Catherine Called Birdy Rpkg

Originally published: [New York]: Clarion Books, 1994.

Set against a backdrop of life in a medieval manor, a 14-year-old girl feels trapped because her father is determined to marry her off to a rich man. She manages to send several would-be husbands packing, but then comes a man from the north--the oldest, the ugliest, and the richest.

The historical fiction classic, told in the form of a diary, has drawn in generations of readers and is a Newbery Honor Book. Catherine feels trapped. Her father is determined to marry her off to a rich man--any rich man, no matter how awful. But by wit, trickery, and luck, Catherine manages to send several would-be husbands packing. Then a shaggy-bearded suitor from the north comes to call--by far the oldest, ugliest, most revolting suitor of them all. Unfortunately, he is also the richest. Can a sharp-tongued, high-spirited, clever young maiden with a mind of her own actually lose the battle against an ill-mannered, piglike lord and an unimaginative, greedy toad of a father? Deus! Not if Catherine has anything to say about it! Catherine, a spirited and inquisitive young woman, narrates in diary form the story of her fourteenth year--the year 1290. In an appreciation in the New York Times, illustrator Vera Brosgol spoke for many fans of this beloved book: "I fell hard for Karen Cushman's Catherine, Called Birdy the second I opened it. More than any other heroine I'd read, this one sounded like me. For Catherine, and for me, there is no easy solution to the cages life makes for you. Sometimes the power is in deciding to be yourself in whatever cage you're in."

This study guide includes author biographies, chapter summaries, discussion questions, vocabulary builders, assessment strategies, reproducibles, cross-curricular activities for students of all learning styles.

This boxed set includes Trophy paperback editions of Catherine, Called Birdy by Karen Cushman, Walk Two Moons by Sharon Creech, and Indian Captive by Lois Lenski.

'Like Cushman's 1995 Newbery Honor Book, Catherine, Called Birdy, this novel is about a strong young woman in medieval England who finds her own way home. This is a world, like Chaucer's, that's . . . dangerous, primitive and raucous. From the first page you're caught by the spirit of the homeless, nameless waif, somewhere around 12 years old. She gets the village midwife to take her in, befriends a cat, names herself Alyce, and learns something about delivering babies. When she fails, she runs away, but she picks herself up again and returns to work and independence.' --ALA Booklist (starred review). '. . .A fascinating view of a far distant time.' -- The Horn Book (starred review)