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chronocrux's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
inspiring
lighthearted
medium-paced
4.5
forwalaka's review against another edition
5.0
Очень славная книжка про девочку, которая ещё точно не знает, чего хочет, но точно не хочет учиться шить, вышивать и готовить. Читает Дарвина и Диккенса и разглядывает головастиков в аквариуме и листики на диком горошке. Славно.
meginsanity's review against another edition
5.0
The Evolution of Calpurnia Tate was an unexpected gem hidden away in my “to-read” shelf (my literal one, on a shelf in a closet at home). Calpurnia Tate has quickly become one of my favorite literary characters. There’s a lot to admire in her, and her tomboy-ish, scientifically-minded, and very eleven-year-old voice is brought to life vividly and very realistically.
In the book, Calpurnia is the only daughter of seven children in a home in Texas. It’s 1899, a few decades after Texas was admitted to the Union, and the state is a curious mix of the rural and the refined, the Wild West and genteel society. Calpurnia’s grandfather is a war veteran and an amateur scientist who spends his days by the river and in his laboratory, collecting specimens and working on experiments. He intimidates the children, but Calpurnia finds a special friendship with him once their bond over nature is discovered.
I really loved the description of each of the characters. Each of Callie’s six brothers are a unique character within themselves, the kind of boys everyone wants as a brother. Her parents have their own goals and thoughts, and her grandfather is rough but loving, very intelligent but battle-scarred.
The book itself is very intelligent. Though the intended reading level is probably fifth or sixth grade, there’s no talking down to children here. I imagine if I had read it at ten or eleven I would have been given a lot to think about. Coming of age, the scientific method, American history and family relations are all touched upon. I was left with a sincere hope that Callie’s life will turn out the way she wants it to. I would love to read more about her.
In the book, Calpurnia is the only daughter of seven children in a home in Texas. It’s 1899, a few decades after Texas was admitted to the Union, and the state is a curious mix of the rural and the refined, the Wild West and genteel society. Calpurnia’s grandfather is a war veteran and an amateur scientist who spends his days by the river and in his laboratory, collecting specimens and working on experiments. He intimidates the children, but Calpurnia finds a special friendship with him once their bond over nature is discovered.
I really loved the description of each of the characters. Each of Callie’s six brothers are a unique character within themselves, the kind of boys everyone wants as a brother. Her parents have their own goals and thoughts, and her grandfather is rough but loving, very intelligent but battle-scarred.
The book itself is very intelligent. Though the intended reading level is probably fifth or sixth grade, there’s no talking down to children here. I imagine if I had read it at ten or eleven I would have been given a lot to think about. Coming of age, the scientific method, American history and family relations are all touched upon. I was left with a sincere hope that Callie’s life will turn out the way she wants it to. I would love to read more about her.
haselnussschnapps's review against another edition
4.0
A very heartwarming story with very lovable characters. Not much happens in this book but I really loved the nature descriptions and the character dynamics.
One major criticism that I have to mention is that I think the topic of racism was handled sort of insensitive. It feels kind of bizarre, if not ignorant to have a rich white girl in post-civil war Texas complain about inequality, when her family gained wealth because of slavery. Of course this book is written from the perspective of a twelve year old, so a certain ignorance is to be expected, but the topic should have been handled better, especially since the target demographic of this book are impressionable children, who might not have the critical thinking skills or ressources to engage critically with certain topics.
One major criticism that I have to mention is that I think the topic of racism was handled sort of insensitive. It feels kind of bizarre, if not ignorant to have a rich white girl in post-civil war Texas complain about inequality, when her family gained wealth because of slavery. Of course this book is written from the perspective of a twelve year old, so a certain ignorance is to be expected, but the topic should have been handled better, especially since the target demographic of this book are impressionable children, who might not have the critical thinking skills or ressources to engage critically with certain topics.
mhugie2's review against another edition
5.0
The Evolution of Calpurnia Tate was such a beautiful book, both the story itself and the writing. I loved Calpurnia and she spoke to the little girl I was, a budding feminist that has a dream and doesn't want to be held back by the world. The author is talented enough that you feel exactly how Calpurnia feels.
I loved this story and will recommend it to everyone! Fair warning that as soon as you finish, you will end up buying the next book in the series. You will not want to leave the story that Jacqueline Kelly builds for you.
I loved this story and will recommend it to everyone! Fair warning that as soon as you finish, you will end up buying the next book in the series. You will not want to leave the story that Jacqueline Kelly builds for you.
emilybriano's review against another edition
5.0
Some books have rip-roaring plots and action that make it impossible to put down. The Evolution of Calpurnia Tate is not that kind of book, but it is compelling nonetheless. Similar to To Kill a Mockingbird, the narrator is a (possibly) older, more eloquent version of herself. I thought this book was a delightful read, one that you want to sit back and savor. I am eager to know what happens to Calpurnia Tate.
msjenne's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
devontrevarrowflaherty's review against another edition
4.0
These two books—The Evolution of Calpurnia Tate and The Curious World of Calpurnia Tate by Jacqueline Kelly—have been sitting on my daughter’s shelf for a while, and I think that she’s just about outgrown them before she even got to read them. Perhaps she’ll come back to them as an adult, because as a grown-up who enjoys children’s literature and YA, I found these to be super charming. Just maybe not for high schoolers. Middle Grades and teachers and moms.
The first book starts out immediately charming the reader. The setting, the main character, the characters around her, and the set-up: Calpurnia Tate, also known as Callie Vee, is the only daughter (surrounded by brothers) of a prominent, wealthy family (which owns the town’s cotton gin) in a smallish, Texas town. It is 1899 and twelve-year-old Callie feels like she doesn’t fit her life. She accidentally falls into a relationship with her curmudgeonly, live-in grandfather and the discovery that she wants to be a scientist, not a debutante. Each chapter starts with a cleverly chosen quote from Charles Darwin, and the whole book is infused with a lovely optimism about the future of America, science, and technology.
I was on the edge of my seat, partly because I wanted to find out what would happen to Calpurnia and her plant, but also because I was afraid of the ending. Yes, afraid. It seemed to me I was reading a book I wanted to love, but that had a potentially dangerous conclusion. In the end, it almost didn’t have a conclusion, which was disappointing, but perhaps not as disappointing as the ending I feared. You see, Callie Vee develops a disrespect and even contempt of the domestic life and many things that are traditionally feminine (which, since she’s a tween, makes sense. For the omniscient narrator to adopt the same contempt would be a mistake. And I couldn’t quite tell if this was happening). What I wanted to happen was for Calpurnia to come into her own, have hope and possibility and courage and intelligence, but to also come to respect the women around her who did embrace domesticity (her mother, cook, and best friend). Ending the way the first book does, I feel is quite a missed opportunity. The book ended before any of those things could happen–for good or bad–which felt very dangly.
The second book, on the other hand, has less of an overarching plot and less urgency. It’s like vignettes which fans of Calpurnia might enjoy for their own sake. But I would say that it is not a must-read. The first book, though? It’s hard to say. I really enjoyed it and if it had a stronger ending I would unabashedly force it on people. But as it is? I would still recommend it for its historical perspective, its charm, etc. But it doesn’t add much to the modern conversation, until you go beyond what is in the book. So recommend, with one sizable reservation.
***REVIEW WRITTEN FOR THE STARVING ARTIST BLOG***
The first book starts out immediately charming the reader. The setting, the main character, the characters around her, and the set-up: Calpurnia Tate, also known as Callie Vee, is the only daughter (surrounded by brothers) of a prominent, wealthy family (which owns the town’s cotton gin) in a smallish, Texas town. It is 1899 and twelve-year-old Callie feels like she doesn’t fit her life. She accidentally falls into a relationship with her curmudgeonly, live-in grandfather and the discovery that she wants to be a scientist, not a debutante. Each chapter starts with a cleverly chosen quote from Charles Darwin, and the whole book is infused with a lovely optimism about the future of America, science, and technology.
I was on the edge of my seat, partly because I wanted to find out what would happen to Calpurnia and her plant, but also because I was afraid of the ending. Yes, afraid. It seemed to me I was reading a book I wanted to love, but that had a potentially dangerous conclusion. In the end, it almost didn’t have a conclusion, which was disappointing, but perhaps not as disappointing as the ending I feared. You see, Callie Vee develops a disrespect and even contempt of the domestic life and many things that are traditionally feminine (which, since she’s a tween, makes sense. For the omniscient narrator to adopt the same contempt would be a mistake. And I couldn’t quite tell if this was happening). What I wanted to happen was for Calpurnia to come into her own, have hope and possibility and courage and intelligence, but to also come to respect the women around her who did embrace domesticity (her mother, cook, and best friend). Ending the way the first book does, I feel is quite a missed opportunity. The book ended before any of those things could happen–for good or bad–which felt very dangly.
The second book, on the other hand, has less of an overarching plot and less urgency. It’s like vignettes which fans of Calpurnia might enjoy for their own sake. But I would say that it is not a must-read. The first book, though? It’s hard to say. I really enjoyed it and if it had a stronger ending I would unabashedly force it on people. But as it is? I would still recommend it for its historical perspective, its charm, etc. But it doesn’t add much to the modern conversation, until you go beyond what is in the book. So recommend, with one sizable reservation.
***REVIEW WRITTEN FOR THE STARVING ARTIST BLOG***
readingwithavengeance's review against another edition
4.0
I connected with this "about to be twelve-year old" way more than I would've expected. I loved her curiousness, her sassiness and her courage. I envied her relationship with her grandfather, it warmed my heart.