Catherine Called Birdy

"Catherine Called Birdy" is a story by Karen Cushman about a young girl who lives around 1290 in England. I call her a young girl, but in fact she was 13 which was the edge of adulthood in medieval times. Her father, a nobleman is caught up with trying to find his daughter a suitable husband. Catherine is caught up with avoiding marriage with avoiding marriage. She is very creative in it too. At one point she manages to lock one of her potential suitors in the privy, leaving him in there screaming.
But eventually, her father makes a deal with a man older than he is, a crude boor of a man whom Catherine calls "Shaggy Bird".  This time it looks like Catherine is about to be a bride. The question is, will she be a happy one?
The author, Karen Cushman has written several books. Her first two, "Catherine Called Birdy" and "The Midwife's Apprentice" were Newbery award winners. All of her books revolve around difficult adult decisions. Most of her books are based in medieval times. Her writing on that era is amazingly lifelike.
For instance, Catherine is called Birdy because of her love of birds. She keeps several of them in her bedroom. She also hosts such creatures as fleas and bedbugs, giving us a view into what the sanitary conditions were like back then. <Hint, there weren't any!> 
While her life is dictated to an extent by her father's wishes Birdy manages to rebel to the extent that she makes life difficult for him. She might have to do as he says but not without a fight. Catherine is a very imaginative fighter.
This book might look at first to be a story  enjoyed only by girls, but my 26 year old son enjoyed it when he was younger. Dan loves anything to do with medieval times, starting <so he said once> when he was little and used to watch the Walt Disney version of Robin Hood. Dan is the reason why I first read "Catherine Called Birdy". He brought it home once, and we were both hooked. So if your son enjoys reading about way back when he might enjoy this book as much or more than a daughter. 
"Catherine Called Birdy" is a fascinating look into medieval England. Some of it may surprise you, some may disgust you, but most of it will make you laugh!