Book Review on Catherine, Called Birdy by Karen Cushman

Please note that this blog has been created as an assignment for a TWU course.

1.  BIBLIOGRAPHY

Cushman, Karen. 1995. CATHERINE, CALLED BIRDY. New York, NY: HarperCollins Publishers. ISBN 0064405842

2.  PLOT SUMMARY

In this book, Karen Cushman writes about the spirit of the times and what it was like for women during the Middle Ages.  Women were supposed to learn how to be a lady and take care of specific tasks such as doctoring boils with herbal remedies.  Birdy’s father, a minor English nobleman, wants to marry her off to the wealthiest suitor.  Women were considered property that could be traded for goods and had no choice in the matter of who they were to marry.  Birdy’s endured “cracks upside the head” from her parents when she did not do what was expected of her.  She often engaged in comical yet gross ruses in order to drive away her potential suitors.  She wants so badly to escape this situation and choose her own path in life.  She considered becoming a Monk like her brother Edward and running away to become a crusader like her Uncle George.  However, she quickly realized that she could not do these things because she was not a boy.  After an encounter with a Jewish family that was being exiled from England, Birdy realizes that she is in a similar situation because even though her suitor may have “won my body, but no matter whose wife I am, I will still be me.”  There is symbolism with her name, her pet birds, and the feeling of being caged and wanting to be free.

3.  CRITICAL ANALYSIS

This book is written as a journal would be.  It is interesting that each entry/chapter is headed with some mention of a figure within the Catholic faith.  Often, these figures are martyrs.  At times, Birdy brings up inconsistencies between the messages being taught in the Catholic faith and the practices of society.  For instance, pride and greed are regarded as sins, but Birdy’s father is determined to marry her off to the wealthiest suitor.  This is all for his social status and financial gain.  Also, women were not supposed to be “learned” but Birdy’s brother Edward (the Monk) believes that “everyone should be learned, even girls.”  He encourages Birdy to keep a journal for a year to “help her become less childish and more learned.”  We also vicariously experience the emotions of the individuals involved in the arranged marriages.  For example, Birdy’s Uncle George fell in love with her friend.  However, her friend was married off to a seven-year-old boy.  Even though this work of historical fiction represents the zeitgeist of the Middle Ages, young readers will be able to connect with the character.

4.  AWARDS/REVIEW EXCERPT(S)

A Newberry Honor Book

A 1995 Notable Children’s Book (ALA)

A 1995 Best Book for Young Adults (ALA)

Quick Picks for Young Adults 1995 (ALA)

Starred review in THE HORN BOOK: “Her diary of the year 1290 is a revealing, amusing, and sometimes horrifying view both of Catherine’s thoughts and life in the Middle Ages… The vivid picture of medieval life presents a seemingly eye-witness view of a culture remote from contemporary beliefs.  Fascinating and thought-provoking.”

Pointer review in THE KIRKUS REVIEWS: “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.”

Starred review in SCHOOL LIBRARY JOURNAL: “Birdy reveals fascinating facts about her time period.  A feminist far ahead of her time, she is both believable and lovable… Superb historical fiction.”

THE NEW YORK TIMES review: “Rambunctious… a first person scramble through Catherine’s 14^th year… [and a] gallant attempt at re-creating the pastoral landscapes and the smoky halls of a vanished era.”

5.  CONNECTIONS

*There are many directions one could take with this book.  It would be an excellent complement to studying the progress of women throughout history. 

*Other books written by Karen Cushman

Cushman, Karen. 2010. ALCHEMY AND MEGGY SWANN. ISBN 9780547231846

Cushman, Karen. 2002. MATILDA BONE. ISBN 9780440418221

Cushman, Karen. 1998. THE BALLAD OF LUCY WHIPPLE. ISBN 9780064406840

Cushman, Karen. 1996. THE MIDWIFE’S APPRENTICE. ISBN 9780064406307