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Turning on the television these days is as easy as flipping on a light-switch. But, can you imagine not having heat in the winter, or even the privilege of your own bed to sleep in? Get this, in England in 1290 A.D., people only took baths once a season! The book Catherine, Called Birdy introduces Birdy, a noble born young lady who cannot stand to follow the direction of life that has been set out before her. She keeps pretty good track of what befalls her each day, including the types of herbal concoctions that she conjures up to help her overcome her bad moods.

Birdy’s father has arranged her marriage to an older, awful-smelling knight. Needless to say, Birdy wants to have nothing to do with it. And although she has managed to run off all of her other suitors, it looks as though this one is going to claim her as his own. Can she concoct a scheme to wriggle out of this unhappy sentence?

Meet Birdy, her friend Morwenna, Perkin the goat boy and the awful suitors that play a part of this Newberry Medal winner by Karen Cushman. The spice that Birdy brings to life will reach through the centuries and grab you. She is a portraiture of the age-old rebellious youth– find out whether she successfully out-smarts her adversaries in this magnificent story.