“Writing with verve and crystal-clear prose, Singer explores how literary representations of infancy may articulate concerns central to medieval understandings of voice, speech, and song; of the family and social relations; of law and justice; of disability, family, and care. Often surprising, always compelling, Out of the Mouths of Babes is both theoretically rich and a joy to read."

Peggy McCracken, University of Michigan

“Meticulously researched and impressive in scope, Out of the Mouths of Babes investigates not only the place of childhood in medieval culture but also thornier, contemporary questions surrounding the beginnings of life, subjectivity, and personhood made more vibrant by Singer’s careful exploration of their medieval stagings. Her work reshapes our understanding of infancy and childhood—even embryology—in the medieval period and helps us better understand what it means to be a person, in any age.”

Megan Moore, University of Missouri

“In this remarkable book, Singer shows how much infants, despite being defined as speechless, have to say about some of the most towering and complex intellectual problems facing medieval, and modern, society. Theoretically daring, cleverly structured, and engagingly written, Out of the Mouths of Babes teases out the surprising importance of an effectively ignored subject, and it does so with a unique combination of rigor, expertise, and creativity.”

Charlie Samuelson, University of Colorado Boulder