Catherine, Called Birdy

De: Karen Cushman

Narrado por: Jenny Sterlin

In 1290, her 14th year, Catherine begins a diary that quickly fills with the irrepressible joys and frustrations of her days. Always looking for ways to avoid drudging hours of embroidery, Birdy fills her time with pranks, celebrations of feast days, and local gossip. Wriggling out of her father's plans to find a prosperous husband for her proves to be Birdy's greatest challenge.

As each prospective suitor appears, Birdy blacks her teeth, drools, and does her best to scare him off. These mischievous tricks work until Shaggy Beard, the richest one of all, arrives with his fat purse of silver. Karen Cushman does careful research for each of her books, so Birdy's lively journal is sprinkled with the vivid, personal details of life in medieval England.

©1994 Karen Cushman (P)1996 Recorded Books

The excellent research in medieval medical practices. The way is was expressed to a Young Adult audience.

It could have been longer because Matilda needed more skill and understanding and Cushman had much more research to spare.

Charming!

I love this book! I read it when I was young and decided to revisit it as an adult through this recording. As always Jenny is a delight. I love to hear her read. I imagined the book was being read to me by an older Catherine!

Amazing

I've loved this book since I was a kid. It never gets old! Karen Cushman's story is thoughtful and Jenny Sterlin's performance is awesome. Definitely recommend.

Poor choice of narrator

I’ve loved this book for over twenty years. The titular character in the novel is a teenage girl and the narrator of the audiobook sounds about 70 years old. Still an enjoyable listen for fans of the book.

Corpus bones! What a great heroine.

Really great historical fiction for anybody, but if you are a feminist parent looking for good books for you children, I don't think you could do better than Karen Cushman's work. The medieval heroine of this one is esp. hilarious: "Now my father, the toad, conspires to sell me like a cheese to some lack-wit seeking a wife. . . Corpus bones! He comes to dine with us in two days' time. I plan to cross my eyes and drool in my meat." Narrator Jenny Sterlin really does Catherine justice: Plays her straight, which makes for great comedy.