The Curious World of Calpurnia Tate

The Curious World of Calpurnia Tate by Jacqueline Kelly
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Callie Vee is so much fun to read. Historical fiction is one of the hardest sells in my library but I keep trying. This one is set so close to home and she's just got so much spunk. Never mind she was "expected" to enjoy cooking and sewing ... she was fascinated by science and nature and thank goodness for her grandfather to see that she learned about it.

I read an electronic advanced copy so some of the quotes may look a little different in the final format ... and I have only Kindle "locations" instead of real page numbers. But here are just a couple to show just how good the writing is.

Chapter 1, location 213. "I could just imagine Mother's reaction to Travis coming home with a baby hippopotamus on the end of a string, and I thanked my lucky stars we lived in a hippo-free country." Made me laugh.

Chapter 2, location 251 "And that's how--probably for the first time in history--the nine-banded armadillo became a tool of courtship and an implement of wooing."

Chapter 6, location 800. "Remember, Calpurnia, you learn more from one failure than ten successes. And the more spectacular the failure, the greater the lesson learned."

Chapter 7, location 930. "'Sorry, worm,' I whispered, 'but it's for Science, you know.'" (Upon her first dissection.)

And last but not least (these are just some examples ;)) Chapter 17, location 2551 "Good thing Aggie was the general store getting a soda. If she'd been there she'd have croaked. Completely croaked. Honestly, the drama in my life." (A king snake living in her wall and her pet newt had just met ... at point of peril for the newt.)

Now, I will say this. Never been successful getting a kiddo to read the first Calpurnia Tate (well, unless having introduced it to my s-i-l who says my niece is reading it now). Never. But I've talked it up to several adults and they've all enjoyed it. And I am still looking for the kiddo at my school. And so glad my niece is reading it!

And if you're still around I will say ... the ending felt a little abrupt. That's why it's 4 instead of 5. I do hope that means there is a book three coming.


This book will be released in early July. Look for it then!


And if you're STILL around ...

Fentress (setting) article on the Handbook of Texas Online

minute long video recording from Galveston after the 1900 hurricane

photo of a laughing gull


photo of hairy vetch (I'd forgotten what that was from the first book!)


But no, I will not look up a pic of a king snake for you. UGH, UGH, and triple UGH. See? I am nothing like Callie Vee and yet I still love her story. ;)