"The scene is a manor house in England in 1290 and Catherine, the wilful, stubborn and delightful daughter of Sir Rollo and Lady Aislinn, has been asked, by her brother the monk, to keep a journal and these are her daily entries for one important year in her life.
Birdy has been promised in marriage to a richer knight than her father. Unfortunately, she finds her future bridegroom to be old, crude and disgusting. We do too. Unlike most of her friends, Birdy rebels against women's work and life. She resents her being bought and sold in order to make her father richer and she has succeeded in driving off all previous suitors.
As we live through a year with Birdy, we learn about village, castle and manor life. We attend fairs, weddings, morality plays, masses and funerals. With Birdy, we visit a monastery. We learn about herbal medicine and the roles played by every station of feudal life. Jews are expelled from England and some stop at the manor house where Birdy, who has been warned about them, looks for their tails and wonders at their humanity.
The skill of Cushman, however, is so great that mostly we learn about Birdy. She's not just there, as are many protagonists in children's historical fiction, as a camera to witness the events for our perusal. She's a fully developed character and by the time you finish this short novel, you'll feel you know her well and regret having to leave her when the year is over.
The afterword sets Birdy's life in the larger context and contains a lot of easily grasped historical information within a few pages, as does the whole book."
-Carol Hurst

Ms. Cognato's Catherine Called Birdy Webpages:
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External Catherine Called Birdy Websites:
Carol Hurst's Children's Literature Site: Catherine Called Birdy
Catherine Called Birdy Webquest
Author Spotlight: Karen Cushman



Catherine Called Birdy Teacher Guide