Play Audiobook Sample
Catherine Called Birdy (Abridged) Audiobook
Play Audiobook Sample
(3.00) - 19,683 listener ratings
Quick Stats About this Audiobook
Total Audiobook Chapters:
Longest Chapter Length:
Shortest Chapter Length:
Average Chapter Length:
Audiobooks by this Author:
Publisher Description
Karen Cushman's Newbery Honor-winning book tells the story of a medieval girl who works to avoid the marriage her father has arranged for her during her 14th year. Contained in this program is Catherine's diary -- Catherine, called Little Bird or Birdy, daughter of Rollo and the lady Aislinn, sister to Thomas, Edward, and the abominable Robert. Begun this 12th day of September in the year of Our Lord 1290...I am commanded to write an account of my days. I am bit by fleas and plagued by family...Tangled my spinning again. Corpus bones, what a torture...Spent two hours embroidering a cloth for the church and three hours picking out the stitches after my mother saw it...Picked off twenty-nine fleas today. Catherine's mother wants to teach her the skills of the lady of the manor and to prepare her to be a gentle and patient wife. Her father wants only to see her married off, and profitably. Catherine fancies herself a painter, a Crusader, a maker of songs, a peddler, a minstrel, a monk, a wart charmer...Of all the possibilities, she has ruled out only one: being sold like cheese to the highest bidder. Against a vivid backdrop of everyday life on a medieval English manor, Catherine's earthy, spirited account of her fourteenth year is a richly entertaining story with an utterly unforgettable heroine.
Download and start listening now!
"Catherine, Called Birdy by Karen Cushan (Newbery Award winner): There must be something of a child in me to so enjoy this book written in the form of Catherine's diary or maybe it's the wit and talent of the author who makes this young woman sound lke children I know and love. I chuckle again and again as I read about Catherine's efforts to avoid betrothal! Cushman write about this period for young girls so that they can in some way understand how life must have been for them. Cathernine, the girl presented in this novel is a mischievous tomboy in every sense of the word. A worthwhile read indeed."
— Rusty (4 out of 5 stars)
Awards
-
A 1995 Newbery Honor Book
-
Winner of Audie Awards, 1997
Catherine Called Birdy Listener Reviews
-
" It was easy to listen too for my 7th grader, but slow reading with some struggles. It was an interesting story. "
— Dawn, 2/19/2020 -
" Much laughing ensued as I read this book, and I still laugh upon rereading. I simultaneously relate to and admire Catherine very much. She has clever schemes, and delightfully yet truthfully describes both living in the middle ages and being a teenage girl. "
— Meisha, 2/18/2014 -
" Such a fun book that makes me know that I was certainly born in the right era for me! "
— kimmie, 2/17/2014 -
" I definitely went through a medieval phase and I love some of the things that that introduced me too, including this book. I enjoyed Catherine's spunk and sense of humor. "
— Beka, 2/17/2014 -
" This little book was just my cup of tea. It's nice to feel like I'm learning a little bit as I'm being thoroughly entertained. Sure, it stretches credibility for the time period (1290), but Cushman made it work. "
— Frances, 2/12/2014 -
" An essential book for young girl readers; I'm glad that I was born late enough to read this growing up. Catherine is sharp, witty, and one of the more engaging heroines in children's literature. The Middle Ages come vibrantly to life--unpleasant aspects included, but we see them through warm and human eyes. And the book is utterly hilarious. "
— Genevieve, 2/9/2014 -
" I love this book! I like the way that Karen Kushman introduced Catherine. Karen clearly showed that Catherine was almost like a tomboy and wished to get married to who she pleased! I highly recommend that you read this book. "
— Kiley, 2/8/2014 -
" Loved the journal style in which Catherine's tale was told. Very fun story and I love that it's so full of what life was actually like back in 1290 a.d. Glad to live in the 21st century! "
— Becky, 1/28/2014 -
" I think my favorite thing about this is how the main character surprises herself with what she's learned about people at the end of the book. "
— Angelina, 1/20/2014 -
" I liked the historical aspects of it. It wasn't a page turner. I liked the girl having a strong voice. "
— Susan, 1/8/2014 -
" read the hilarious journal of a medieval "young lady" "
— Alia, 12/29/2013
About Karen Cushman
Karen Cushman is the author of many acclaimed historical novels including Catherine, Called Birdy, a Newbery Honor winner, and The Midwife’s Apprentice, which received the Newbery Medal.