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    Catherine, Called Birdy
    Catherine, Called Birdy
    Catherine, Called Birdy
    Audiobook6 hours

    Catherine, Called Birdy

    Written by Karen Cushman

    Narrated by Jenny Sterlin

    4/5

    ()

    About this audiobook

    In 1290, her 14th year, Catherine begins a diary that quickly fills with the irrepressible joys and frustrations of her days. Always looking for ways to avoid drudging hours of embroidery, Birdy fills her time with pranks, celebrations of feast days, and local gossip. Wriggling out of her father's plans to find a prosperous husband for her proves to be Birdy's greatest challenge. As each prospective suitor appears, Birdy blacks her teeth, drools, and does her best to scare him off. These mischievous tricks work until Shaggy Beard, the richest one of all, arrives with his fat purse of silver. Karen Cushman does careful research for each of her books, so Birdy's lively journal is sprinkled with the vivid, personal details of life in medieval England. Catherine, Called Birdy is a Newbery Honor Book. It was chosen as an ALA Children's Notable Book, an ALA Best Book for Young Adults, and an ALA Quick Picks for Young Adults.
    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherRecorded Books, Inc.
    Release dateJun 6, 2008
    ISBN9781436136945
    Catherine, Called Birdy
    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.

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    Reviews for Catherine, Called Birdy

    4/5

    54 ratings30 reviews

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    • 4/5
      I've had this book since I was about 11 or 12 and it's still one of my favorites! I love how everything turns out at the end.
    • 5/5
      This is one of my all-time favorite books. I've read it at least once a year since I was 9 -- even though I'm an adult now, this book still retains its charm. I love Birdy's spirit and wit; her voice as narrator is just delightful. Cushman also paints a more realistic view of medieval life than many authors, illustrating that even the upper strata of society had to deal with muck, fleas, and filth -- while at the same time showing that people still found reasons to celebrate life, rather than sitting around wishing they'd been born in the Renaissance. ;) I heartily recommend this for all girls, and for all those still girls at heart.
    • 4/5
      A friend loaned this book to me, saying I would like it. I was skeptical... but she was right! The main character of Catherine is likable, funny, and believable as a young teen living in 1290 AD. I appreciated how Cushman included a section at the back on the real history of the time period, it shows that she really did her research and tried her hardest to make her novel authentic. And it shows! I recommend: A hot cup of tea, a comfy pillow, and an hour or two of uninterrupted reading time to enjoy this one best!
    • 5/5
      Even though this book is for young adults/teens, I still found it very interesting to read in light of its youthful narrator. I liked contrast of individuality verses community in the decision of marriage.
    • 5/5
      A diary of a 13-year-old British girl in 1290. Absolutely delightful. Birdy's commentary is loads of fun: earthy, funny, and brutally honest. Things just get better when she obtains a book of saints and marks whose feast day it is, often with hilarious commentary. I wonder how many of them are real. (Probably most, given the level of Christian superstition during those days.) Definitely recommended for anyway - children and adults alike - looking for an interesting and entertaining sample of medieval life (pay particular attention to the food - eww!). I don't know why I didn't read this years ago.
    • 2/5
      Reviewed Sept 1998 This is a Oakland, CA author who was tired of reading about Kings & Princes and decided to write books concerning real young people living in the Middle Ages. Bringing history to life for many young people. Catherine is a 14 year old daughter of a knight who is being forced to marry whomever her father selects. she has another idea, she will sabotage the courting, in one case, burning the privy while her suitor is in it, another by crossing her eyes and drooling in her meat during dinner. Her search for the perfect swear word is great, finally settling on "Gods Thumbs." Very entertaining reading, really brings life in 1290, England to understanding
    • 2/5
      Entertaining, but overall highly anachronistic. Yet another author who transplants a spunky, modern heroine into a vastly different culture without an explanation of how such a character could have developed. People forget that 'teenagers' have only existed since the middle of the last century.I wish Cushman had created a protagonist who was both engaging to the reader and able to provide illumination of how much people have changed over time. That's the book I want for my kids. You know, if I wasn't half-convinced that I would destroy the poor things with my eccentric brand of madness. Then again, I couldn't do any worse than most parents.
    • 4/5
      The titular Catherine (called Birdy) is a fourteen year old young lady in medieval England. Her mother is kind and softspoken, her father is a beast, one brother takes after their father and her other brother is a priest. The novel, told in journal form, starts when Birdy's brother (the priest) gives her a journal and asks her to write in it, in the hopes of helping Birdy to think, grow more introspective, and grow up a little. Then Birdy's troubles begin: her father notices she's become a young woman, and decides it's time to shop for a husband for her.Catherine, Called Birdy was one of my favorite books as a child. It chronicles not only Birdy's attempts to foil her father's plans to (basically) auction her off, but also her life in 13th century England.
    • 4/5
      Corpus bones! Sonlight curriculum expects me to allow my impressionable young daughters to read this book?! It is a vivid picture of the middle ages, filled with dirt and dung, fleas and flatulence. Quite inappropriate for modern sensibilities. But, in all seriousness, definitely worth checking out for a picture of our cultural past. The fact that it is quite amusing doesn't hurt either. The book itself is the diary of a young teenage girl, Catherine, the daughter of a minor knight in the 13th Century. She details her life in her home and village, set against the backdrop of her father's desire to obtain a profitable marriage for her. Catherine, of course, doesn't meekly submit to the plan and the reader is privy to her thoughts and shenanigans while events unfold. Truly an enjoyable read.--J.
    • 4/5
      A beloved J or YA (I can't always tell) book that is written as the journal of the daughter of a country knight. Her brother Edward (a monk) taught her to write, and her mother wants to please him, so between them they convince Catherine to keep the journal. It is by far the most entertaining journal-book I've ever read and Catherine is a fabulous character.
    • 1/5
      I am sorry but this was probally the worst book ever! But also in a way kind of fascinating..
    • 5/5
      This book is probably responsible for my interest in historical fiction. Karen Cushman does a great job of making history interesting and accessible to people of any age, in all her novels.
    • 4/5
      Catherine, a feisty, outspoken and most unladylike 14-year-old living in the Middle Ages, chronicles her life over one year in a diary given to her by her brother in an attempt to make her more ladylike. Alas, alack, the plan does not work, but one does get to see what life in the middle ages was like, and how woman are subjected to a life full of dull tasks. Readers will root for Catherine (called Birdy because of the birds she keeps in her room) as she thwarts suitors and tries to find her life on her own.The thirteen-year-old daughter of an English country knight keeps a journal in which she records the events of her life, particularly her longing for adventures beyond the usual role of women and her efforts to avoid being married off.
    • 4/5
      Born to the upper class, although in the lower echelons, 14-year-old Catherine refuses to accept her lot in life in the England of 1290 - spinning, embroidery, manor care, and being married off to the highest bidder. Catherine has a mind for mischief, a tenderness for animals, and love for the village and villagers that surround her. Told through diary entries prompted by her favorite brother Edward, gone to be a monk, Catherine's story is both lively and heartbreaking as we see "Birdy" beat her wings against her gilded cage.

      Jenny Sterlin narrates with vim and vigor that brings Cushman's historically detailed medieval England and colorful characters to vibrant life. Despite some of the achaic language which might not be familiar to young readers, Sterlin's narration always gets the gist across.

      Listened to the Recorded Books CD edition. Previously read.
    • 4/5
      Catherine is an engaging wee thing, and I wholly sympathised with her desire not to be married off to someone dreadful. The diary format of the novel provided plenty of opportunity for dry wit - I enjoyed how the modern convention of the teenage girl's diary was translated back into the historical time period, complete with "Geoffery! Geoffery! Geoffery!"The little details of daily life were delightful, although I was horrified by the frequent occurrence of herring!I often criticise historical fiction for giving characters anachronistic sensibilities, and while this was the case here as well, it did not detract from my enjoyment of the story.
    • 4/5
      This was a nice fun book that went at a good pace. Some of the terminology was a little confusing, but otherwise I liked it. The main character is especially fun and easy to relate to.
    • 3/5
      Fun YA novel about Birdy, who is 14 in the year 1290. She's suspiciously spunky and independent-minded for the time, but it's a good read nonetheless. Richly detailed, pretty funny, and finally, a Newbery Honor book that's not terribly sad.
    • 4/5
      The thirteen-year-old daughter of an English country knight keeps a journal in which she records the events of her life, particularly her longing for adventures beyond the usual role of women and her efforts to avoid being married off.
    • 4/5
      this was a good book. it is about a girl that live in a castle and has to marry a groos man shaggy beard.
    • 4/5
      In no other book set in thirteenth-century England has such a willful and admirable protagonist starred. Catherine, the fourteen-year-old daughter of a knight whom she claims is a rude pig, is called Birdy, and somehow the name suits her. She’d much rather be a villager, frolicking outdoors all day and not being reprimanded for getting her feet and clothes dirty.Unfortunately for her, a well-off young lady has but one aim in life, and that is to be married to a well-off man. Throughout the year that she documents in her journal, Birdy’s father attempts to find her a husband. However, Birdy manages to scare away each one with her liveliness and cleverness.Birdy’s doing pretty well considering the number of suitors she’s managed to send away. Then she meets her match. A rich suitor, affectionately called by her as “Shaggy Beard,” wants to wed her. He doesn’t care that she is willful, independent, and not very ladylike. She’s expected to not care that he’s almost older than her father, ugly, bad-mannered, and gross. What will Birdy come up with in order to escape this most horrible fate for herself?While not all readers will be satisfied with the ending, thinking that it’s a copout, the ending brought tears to my eyes. Birdy is such a fun main character who manages to also be eloquent and observant. Her concluding realization is wise beyond her years and marks her as a strong character who people should admire.
    • 4/5
      Good book if you are looking for a book to read. Can get boring but is good. The story is about a girl in the medival times who is just like anyone our age.
    • 5/5
      It’s 1290, and Catherine the 13 year old daughter of a minor lord has been told she must soon get married. “Corpus Bones!” This is not a happy prospect for feisty Catherine who likes to burp and play in the mud. Worse yet are all the men her father keeps inviting over to visit Catherine. These men are gross, and Catherine does everything to outwit them. For instance, she rubs soot in her teeth and hair and even blows up the outhouse in her determination to get rid of one of her suitors! These shenanigans work for awhile until Catherine is betrothed to marry Lord Murgaw of Lithgow, the Baron Selkirk, Lord of Smithburn, Random, and Fleece. Catherine calls this lord Shaggy Beard because he is slimy, yellow-toothed, cruel, and rude. He is also old! How could her father do this to her? Can Catherine get out of this arranged nightmare? Or is she destined to be the life partner of a man she doesn’t love much less even like? Pick up a copy of Catherine, Called Birdy by Karen Cushman so you can laugh out loud as you find out the answer to these questions and more!Karen Cushman is a prolific author that has written quite a few historical fiction novels about strong adolescent females. Her stories are inspirational as they give young girls a voice. They are also touched with humor and heart.
    • 4/5
      Funny, interesting look at what life as a teen girl in medieval times must have been like. The protagonist's voice is self-confident and likeable, if a bit modern in mindset.
    • 4/5
      Cushman reveals through Birdy’s daily diary entries the many struggles that medieval people endured daily. Birdy talks about everything from the privy to embroidery to unwanted marriages to helping the poor. She reveals the jobs each person performed and the societal status based on those jobs. Readers will enjoy the candid manner in dealing with such mundane and oftentimes unmentionable daily activities. In the author’s note, Cushman explains the realities of what medieval people might have experienced in daily life, within family units, personal identity, within their community, and employment anchoring Birdy’s commentary with that of historical research. Cushman includes a booklist of medieval topics.The universal theme of finding one’s place within limited boundaries resounds among teens today. Trying to please and be obedient while struggling to discover what is true to oneself is a constant battle that teens face. Though bound to her father’s arranged marriage, Birdy is able to find resolve when she reflects on the few voices of reason who whispered to her throughout the year. She can be herself no matter where she is bound by agreement and can become true to herself--- a lesson teens can find parallel to their own lives. The only stretch of belief is in that Birdy must marry who her father has decided upon AND she has enough gumption to bargain for her future. So, the stretch lies in how believable is it that a woman would stand up against the ruling male? A bit of a stretch of reality but overall an interesting vantage of medieval life.
    • 5/5
      Set in the 12th century, Catherine, Called Birdy is a journal kept by a girl whose nickname is Birdy. Under her brother’s orders, Birdy records the daily events of her life, from picking flees to spinning to raising her birds, over the course of a year. As she becomes accustomed to keeping a journal, Birdy starts to relate her hopes and dreams of becoming a crusader like her uncle George or a lady of the court that does as she pleases. In reality, Birdy struggles to come to terms with being a woman in a world where she has little control over herself and her future. Birdy’s life is ruled by her father, her mother, and her nursemaid; she finds some escape in writing, drawing, and her birds. However, life isn’t all dreary for Birdy; she is a feisty young woman who loves animals, hates sewing, and can turn almost any suitor away.
    • 5/5
      Although it sounds deadly--one year in the life of Birdy, the13 year old daughter of a minor knight in 11th century England, as told through her diary entries--it is, instead, brilliant. Birdy is irreverent, manipulative, modern, lively, funny, thoughtful, moody, anxious, headstrong and thoroughly alive--she is Anne of Green Gables, Hermoine Granger, Jo March, Charlotte Doyle-- a strong adolescent female character coming of age and trying to make sense of her world. Birdy, as the daughter of a poor and minor knight, hates lots of things about her life--killing fleas, cleaning rushes, her older brother, endless needle work--and she fights against the social constraints put on women of her era-- sometime actually longing for the imagined greener grass life of the peasantry. In the course of the year she loses her best friend to a less than happy marriage and is herself facing the very real prospect of being married off to the highest bidder--which she decides to fight with every tool in her limited power. The details of daily life are certainly realistic--the actual character of Birdy--i'm not so sure--but that does not diminish the story at all--the character is one many girls (and boys) will identify with and while the ending is a bit convenient (yes, i 'll give you that) it is historic fiction and a great story and one that kids love. This is Karen Cushman doing what she does best.
    • 4/5
      Written in the form of a diary, Catherine relates her life in 13th century England. Her father is a knight, a very low noble rank in society. Her family is wealthy enough to own land, but not wealthy enough for servants. Catherine relates to the reader her struggles in the housework, battles with fleas and lice, and her fathers attempts to arrange a marriage for her.
    • 4/5
      love this book!!!!!! is so good, but there is "cuddling"
    • 3/5
      Formatted as a young girl's diary of her attempt to avoid being married off to the "highest bidder".
    • 4/5
      this book was the best that i read during the school year. the author put alot of detale into creating the story and setting. the book is over all short, though. u could probably finish it in a few sit downs. the story takes place in the middle ages. Birdy, is being forced to get married by her father to people she has never met before and probably would never love. But, with wit and creativeity she finds ways to out do these horrible suiters :D