The Evolution of Calpurnia Tate
Grade 5–8—Boys don't make pies and girls don't work in fields in Jacqueline Kelly's debut novel (Holt, 2009) set in Texas in 1899. Twelve-year-old Calpurnia (the only girl of seven siblings) is interested in science rather than cooking and sewing. She would much rather spend her time exploring the river with her grandfather, a naturalist and a loner, who has given her a copy ofThe Origin of the Species. The results are humorous when Callie's mother attempts to prepare her for her place in society by giving her cooking and knitting lessons in contrast to her natural tendencies to be outside studying grasshoppers and other phenomena of nature. Will Callie ever learn those hideous domestic skills in time for her debut? Is the plant that she and her grandfather discovered actually a new species? Fascinating epigraphs from Darwin's opus at the beginnings of each chapter cap off the story line. Natalie Ross's sensitive, poetic narration reflects all the emotions experienced by Callie and the members of her family. For fans of Laura Ingalls Wilder'sLittle Houseseries and Carol Brink'sCaddie Woodlawntitles.—Terry Ann Lawler, Phoenix Public Library, AZ(c) Copyright 2010.  Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc.  No redistribution permitted.--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.