5 YA Novels to Read If You’ll Always Love Catherine, Called Birdy

I first read Karen Cushman’s masterpiece Catherine, Called Birdy when I was in seventh grade, and it will always hold a special place in my heart (and on my shelves). Catherine, the daughter of a medieval knight, is smart, sassy, and often ridiculous. She’s determined to have more than the life her parents have planned for her—which consists mostly of embroidery and marriage to a boorish man at least three times her age—and is willing to go to just about any lengths to get it. If you live for protagonists who are angst, comedy, and cleverness rolled into one glorious combination, here are five other books you’ll love.

My Lady Jane, by Cynthia Hand, Brodi Ashton, and Jodi Meadows
Lady Jane Grey thought her upcoming marriage to a stranger was stress-inducing, but then she marries Gifford and things get even worse. First, it turns out her husband is a horse. Well, sometimes. And then Jane is suddenly declared the Queen of England—but what, exactly, happened to King Edward, her cousin/friend/confidante? What follows is a hilarious romp through an alt history England, complete with shape-shifters, poison, and an economy-sized bag of puns.

A Gentleman’s Guide to Vice and Virtue, by Mackenzi Lee
Monty’s grand tour is his last hurrah—his final chance to sleep in, drink too much, wreak havoc, and kiss anyone he wants (preferably his best friend, Percy)—before his harsh, disappointed father forces him to take over the family estate. But things quickly get out of hand, even for Monty, when one bad decision leads to a life-or-death chase across Europe. Equal parts selfish, charming, and romantic, Monty doesn’t know which is worse: that some very powerful men are willing to stop at nothing to kill him, or that that he keeps messing things up with Percy.

I Capture the Castle, by Dodie Smith
Growing up in the ruins of an old castle purchased by her once-famous novelist father, Cassandra dedicates her time to documenting her family’s penniless life in her journal (after all, there’s not much else to do). But when new neighbors move in, Cassandra finds herself falling hopelessly in love with a man who happens to be hopelessly in love with her sister, Rose. Full of wit and wistfulness, Cassandra captures the ups and downs of family, unrequited love, and coming into her own.

Angus, Thongs, and Full-Frontal Snogging, by Louise Rennison
If you love a good diary, the first book in the Confessions of Georgia Nicolson series is a must-read. Angus, Thongs, and Full-Frontal Snogging documents a year in the life of Georgie, a 14-year-old girl with a demonic cat and a crush on an unattainable guy. Like Catherine’s, Georgie’s diary is full of mood swings, excellent made-up exclamations, troublesome siblings, and the perfect balance of self-centered angst and hilarity.

To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before, by Jenny Han
Lara-Jean Song has written a letter to every boy she’s ever had a crush on, but she never meant to send them. When they somehow get mailed, Lara-Jean has to figure out how to save face—especially because Josh, her older sister’s ex-boyfriend/Lara Jean’s current crush/the Song’s next-door neighbor, gets one. The solution? A fake relationship with Peter, another letter recipient, which quickly starts to feel a whole lot like a real relationship. Cue laughter, sisterly squabbles, and pages full of confused emotions.