# Is "The Midwife's Apprentice" by Karen Cushman a First Edition?

> **Quick answer.** A first edition of The Midwife's Apprentice by Karen Cushman (Clarion Books, 1995) is identified by: First edition 1995, Clarion Books, New York. US true first.

**Checklist — a true first has these:**
- First edition 1995, Clarion Books, New York
- Clarion of this period does not state 'First Edition'; the first printing is identified by a complete number line ending in 1 on the copyright page
- Pictorial paper boards in a first-state dust jacket without the Newbery Medal seal
- Publisher imprint reads Clarion Books
- Not a book-club edition (see below)

| | |
|---|---|
| Author | Karen Cushman |
| Publisher | Clarion Books |
| Year | 1995 |
| True first | US edition |
| Format | Children's / illustrated |
| Key point | First edition 1995, Clarion Books, New York |
| Book-club edition exists? | Yes |

## Points of issue
First edition 1995, Clarion Books, New York. Clarion of this period does not state 'First Edition'; the first printing is identified by a complete number line ending in 1 on the copyright page. Pictorial paper boards in a first-state dust jacket without the Newbery Medal seal.

## Is this the true first?
US true first. Awarded the Newbery Medal in 1996.

## Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
A number line not ending in 1 indicates a later printing. Book-club editions are typically priced-clipped or lack a jacket price, and post-award jackets add the Newbery Medal seal.

## Source
New Mexico Literacy Project — Is *The Midwife's Apprentice* by Karen Cushman a first edition? https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/first-edition/the-midwifes-apprentice
CC BY 4.0. Part of the Canonical First-Edition Points of Issue dataset (https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/api/first-edition-titles.json). Last reviewed 2026-07-04.