1995 Newbery Books Analysis In 1994, three entirely different books were written. These three books were all analyzed by the American Library Association for the 1995 Newbery Medal, one winning the award and the other two becoming Newbery Honor books. The book that won was called Walk Two Moons, written by Sharon Creech. The books that received the honor awards are, in alphabetical order, Catherine, Called Birdy, written by Karen Cushman, and The Ear, The Eye, and The Arm, written by Nancy Farmer. (1995 Newbery Medal and Honor Books, 2014) According to the Association for Library Service to Children (2014), the criteria for choosing a Newbery Medal book requires “a book for which children are an intended potential audience” and “displays
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Starting with the honor book, Catherine, Called Birdy, written by Karen Cushman, this book holds the genre of historical fiction. Cushman, as Something About the Author (2004) states, “provides readers with compelling …show more content…
Catherine, Called Birdy takes place in the year 1290 in Lincolnshire, England where a fourteen-year-old girl, who is stubborn and all too curious, is faced with many life circumstances that she is not quite fond of. At her age during that particular time, she is supposed to be learning to be a wife by spinning and embroidering, learning how to follow orders, and to maintain a household, but Catherine, who prefers to be called Birdy, would rather learn about the real world. She often sneaks out to go on adventures like seeing what chaos is going on in the town, or to a hanging she swears she must not miss, and even running away with a group of Jews for a short while. As punishment for causing trouble or never finishing her work, Birdy is sent to her room to write in her journal as a way to practice what her brother, Edward, had taught her. Birdy often imagines alternative versions of her life where she is happier than her actual one because her father is forcing her to get married to a man she is absolutely against. However, odds turn in her favor as Birdy slowly transforms into Catherine and she finally becomes
Starting with the honor book, Catherine, Called Birdy, written by Karen Cushman, this book holds the genre of historical fiction. Cushman, as Something About the Author (2004) states, “provides readers with compelling …show more content…
Catherine, Called Birdy takes place in the year 1290 in Lincolnshire, England where a fourteen-year-old girl, who is stubborn and all too curious, is faced with many life circumstances that she is not quite fond of. At her age during that particular time, she is supposed to be learning to be a wife by spinning and embroidering, learning how to follow orders, and to maintain a household, but Catherine, who prefers to be called Birdy, would rather learn about the real world. She often sneaks out to go on adventures like seeing what chaos is going on in the town, or to a hanging she swears she must not miss, and even running away with a group of Jews for a short while. As punishment for causing trouble or never finishing her work, Birdy is sent to her room to write in her journal as a way to practice what her brother, Edward, had taught her. Birdy often imagines alternative versions of her life where she is happier than her actual one because her father is forcing her to get married to a man she is absolutely against. However, odds turn in her favor as Birdy slowly transforms into Catherine and she finally becomes