Rating: 
Summary: So-So
Review: ''Catherine, Called Birdy'' was a book I was assigned to read for school. I did not really enjoy it very much, but it did have some good parts in it. Really the only reason i enjoyed ''Catherine'' was that I like history. The time in the book is 1290, so it really gives you lots of information on the Medieval time period. Catherine is the daughter of Lord Rollo, an ex- knight who owns quite a bit of land, therefore making him fairly wealthy. Normally, when girls turn fourteen like Catherine, they are to be married. Catherine does not want to be married at all, especially since she does not get to choose her husband. Her ''toad of a father'' is willing to send her away with any rich man- no matter how unbearable or rude he might be. Using her sharp wits and creative mind Catherine manages to send at least four suitors back to their own manors. However, during Catherine's father's Christmas party, a man she dubbs ''Shaggy Beard'' shows up. He is greedy, dirty, stupid, and disrespectful. Catherine believes that her father and Shaggy Beard are brewing up a match between herself and Shaggy Beard's son Stephen. Catherine can not imagine having to live anywhere near Shaggy Beard, and is totally revolted with the idea. She later finds out that Shaggy Beard does not wish for her to marry Stephen, but for Catherine to marry Shaggy Beard himself! The rest of the book is all about Catherine chasing Shaggy Beard away and trying to deal with her life.
I would not recomend this book to anyone below the age of eleven or so. Catherine curses an awful lot in the book. She uses old curses, such as ''Corpus Bones'' and ''Dues'' but by the first couple pages, it is pretty obvious that they are cuss words. I don't think younger childrens' parents would like their child reading a book where the main charecter curses alot and talks all the time about how she hates her life. That is actually part of the reason that the book turned me off.
By the end of the book, I was so bored out of my mind that I could not take it anymore. Catherine is very self centered and complains like there is no tomorrow. I definatly do not recomend ''Catherine, Called Birdy'' to anyone unless they really like the Middle Ages. Otherwise, the book really will not intrest you.
Rating: 
Summary: Interesting and entertaining
Review: Catherine, age 14, is the youngest daughter of a land-owning knight in 1291 England. She loves birds, and keeps many caged in her room. Birds become an important part of the novel-symbolizing both freedom and captivity. Her older brother, Edward, a monk, suggests that she should keep a diary to help her "grow less childish and more learned" (2). She keeps a diary of her days, documenting everything from mundane flea-catching to her attempts to drive off would-be suitors. Her diary gives a realistic portrayal of life in a medieval castle, with all the dirt, crudeness, small-mindedness, and hard-work intact. Her father, Rollo, is intent on marrying her off to the richest man who will have her. Catherine is brash and outspoken, often slapped or hit for impertinence or bad behavior. She drives off one suitor by blackening her teeth, putting mouse bones in her hair, and acts the idiot. To another, she pretends to be a villager and tells how Catherine has a stooped back and marks on her face, and is mad. Between trying to dismiss suitors, she rails against the injustices of the life the daughter of a poor knight. She hates lady's work-sewing, making soap, doctoring-and wishes to have adventures. She vacillates between wanting to be a goat-herder, a traveling puppeteer, a troubadour, a crusader, or a monk--anything other than a "lady." Throughout the year, she is told many times by many people to stop trying to be someone or something else. An old Jewish woman tells her, "'Little Bird, in the world to come, you will not be asked 'Why were you not George?' or "Why were you not Perkin?' but 'Why were you not Catherine?''" (17). Catherine's diary chronicles her search for self. Catherine's search for identity and her growth from girl to adolescent provide the underlying theme of the novel. When she runs away to her Aunt Ethelfritha on the eve of her marriage to a despised man, Catherine finally realizes that she cannot remake herself by becoming a crusader, goat-herder, or Saracen dancer. She writes, "I cannot survive if I am not myself. But who am I? I am no minstrel and no wart charmer, but me, Birdy, Catherine of Stonebridge, daughter of Lord Rollo and lady Aislinn, sister to Robert and Thomas and Edward and little Eleanor, friend of Perkin, goat by and scholar" (202). In a trite, end-of-the-novel rush, Catherine makes the startling revelation that she is who she is, and accepts that.
Like modern day 14-year-olds, Catherine is prone to exaggeration and being emotional. She asks, "Am I doomed to spend my days stirring great vats of goose fat when not writing for Edward?" and often spends her days sulking in the dovecote (12). Everything is all or nothing with Catherine. Despite a setting very different from modern-day America, Catherine has the same insecurities, desires, and worries that many young women do. She is insecure about her appearance (very easy when one "picked off twenty-nine fleas today") (3). She does not know what she wants to be when she grows up-and her options are much more limited than a modern girl's. She suffers normal crushes and disappointments. She struggles in her relationships with her parents and her brother, Robert. She is a decidedly modern girl in a very un-modern time.
Rating:
Summary: Good
Review: I remember i read this a while back, but i read it twice in 2 days because it was so good. Its a very amusing story for not just pre-teens, but anyone and you can relate (at least i could!)to the way she thinks.
Rating:
Summary: I really enjoyed this ... and I'm 20!
Review: This book is not just for preteens, it is for everyone! It is written intelligently and is so funny. Catherine is not you average damsel in distress. She is a thinker and a doer and she doesn't rely on anyone for anything. I loved the ways in which she would scare away suitors! This is a must-read for everybody.
Rating:
Summary: Not something I would really want to read again...
Review: "Catherine, Called Birdy" by Karen Cushman is the story of fourteen-year-old Catherine. The year is 1290 and at that time, when a young girl reaches that age, she is to be married. Catherine's father, being a greedy and selfish man, is determined to marry her off for money. It didn't matter who she married, as long as he was rich! But Catherine will not stand to be bartered off like cattle, and through trickery, wit and luck, she sends several would-be husbands running from her. But unfortunately, her father is a very stubborn man. Will Catherine ever be able to be free?
When I read the summary on the back of the book, I sincerely thought I would really enjoy reading this book. I love stories of medieval England, and especially love reading about young teens who are high-spirited and clever. Unfortunately, though Catherine may be high spirited and clever, the words rude, selfish, willful, and annoying can also be used to describe her. Some of her humor and wit I must confess is really VERY funny! But most of the time I just couldn't get myself to like the character of Catherine at all. And there is no use trying to like the story when you can't stand the main character.
And though Cushman may have wanted to write the book exactly about how it was during that era of time, sometimes things are better left unsaid. I was very surprised to find out that this book is recommended for children 12 and up. On the contrary, I would better suggest the kid to be at least 15 to read the book! Here are the reasons parents might want to beware of having younger children, maybe even older children read this book:
1) The humor is extremely crude and vulgar most of the times, even might result in some readers (like me!) to feel very uncomfortable.
2) Besides the humor, there are a lot of innuendos, it is always very obvious what Catherine is implying in her diary. Catherine is also frank about certain aspects growing up. So the humor and the innuendos put in the book might definitely turn off parents from letting their younger children read.
3) Catherine clearly states that the words "Deuce" and "Corpus Bones" are profanities. Yet, Catherine VERY often uses the words, besides 'making up her own special profanity'. Though "Deuce" and "Corpus Bones" might be thought as 'very mild', considering that profanities nowadays are quite 'strong' I'm not sure how young children might react to this.
4) Another point is that Catherine continually calls her father names, hates him openly, embarrasses him in public, etc. and etc. Though young adolescents might at times be very willful, Catherine is a bit too extreme. On the whole she also doesn't really respect others, except for her mother, Perkins, and Edward. And though Uncle George and Aelis are her friends, she at one points treats them terribly.
5) Lastly, many references are made about religious aspects of growing up in medieval times. Catherine's views of God and the Devil are sometimes a bit strange, though I guess that might have been how it was at that time. There is also a few instances where she tries to curse someone :S and other times where superstitions are used. As for criticism in a literary sense, I felt the writing was well done. It's almost like 'listening' about Catherine's feelings instead of reading them. But I felt that the end was just a bit too flat, it seemed to end too quickly... The reason for my two stars are because some of the humor put in the book is extremely funny! I was especially laughing out loud at the parts about how Catherine sends (more like scares!) away her suitors! Overall though, I cannot recommend this book. There are just too many reasons why I can't enjoy the book to try to convince myself otherwise. I would instead recommend you to read "Ella Enchanted" another Newberry Honor Book. Now this is a WONDERFUL book to read about a young girl growing up with a terrible curse on her. A must-read!
Rating: 
Summary: For parents concerned about children's literature
Review: I read the first 100+ pages of this book after my 10-year-old daughter said that she disliked it and didn't want to complete it for an assigned book report. As a parent, I was very disappointed in the vulgarity in the book. There were many attempts at "potty" humor and several references to unmarried teenagers rolling in the hay (which I think went over my daughter's head). In addition to the inappropriate language and general crudity, I was disappointed in the message conveyed in the first half of the book. (I admittedly did not finish the book and don't know how Catherine may have matured.) Catherine basically hates being a girl and everything being a girl means at the time she lived. The other characters are one-dimensional--including the unfortunately not-so-unusual portrayal of most men as pigs. It is hard to see how this book would serve to lift up girls approaching adolescense--regardless of whether they are tomboys or little princesses. While I do not believe history should be candy-coated, I do believe that exposing readers to the crudities and harsh realities that existed for some in this time period (or any other time period) can be postponed until readers have reached an age where their own character formation is less likely to be affected by reading these crudities. In addition to all this, it is not a well written book and follows a trite feminist formula. I am now trying to screen her reading a little more carefully and am disappointed with the lack of reviews I can find that address parents' concerns on Amazon. I will try to write others from time to time (this is my first) to help other parents with the same concerns. I encourage others to do so as well.
Rating: 
Summary: Catherine Called Birdy
Review: Catherine Called Birdy is a wonderful told and devolped story. This book is very good. The only problem is that Catherine is self centered, a brat, and greedy. Although her dreams are understandable she goes againist her best friend, her uncle, and she treats her "friends" less than dirt. If only Catherine was able to walk in other's shoe, than this book would be fantastic.
Rating: 
Summary: Entertaining and Informative
Review: I love the diary format--it provides an easy, quick read. The entries range in length from one sentence to a couple of pages, and are chock full of information about 13th century England, life in a knight of modest means' manor, and some of the realities of being a 14 year-old-girl in such an environment. The very fact that this young woman is writing a diary is the only hurdle to overcome in truly enjoying the book. That, and some of the more disgusting realities of 13th century life--fleas, rancid food, poor hygiene, etc. Catherine is a fiesty young woman who speaks her mind in life and her diary. Many of the entries are quite amusing. Her frustrations, joys, and worries are so real! I loved this book.
Rating:
Summary: Catherine Called Birdy
Review: Catherine Called Birdy is about a 14 year old girl who lives in the Middle Ages and her name is Catherine. She writes in a journal and her mother and fathercall her Little Birdy. Her father wants to marry her off to the richest man he can find.But,Catherine doesn't want to get married yet.Catherine likes a goat boy.She has an uncle named George who likes a girl named Aelis. Aelis gets married to an 8 year old boy. A guy named Shaggy Beard wants to marry Catherine. Catherine ends up marrying someone else. If you want to find out read the book and find out!
Rating:
Summary: Cathrine, Called Birdy
Review: "Cathrine, Called Birdy" is a young adult book in class of its own. Unlike the pretty, superficial novels usually written for children, this book's historical setting and endearing heroine make it a must read for all precocius children who grew up on fairy-tales, etc. Set in The Middle ages, this novel explores the society of the time and also the conditions of the time including some hilarious insights on the hygiene! When I read this book in 4th gradec I was automatically hooked on everything Middle Ages and actually was inspired to do research in my free time! Setting of the book aside, "Birdy" is a wonderful character that many girls will be able to connect with even though they live more than 500 years later. Each diary entry tells you more about this character, which makes her personality more in-depth than other books for this age group i recommend this book for all ages especially for girls who are just begining to choose what kind of books they want to read and have always enjoyed fary-tale and historical fiction type works.
|
