Catherine, Called Birdy by Karen Cushman: A diary of a 13-year-old British girl in 1290. Absolutely delightful. Birdy’s commentary is loads of fun: earthy, funny, and brutally honest. Things just get better when she obtains a book of saints and marks whose feast day it is, often with hilarious commentary. I wonder how many of them are real. (Probably most, given the level of Christian superstition during those days.) Definitely recommended for anyone – children and adults alike – looking for an interesting and entertaining sample of medieval life (pay particular attention to the food – eww!). I don’t know why I didn’t read this years ago.

Also posted on BookCrossing.