1. Karen cushmans first book, catherine, called birdy, was a newbery honor winner and her second, the midwifes apprentice, was awarded the newbery medal. As she helps the sharptempered jane deliver babies, bratwho renames herself alycegains knowledge. The midwifes apprentice by karen cushman librarything.
Again in this newbery award winner she propels us, within a few pages, into the life of a girl living in the middle ages, makes us like and understand her, shows us a lot about the. Its just a simple coming of age story about one of the sweetest, quietest, and purest characters to ever touch your soul. A girl known only as brat has no family, no home, and no future until she meets jane the midwife and becomes her apprentice. The middle ages has always held a great deal of appeal for me, so i decided to revisit an old favorite. The novel begins with a young girl, known only as brat, sleeping in a dung heap. The main character in the novel the midwifes apprentice is a young girl of about years old with no home or family of her own. In case you dont remember the basic premise of this book, its about a homeless girl in the middle ages, who literally lives in a dung heap. Pdf the midwifes apprentice book by karen cushman free. Filled with striking characters, it paints unforgettable pictures of village life in the middle ages, the midwifes craft, and a very remarkable girls growing independence and pride. The midwife s apprentice won the 1996 newbery medal. We will be downloading many more of karen cushmans stories to be read for pleasure.
The midwifes apprentice tells the story of a young girl who has no name, no family, no home and not future. Major themes cliffsnotes study guides book summaries. Shes known as brat and beetlethe names others call her. The midwifes apprentice by karen cushman 37,519 ratings, 3.
Karen cushman likes to write with her tongue firmly planted in her cheek, and her feisty female characters firmly planted in history. It has no plot twits, mysteries, sexy vampires, gothic mansions, or pomp or circumstance. I am thankful to my daughters teacher for selecting such an insightful book. The girl known only as brat has no family, no home, and no future until she meets jane the midwife and becomes her apprentice. Beetle is a small, straggly girl living in 14th century england who has been on her. From the author of catherine, called birdy comes another spellbinding novel set in medieval england. Birdy, her first book, which was runnerup for the 1995 newbery medal and short listed for w h smiths mindboggling books award. After successfully delivering a baby at the inn, alyce gains selfconfidence and returns to the village, determined to work as the midwifes apprentice. Alyce alyce previously known as brat and, later, beetle is the 12 or yearold she doesnt know how old she is protagonist, or main character, of the nov. The midwifes apprentice karen cushman winner of the newbery medal karen cushman was born in chicago, and is now assistant director of themuseum studies department at john e kennedy university in sanfrancisco. The midwifes apprentice by karen cushman is a coming of age tale that tells the story of alyce, a young girl in her teens during the middle ages. Comprehension by chapter, vocabulary challenges, creative reading response. Set in medieval england, the book is about brat, a girl with no home, no family, or no future. The midwifes apprentice is extremely factual as a historical fiction.
When she attempts a solo birthing and fails, she runs away. I am currently reading a book series set in seventeenth century scotland whos main character is a female doctor who utilizes the availability of herbs and flora for medicinal purposes. The midwifes apprentice is a historical fiction about a young, abandoned, povertystricken girl who finds herself apprenticed to a harsh midwife after the midwife, jane sharp, finds her huddled in a dung heap and recognizes the girls smarts and desperation which will lead to cheap labor for jane. Thus begins the funny, wise, compassionate story of the homeless waif who became the midwifes apprentice a person with a name and a place in the world. The midwife s apprentice is narrated in third person she said, as opposed to i said, which is first person, using a limited omniscient viewpoint in which only the protagonists thoughts and feelings are revealed. Free the midwifes apprentice study unit worksheets for teachers to print.
The first edition of the novel was published in january 1st 1995, and was written by karen cushman. Brat, the protagonist, or main character of the novel, is a homeless, nameless young girl who might be twelve or thirteen years old she. The midwifes apprentice questions and answers discover the community of teachers, mentors and students just like you that can answer any question you might have on. The midwifes apprentice, by the author of catherine, called birdy. It was as cold and dark inside her as out in the frosty night. The midwifes apprentice by karen cushman goodreads.
Discussion guide for the midwifes apprentice published by. The midwifes apprentice by karen cushman, paperback. Review of the midwifes apprentice by karen cushman 1. She and her husband share their oakland, california, home withtwo cats, a dog and a rabbit. Free download or read online the midwifes apprentice pdf epub book. Beetle is a small, straggly girl living in 14th century england who has been on her own for as long as she can remember. The midwife s apprentice is a childrens novel by karen cushman. Just because you dont know everything dont mean you know nothing. Buy a cheap copy of the midwifes apprentice book by karen cushman. An orphan girl called brat, then beetle, and then alyce is found by a village midwife and gradually becomes the cruel womans apprentice. Brat is an orphan girl found on a dung heap by jane, a medieval village midwife in england, who takes her on as a helper and calls her beetle.
The midwifes apprentice audiobook by karen cushman. She has no family and no friends and no one to look after her, and she cuddles down in the dung heap to keep warm. The midwifes apprentice is one of these precious few. The dung heap when animal droppings and garbage and spoiled straw are piled up in a great heap, the rotting and moiling give forth heat. As she helps the sharptempered jane deliver babies, bratwho renames herself alycegains knowledge, confidence, and the courage to want something from life. Awakened by teasing boys, brat meets the midwife who sends her on her. Here are some of the books i used for research while writing about brat. The midwifes apprentice tells the story of brat, a young homeless girl living in the streets in medieval england, stealing food, sleeping in alleys, and surviving as best she can. Questions for discussion in what ways does alyce demonstrate intelligence. The main characters of this historical, historical fiction story are alyce, jane.
Title page of the complete midwifes companion by jane sharp. Eventually discovered by a local midwife, alyce is given a chance to become the midwifes apprentice. When she is discovered in a dung heap by jane, the towns midwife, beetle is renamed alyce and becomes the midwifes apprentice. Called brat at the beginning of the novel, then beetle after she is discovered sleeping in a dung heap, the girl eventually winds up with the name alyce, after choosing it for herself. Explore classroom activities, puzzles, teacher resources and enrichment pdfs for this book. The midwifes apprentice printables, classroom activities. The midwifes apprentice young adult historical vault. A full belly, a contented heart, and a place in this world. How brat comes to terms with her failure and returns to janes home as a true apprentice is a gripping story about a time, place, and society that 20thcentury readers can hardly fathom.
Brat renames herself alyce and blossoms under janes watch. Cushman has a talent for writing small pithy novels as she did with catherine called birdy. The midwife s apprentice is extremely factual as a historical fiction. In the midwifes apprentice, which earned the 1996 newbery medal, this makes a winning combination for children and adult readers alike like her awardwinning book catherine, called birdy, the story takes place in medieval engl.
We follow an orphan girl who cant remember either of her parents or her name. That changes when she meets jane the midwife, who makes brat her apprentice. Please choose the correct answers to the following questions. The midwifes apprentice is narrated in third person she said, as opposed to i said, which is first person, using a limited omniscient viewpoint in which only the protagonists thoughts and feelings are revealed. The midwifes apprentice won the 1996 newbery medal. The midwife also visits the inn and comments that she needs an apprentice who doesnt give up. The book was published in multiple languages including english, consists of 128 pages and is available in paperback format. The midwifes apprentice by karen cushman is a wonderful comingofage book set in the fourteenth century in england. The midwife s apprentice by karen cushman is a coming of age tale that tells the story of alyce, a young girl in her teens during the middle ages. Plot summary brat, then beetle, then alyce, was an orphan living in a dung heap. The midwifes apprentice worksheets and literature unit.
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