Catherine, Called Birdy (Summer Reading Edition)
Worth buying if: enjoys first-person medieval diaries with practical details about market, manor, and household life.
Skip it if: prefer modern-set coming-of-age realism rather than 13th-century household politics and feudal terms.
Exact edition: Paperback · ISBN-13 9780060739423. The Amazon link uses this ISBN, so the product page should open to the edition shown here.
If this page helped you decide, purchasing through the Amazon button above supports UPB Books at no extra cost to you and helps us continue improving the site. Thanks for visiting today.
Check Amazon for the current price and availability of this exact edition.
Affiliate disclosure: purchases made through links on this site may earn us a commission at no additional cost to you.
Summary
Karen Cushman's Catherine, Called Birdy is a diary-style historical novel following thirteen-year-old Catherine in 1290s England as she mocks suitors, records daily medieval life, and resists her family's plans for marriage.
Why this book now
This Summer Reading Edition brings Cushman's witty medieval voice and Birdy's feminist mischief back into classrooms and beaches for a new generation.
30-second preview
Two quick cards, fifteen seconds each.
Card 1 of 2
Best for readers who...
Good fit if you want...
- enjoys first-person medieval diaries with practical details about market, manor, and household life.
- appreciates Catherine's comic voice and scenes of thwarting suitors and marriage negotiations.
- You prefer to see a bit of reader response before you commit.
- prefer modern-set coming-of-age realism rather than 13th-century household politics and feudal terms.
- seek plot-heavy thrillers instead of episodic diary entries focused on daily chores and social constraints.
Decided it fits?
Exact edition: Paperback · ISBN-13 9780060739423
Worth buying if: enjoys first-person medieval diaries with practical details about market, manor, and household life.
Skip it if: prefer modern-set coming-of-age realism rather than 13th-century household politics and feudal terms.
Check Amazon for the current price and availability of this exact edition.
Reader guide
Cues to help you decide faster.
Reading commitment
Light Short sit-downs
At 224 pages in brisk diary entries, expect a light-to-moderate summertime read that moves quickly through domestic episodes and castled scenery.
What stands out here
This HarperCollins Summer Reading Edition highlights Cushman's original diary structure, period vocabulary, and Birdy's sharp, humorous voice for young readers.
Best way to approach it
Read in short sittings to savor individual diary entries, noting medieval terms and Birdy's running insults for the fullest comic effect.
Was this page helpful?
Quick thumbs only. No login.
Loading feedback…
Paperback: ISBN-13 9780060739423
Check Amazon for the current price and availability of this exact edition.