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Catherine, Called Birdy

by Karen Cushman

Catherine, Called Birdy Cover

ISBN13: 9780064405843
ISBN10: 0064405842
Condition: Standard
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Synopses & Reviews

Publisher Comments:

"Corpus Bones! I utterly loathe my life."

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

But by wit, 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 anything to say about it!

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

But by wit, 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 actualy lose the battle against an ill-mannared, piglike lord and an unimaginative, greedy toad of a father?

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

Review:

"A feminist far ahead of her time, [Catherine] is both believable and lovable.? Superb historical fiction."(-- SLJ.)

Synopsis:

Set against a backdrop of life in a medieval manor, a 14-year-old girl feels trapped because her father is determined to marry her off to a rich man. She manages to send several would-be husbands packing, but then comes a man from the north--the oldest, the ugliest, and the richest.

Synopsis:

ALA Quick Pick for Reluctant Young Adult Readers

Description:

Includes bibliographical references.
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About the Author

Karen Cushman has a long-standing interest in history. She says, "I grew tired of hearing about kings, princes, generals and presidents. I wanted to know what life was like for ordinary young people in other times." Research into medieval English history and culture led to the writing of Catherine Called Birdy,winner of the 1995 Newbery Honor Award, and The Midwife's Apprentice winner of the 1996 Newbery Medal. Her research moved in a new diredtion as she learned about nineteenth century women and children for The Ballad of Lucy Whipple

Ms. Cushman was born in Chicago, Illinois. She received an M.A. in Human Behavior and one in Museum Studies. She and her husband and daughter share their Oakland, California, home with two cats, a dog and a rabbit.

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What Our Readers Are Saying

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Average customer rating based on 3 comments:
Jennifer Hay-Roe, November 10, 2009 (view all comments by Jennifer Hay-Roe)
This is a great story. I have read it aloud for years to my 6th graders.
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KatinaP, April 8, 2007 (view all comments by KatinaP)
I read the book Catherine, Called Birdy by Karen Cushman. I think this book was an ok read but it wasn’t my favorite. It’s about a young lady in the middle ages. Her father, the lord, wants to marry her off to a rich old man with lots of land. Catherine wants to just get away from the lady life and escape, but is always held in place by her constantly pregnant mother, and her always nagging nurse/maid Morwenna.

The reasons I didn’t really like this book is because the end just stops so suddenly without any idea of how she lives her life. It seems the author just wanted to get the book over with in a quick and horrible ending. I also don’t like that she always dragged on and on about her problems and sometimes never found a solution and left the reader confused. But, I liked the fact that Catherine always gets into some interesting situations. It not the type of things a girl in the Middle Ages would be expected to do.

The book is very historically accurate. It talks about the interesting and weird medicines that were thought to cure. Many are filled with assorted disgusting things like goat poop. It talks about the many feasts that happened every day and how everyone drank wine instead of water, even the children.

In conclusion I think Catherine, Called Birdy is a good book for people who like quick reads and very historically accurate books with a leading heroine. Personally I thought this book could’ve been better, but beauty is always in the eye of the beholder.
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kategrube, April 5, 2007 (view all comments by kategrube)
I read Catherine, Called Birdy by Karen Cushman. Catherine, Called Birdy isn’t my favorite book, but it’s somewhat ok. It’s about a lord’s young daughter named Catherine who lives in the middle ages. Catherine’s father the lord wants to wed her off to a rich lord with lots of land. Catherine is ordered around by Morwenna her nurse, who is always nagging her. Catherine wants to escape her life and run away with all the visitors that come to her family’s castle, but she can’t because of her responsibility at the castle.

The reason I don’t like Catherine, Called Birdy is because of how the author drags the problems Catherine has on. Sometimes the problem isn’t solved and it lets the reader wondering. I also don’t like how in the end it stops in a weird place. It seems like the author got tired of writing the book and stopped with a quick and easy ending. The part I do like about the book is all the interesting things Catherine gets herself into. I won’t give them away but they aren’t the kind of thing a young girl will want to get herself into in the Middle Ages.

Catherine, Called Birdy is definitely historically accurate. It talks about some of the weird things medieval people thought would cure everyone of sickness. Like all of the concoctions Catherine makes that are full of weird herbs and even goat poop. It also talks about all of the feasts and holidays that the manor has. It even mentions things about how everyone drank beer instead of water, even the kids.

To sum this up I think Catherine, Called Birdy is a good book for people who like historically accurate books with strong and brave girls. Even though I didn’t think this was the best book in the world it might not be the same for you.

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Product Details

ISBN:
9780064405843
Author:
Cushman, Karen
Publisher:
HarperTrophy
Author:
by Karen Cushman
Location:
New York :
Subject:
Fiction
Subject:
Girls & Women
Subject:
Classics
Subject:
Action & Adventure
Subject:
Children's 12-Up - Fiction - History
Subject:
England
Subject:
Middle ages
Subject:
Historical - Medieval
Subject:
Diaries
Subject:
Factacn
Subject:
Diaries -- Fiction.
Copyright:
c199
Edition Description:
1st HarperTrophy ed.
Series Volume:
103-300
Publication Date:
May 1995
Binding:
Paperback
Grade Level:
from 7
Language:
English
Illustrations:
Yes
Pages:
224
Dimensions:
7.66x5.54x.56 in. .37 lbs.
Age Level:
12-17
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