Catherine, Called Birdy by Karen Cushman

Newbery Honor Book

Bibliography

Cushman, Karen. 1995. CATHERINE, CALLED BIRDY. New York: Harper Collins Children's Books. ISBN 0064405842.

Summary

Thirteen year-old Catherine's father wants to marry her off to the highest bidder, but this medieval English teenager will have none of it. High-spirited and independent, Catherine rebels against the submissive, domestic role she is expected to take as a gentlewoman.

Critical Analysis

Catherine complains in her first diary entry, “I am commanded to write an account of my days: I am bit by fleas and plagued by family. That is all there is to say.”

Karen Cushman provides a brilliant introduction to Catherine, whose older brother, she reveals in a subsequent entry, commands her to keep a journal in the hopes it will cause her to be “less childish and more learned.” Although she resents the assignment, she sticks with it, if for no other reason than it keeps her from the “foolish boredom of spinning.” As she chronicles her daily routines, worries, disappointments, and pleasures, Catherine develops from a sullen, rebellious teenager into a young lady with new insights, while at the same time giving an inadvertent, closest-thing-to-time-travel experience to modern readers.

Cushman seamlessly blends authentic details about the food, hygiene, medical practices, daily circumstances, customs, and beliefs of the times into the story. She follows her narrative with historical notes about medieval England and a list of recommended books for young readers who want to know more about the period.

Review Excerpts

School Library Journal--"Superb historical fiction."

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."

If you liked this book, you might also want to take a look at these:

*Nonfiction books about medieval England/Europe:

By Joseph and Frances Gies:

DAILY LIFE IN MEDIEVAL TIMES. ISBN 0760759138.

LIFE IN A MEDIEVAL CITY. ISBN 0060908807.

LIFE IN A MEDIEVAL VILLAGE. ISBN 0060920467.

MARRIAGE AND FAMILY IN THE MIDDLE AGES. ISBN 0060914688.

WOMEN IN THE MIDDLE AGES. ISBN 0060923040.

Cosman, Madeleine Pelner. FABULOUS FEASTS: MEDIEVAL COOKERY AND CEREMONY. ISBN 080760898X.

Newman, Paul B. DAILY LIFE IN THE MIDDLE AGES. ISBN 0786408979.

*Historical fiction set in medieval England/Europe:

de Angeli, Marguerite. THE DOOR IN THE WALL. ISBN 0440402832. (Newbery Award) Cushman, Karen. THE MIDWIFE'S APPRENTICE. ISBN 006440630X. (Newbery Award) Konigsberg, E. L. A PROUD TASTE FOR SCARLET AND MINIVER. ISBN 068984624X .

*Other books by Karen Cushman:

THE BALLAD OF LUCY WHIPPLE. ISBN 0064406849. (American Gold Rush)

THE LOUD SILENCE OF FRANCINE GREEN. ISBN 0618504559. (1949 Los Angeles)

MATILDA BONE. ISBN 0440418224. (Medieval England)

THE MIDWIFE'S APPRENTICE. ISBN 006440630X. (Newbery Award)

How I Live Now by Meg Rosoff

2005 Michael L. Printz YA Award

Bibliography

Rosoff, Meg. 2006. HOW I LIVE NOW. New York: Random House Children's Books. ISBN 0553376055.

Summary

Escaping her widowed father and his new bride, fifteen year-old Daisy goes to England to stay with her aunt and cousins, whom she has never met. She falls in love with their farm outside London and with her cousins, too--especially Edmond, with whom she develops a special bond. Not long after she arrives, though, terrorists bomb London. Unfortunately, Aunt Penn is away on business at the time and can't get back to the children, leaving them alone on the farm to fend for themselves.

At first, the children are far removed from the war, enjoying their adult-free time with little difficulty. But soon, the war finds them as soldiers arrive at the farm and split the cousins up, sending the girls to a holding camp and the boys somewhere else. Daisy vows to find Edmond. She and her cousin Piper manage to break away and set off on a perilous cross-country trek to search for him. In the end, they are reunited, but the reunion is shockingly bittersweet.

Critical Analysis

Told in first person, conversational narration, HOW I LIVE NOW gives us an intensely personal look at events through Daisy's candid eyes. Contrary to realistic children's and young adult literature published prior to the 1960s, which usually does not portray negative aspects of society, more recent publications have addressed issues such as divorce, sexuality, homelessness, mental and physical illness, and violence. Rosoff adheres to the trend and addresses the less-than-perfect aspects of Daisy's life. Like so many of today's teenagers, Daisy is confronted with tough issues: her mother's death, her father's remarrying, a "wicked" stepmother--one who is pregnant, no less--and anorexia. She's vulnerable to romance, and like a typical teenager, is drawn to the forbidden; in this case, a questionable relationship with her cousin Edmond, which she calls "the world's most inappropriate case of sexual obsession."

Rosoff reveals Daisy's character through a strong, consistent voice, and while some readers may find the long sentences and unorthodox punctuation frustrating, they reflect Daisy's personality and state-of-mind. Over the course of the novel, Daisy transforms from a selfish adolescent into a young woman who faces conflict rather than running from it. She learns compassion, responsibility (to herself and others), and perseverance in the face of fear and adversity. The lessons she learns are embedded neatly in the story for readers to discover rather than overtly thrown in their faces.

Review Excerpts

Publisher's Weekly (starred)--"This riveting first novel paints a frighteningly realistic picture of a world war breaking out in the 21st century . . . Readers will emerge from the rubble much shaken, a little wiser, and with perhaps a greater sense of humanity.

"The Horn Book (starred)--“A winning combination of acerbic commentary, innocence, and sober vision. . . . Hilarious, lyrical, and compassionate."