The Curious World of Calpurnia Tate

Starred review from May 4, 2015
Six years after debuting in Kelly’s Newbery Honor–winning The Evolution of Calpurnia Tate, the budding Texas scientist returns, as curious and charming as ever, and now preoccupied with fauna instead of flora. Travis, one of Callie’s six brothers, continually needs her help because of his bad choices in pets (armadillo, blue jay, raccoon, etc.). Callie’s training under the tutelage of her gruff, beloved grandfather continues with increasingly complex dissections. Meanwhile, the devastating 1900 Galveston hurricane sends refugees to Fentress that include an injured veterinarian, who finds an eager assistant in 13-year-old Callie, despite his reservations about a young lady working in an often gruesome field. Undeterred, Callie finds her passion at precisely the same moment she realizes how unfairly the deck is stacked against girls of her era. But if anybody can figure a way around studying the domestic arts, it’s whip-smart Callie, literary cousin to Alan Bradley’s Flavia de Luce, and just as sharp an observer. Happily, the episodic narrative leaves the door wide open for further adventures—if we’re lucky. Ages 9–12. Agent: Marcy Posner, Folio Literary Management.

Starred review from April 15, 2015
Thirteen-year-old Calpurnia Virginia Tate of turn-of-the-20th-century Texas-introduced in the 2010 Newbery Honor-winning The Evolution of Calpurnia Tate-is more focused than ever on unlocking the secrets of the natural world. But Callie Vee has her hands full with her tender brother Travis, who never met a wild animal he didn't want to adopt (including a possibly diseased armadillo), and her ever exasperated mother, who wishes her one daughter among six sons would master the domestic arts instead of fixating on her Scientific Notebook and Charles Darwin (the source of the chapter-opening excerpts). In fact, of all Callie's daily trials, the hardest to stomach is the injustice of being treated as a "half citizen" just because she's a girl. But not to worry....Callie, the witty and sincere narrator, is "smart as a tree full of owls" and won't be denied her dreams of being a veterinarian or anything else she puts her mind to. Animal lovers will revel in the abundant anecdotes about the benevolent country vet and Travis' mangy strays-some heart-wrenching, some hilarious-while learning plenty about nature ("from pond water up to the stars"), the deadly 1900 Galveston hurricane, and early Texas history as recounted by Callie's scholarly and beloved Granddaddy. A warm, welcome stand-alone companion to Kelly's lauded debut. (Historical fiction. 10-14)

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Starred review from March 1, 2015

Gr 4-6-Thirteen-year-old Callie Vee returns in this stand-alone sequel to the Newbery Honor-winning The Evolution of Calpurnia Tate (Holt, 2009). Callie's thirst for scientific discovery remains strong, as does her parents' disregard for any plans for the future that don't involve debutante balls and marrying a well-respected gentleman. In between recording questions and observations in her journal, Callie and brother Travis attempt to make pets of an armadillo, a blue jay, and a coyote mix, to mostly disastrous results. Humor and little heartbreaks abound as Callie learns animal care under the tutelage of Dr. Pritzker, the town's veterinarian, but her accomplishments are ignored and even ridiculed in favor of Travis's smaller contributions. The devastating 1900 Galveston hurricane drops 17-year-old cousin Aggie, traumatized by the storm, into their household. Relationships with secondary characters, such as the family's cook, Viola, and Dr. Pritzker, are charming and well developed. Mother remains cold and lacking in fondness for Callie. A brief overview of Callie's relationship with her grandfather and their scientific inquiries provide a basic background for readers unfamiliar with the story. Aggie is not a particularly sympathetic character, but her business and financial sense are great influences on Callie. Chapters are introduced by quotes from Charles Darwin's The Voyage of the Beagle. Callie and Travis's relationship is tender and believable yet still reflects the imbalance and unfairness of the gender divide. The conclusion leaves open the possibility for further adventures. VERDICT Recommended for fans of the original novel and strong readers who enjoy character-driven narratives.-Jennifer Schultz, Fauquier County Public Library, Warrenton, VA

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Starred review from April 15, 2015
Grades 4-7 *Starred Review* Well worth waiting for, this sequel to the Newbery Honor Book The Evolution of Calpurnia Tate (2009) offers a narrative full of secrets, revelations, and droll humor. In the spring of 1900, 13-year-old Callie, who continues to study science with her beloved, eccentric grandfather, spots a seagull 200 miles inland. Soon a deadly hurricane engulfs Galveston and sends two refugees their way: Callie's older cousin Aggie, who is traumatized, abrasive, and cagey; and Dr. Pritzker, a veterinarian who offers Callie unexpected opportunities. Meanwhile, her brother Travis enlists her help in caring for a series of unsuitable wild pets without letting their parents know. As the story unfolds, Callie begins to articulate goals for herself and take quiet, practical steps to achieve them. Character development progresses gradually, with Callie lying when it suits her but increasingly taking responsibility for her words and actions. She becomes more painfully aware of both the inequity of her place in the family and women's roles in society. The novel offers many pleasures, from its well-realized setting to its vividly portrayed characters, but the most irresistible is Callie's wry, observant narration. Readers will flock to this sequel for the pleasure of revisiting this beloved character and her world.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2015, American Library Association.)

July 1, 2015
Kelly returns to turn-of-the-last-century small-town central Texas to continue the story of nascent scientist Callie Vee. Kelly quickly fills readers in on essential background (only girl in the family, with six brothers; Callie's avid pursuit of nature studies with formidable Granddaddy -- check) before diving in to chronicle Callie's thirteenth year. Like The Evolution of Calpurnia Tate (rev. 9/09), this sequel is episodic, punctuated by birthdays and holidays and major events such as the September 1900 hurricane that devastated Galveston. The glue that holds it together is one-year-younger brother Travis's heartwarming search for a pet (and since he's looking for stray-animal love in all the wrong places -- an armadillo? a raccoon? baby blue jays? -- it also provides some comic relief). But the fuel is Callie's growing understanding of herself as a young woman of intellect and ability in a world that isn't ready for her. When the hurricane brings refugees to town, including a veterinarian, Callie discovers her vocation; but, says Dr. Pritzker, the work is too much for a lady, and Callie's conventional parents can't imagine sending a mere girl to veterinary college. Kelly seeds the story with enough small, stinging incidents of gender discrimination that when eventually Callie stops weeping over the hard fact of being a half citizen in my own home and determines to find a way to fulfill her ambition, it's both believable and cheer-worthy. A thought-provoking and engaging read, if not for those with delicate constitutions; here's Dr. Pritzker treating a horse's abscessed foot: A great gout of foul-smelling black fluid erupted from the hoof; it fountained all the way across the stall and splattered on the far wall, missing us by inches. martha v. parravano

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