Book Reviews of Catherine, Called Birdy

Delightful story of a 14-year-old daughter of a knight's exploits in avoiding marriage. True to the period and hilarious.

Some reviewers have said that Catherine sounds more like a modern American teenager than a medieval maiden. Well, that's because our idea of what a typical medieval maiden was really like was tainted by the Victorians. Females were not the "damsels in distress" we like to think they were. Women, even teen women, in the middle ages were land-owners, proud of their sexuality, and not afraid to speak their minds with no recrimination.

That being said, Catherine IS a typical medieval maiden. Learned, God-fearing to a point, outspoken, and proud. She doesn't want to marry who her father wants her to marry and wants to make up her own mind.

Her diary entries are hilariously funny and often mention her new ways of swearing ("corpus bones" and "God's thumbs", for example). As an adult, I loved to read her snarky writing about her lout of a father and her ways of sneaking out of work and chores...reminds me of my students!

Very deserving of all the awards it has earned and will turn your idea of what the middle ages were really like upside down.

This is one of the more kid-friendly Newberry books--so many in the past decade or so are the kind of books kids *have* to read in school but may not want to. The drama/suspense of what will happen to Birdy next, plus the weirdness of the historical details, should make it compelling even for kids who might normally not be into historical fiction. Birdy is a fun and strong protagonist. I loved it as an adult.

I absolutely loved this book when I was a teenager. I must have read it 20 times.

A well-written historical fiction story for preteen readers. Birdy is a likable main character with wit and guts that will appeal to modern readers. The ending even brought tears of pride to my eyes!

An interesting tale of a young, spirited woman that wants a part in the events in which happen to her. She's of the age to be married off (an arranged marriage) and her adventures sure are worth the enjoyment of reading. A fun surprise ending. I enjoyed it and it was a fun read. I'm not sure her behavior would have been tolerated in Medieval times but as the bumper sticker states "well-behaved women rarely make history" - or something like that anyway.

This book is a classic Newberry Award winngin book and was required reading for 6th graders in our local school system.

This book is used in Sonlight 6

I thought this book was pretty funny. I like when she's trying to come up with her own curse words.

We used this in our medieval unit study. Very good book!

If you took Caddie Woodlawn in her teen years and dropped her into the middle ages, you might end up with something like this book. Cushman captures adolescence well, but Birdy seems more like a modern American than a medieval Brit. Still, a fun read.

This is an interesting book set in Medieval times ... of a girl who's trying to avoid being married to the pig her father has chosen for her. She writes humorous diary entries over this year of growing up time.

Catherine feels trapped. Her father is determined to marry her off to a rich man--any rich man, no matter how awful.

But by will, trickery, and luck, Catherine manages to send several would-be husbands packing. Then a shaggy-bearded suitor from the north comes to call--by far the oldest, ugliest, most revolting suitor of them all.

Unfortunately, he is also the richest.

Can a sharp-tongued, high-spirited, clever young maiden with a mind of her own actually lose the battle against an ill-mannered, piglike lord and an unimaginative, greedy toad of a father?

Deus! Not if Catherine has anythign to say about it!

A Newbery Honor Book
A 1995 Notable Children's Book
A 1995 Best Book for Young Adults
Quick Picks for Young Adults 1995

Catherine feels trapped and doesn't want to be married off to a rich man as her father intends. This book is great for jr high to high school kids, girls especially. It's also on the accelerated reading list.

Diary of a medieval young girl as her father attempts to marry her off. Catherine is irreverent but fun!

A modern classic & a Newberry Honor Book, this is a great book for kids to learn about life in the middle ages.

great!

A great book of life in the Middle Ages for a young girl. For ages 12 and up.

A Newbury Honor Book.
Catherine feels trapped. Her father is determined to marry her off to rich man- any rich man, no matter how awful.
But, by wit, trickery, and luck, Catherine manages to send several would be husbands packing.

for young adult readers-award winning novel-young and independent when maidens weren't supposed to be that way (the middle ages), Catherine tries to avoid an arranged marriage

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