Catherine, Called Birdy

by Karen Cushman

In her "witty, irreverent diary," Catherine describes her mother's efforts to turn her into a lady, her father's attempts to marry her off, and her resolve to be who she wants to be and live the life she chooses, despite the conventions governing girls of good family in medieval England. A Newbery Honor book. (School Library Journal, starred) 

 

 

  • Format: eBook
  • ISBN-13/ EAN: 9780547350103
  • ISBN-10: 0547350104
  • Pages: 176
  • Publication Date: 05/23/1994
About the Book
About the Author
Reviews
  • About the Book

    A 1995 Newbery Honor Book  

     

    Catherine, a spirited and inquisitive young woman of good family, narrates in diary form the story of her fourteenth year—the year 1290. A Newbery Honor Book.

  • About the Author

    Karen Cushman

    Karen Cushman's acclaimed historical novels include Catherine, Called Birdy, a Newbery Honor winner, and The Midwife's Apprentice, which received the Newbery Medal. She lives on Vashon Island in Washington State. Visit her online at karencushman.com and on Twitter @cushmanbooks.

  • Excerpts
  • Reviews

    "This unusual book provides an insider’s look at the life of Birdy, 14, the daughter of a minor English nobleman. The year is 1290 and the vehicle for storytelling is the girl’s witty, irreverent diary. . . . Superb historical fiction." —School Library Journal, Starred

    "The period has rarely been presented for young people with such authenticity; the exotic details will intrigue readers while they relate more closely to Birdy’s yen for independence and her sensibilities toward the downtrodden. Her tenacity and ebullient naiveté are extraordinary; at once comic and thought-provoking, this first novel is a delight." —Kirkus Reviews with Pointers

×