A Modern Day Heroine ... from 1899

The Evolution of Calpurnia Tate

by Jacqueline Kelly

Calpurnia Tate came to me by way of a great friend who managed to get hold of an advance copy at an ALA conference earlier in 2009. By the time I got to it, there was buzz building about it in the talk about this year’s award winners, and rightfully so.

Summary

The Evolution of Calpurnia Tate is the story of a young girl living in west Texas in 1899. She is the only girl amongst several brothers, and unlike most girls of the time, she is more interested in science than sewing. Calpurnia’s interests in science and exploring are encouraged by her grandfather, a quiet, somewhat intimidating man who built the family pecan business and now spends his days tinkering in his lab and collecting specimens for observation.

Upon entering his personal library and getting glimpse of the books he reads and specimens he studies, Calpurnia is quickly enamored with science and making observations about the plant and animal life taking place around her. While her brothers consider their grandfather a somewhat unapproachable man, Calpurnia quickly becomes fast friends with the family patriarch, assisting him, asking questions, and learning. It is only when Calpurnia’s mother begins to take notice of her lack of interest in more feminine activities such as sewing and playing the piano, that Calpurnia begins to realize that science isn’t what she is “supposed” to do.

Worth Staying Up Past Bedtime?

Like I said in my introduction, there’s good reason this book has been getting some buzz. The Evolution of Calpurnia Tate manages the great feat of taking young readers to an early time, yet never feels slow or dull. It also highlights the challenges young women of Calpurnia’s time were up against - those with ambitions toward higher education or careers were not always well-received or supported. Calpurnia is a great heroine for young girls, and I loved reading about her scientific ambitions and discoveries.

Reviews

“Interwoven with the scientific theme are threads of daily life in a large family—the bonds with siblings, the conversations overheard, the unspoken understandings and misunderstandings—all told with wry humor and a sharp eye for details that bring the characters and the setting to life.” - Booklist

“The Evolution of Calpurnia Tate” is the most delightful historical novel for tweens in many, many years. …Callie’s struggles to find a place in the world where she’ll be encouraged in the gawky joys of intellectual curiosity are fresh, funny, and poignant today.”— The New Yorker, “Book Bench” section

“Kelly, without anachronism, has created a memorable, warm, spirited young woman who’s refreshingly ahead of her time.”—The Horn Book Review