Book Review: THE EVOLUTION OF CALPURNIA TATE
BIBLIOGRAPHY:
Kelly, Jacqueline. 2009. THE EVOLUTION OF CALPURNIA TATE. New York, NY: Henry Holt and Company.

AWARDS/KUDOS: GMA's Best Books for Summer Reading, Amazon.com Best Books of 2009...so far.

FAN SITE: http://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Evolution-of-Calpurnia-Tate/90270728036?v=feed Give the author your ideas for a sequel!

PLOT SUMMARY:
In central Texas in 1899, 11-year-old Callie Vee tate is instructed to be a lady by her mother, learns about love from the older three brothers, and studies the natural world with her grandfather, leading to an important discovery.


REFLECTIONS:
It is fitting that I would read THE EVOLUTION OF CALPURNIA TATE in the middle of a Central Texas summer heatwave, because the novel starts with a statement that is still true today, "By 1899, we had learned to tame the darkness but not the Texas heat." Sitting in the shade of a pecan tree reading the novel, I longed to be like Callie Vee, to strip down to my chemise, jump in the river, enjoy the cool water, becoming "a river cloud, turning gently in the eddies." With details such as the chemise and colorful dialect, author Jacqueline Kelly masterfully intertwines details revealing all that has changed in 100+ years, contrasting it with all that remains the same. Although THE EVOLUTION OF CALPURNIA TATE is a historical novel of central Texas, it is also a timeless story of growing up and self-discovery.

What has changed is the technology; in the novel, Callie Vee's family gets a "wind machine," the town gets a telephone, and an automobile arrives at the county fair. This new technology and the dawn of a new century brings a shift in ideas about what roles men and women should play in society. What hasn't changed is the mix of excitement and trepidation that comes with growing up: recognizing first love, finding out what interests you, discovering that friends and family grow apart, learning to be more independent, and realizing that society may have expectations of you that you may need to challenge. It turns out, for instance, with hilarious complications, that three of Callie's brothers are sweet on her best friend, who seems more fit for romance than the science-loving protagonist, accelerating her own quest to figure out where she fits in the brave new world. Fortunately for Calpernia Virginia Tate, during this hot summer on the verge of a new milennium, she also discovers a kindred spirit and a strong ally in her grandfather.

For anyone who has had a special relationship with a grandparent or extended family member, THE EVOLUTION OF CALPURNIA TATE will ring so true that you'll find yourself setting the book down to reminisce and your heart will fill with even more love for that person. On one of their first nature walks together, Callie Vee and her grandfather are still trying to negotiate the uncharted territory of their newfound friendship when she takes his hand for support. "I...slipped my hand into his. The palm was calloused and weathered, the nails thick and curved, a miraculous construction of leather and horn. My grandfather looked startled, then pleased, I think, although I couldn't tell for sure. Nevertheless, his hand closed on mine."

It is in the relationship with Captain Tate, Callie Vee's grandfather that the novel takes on an unusual character, in that it describes in detail, how to be a naturalist and scientist. As with the historical and setting-specific details, the author has a light touch, so that the reader doesn't feel that he or she is being lectured to about the scientific method, but rather that, like Callie Vee, we are soaking up all the wisdom that grandfather can impart. As she begins to observe the natural world more closely, her family also comes into sharper focus, and Callie Vee ends the year much wiser and happier than she started the summer.

I won't give away the great discoveries that the pair make both in science and life, but the reading public has discovered an entertaining and thoughtful new voice in Jacqueline Kennedy. Her own expertise in science (she is a physician in Austin), I think, aids in the naturalness of the description in the novel, and her wry humor often transcends the young adult genre, so that I think both young adults and adults alike would enjoy the book. As a girl, I loved Little House on the Prarie, and THE EVOLUTION OF CALPURNIA TATE reminded me of it to the extent that Callie's voice is so entertaining, and that all the characters are strongly drawn that I hope she will write a sequel. I'd like to know whether Harry goes to university or ditches it all for the lovely Fern, whether Lula does indeed fall for one of Callie's brothers, whether grandfather gets to ride in an automobile after all, and whether Callie can check off any of her New Year's resolutions.

So, although THE EVOLUTION OF CALPURNIA TATE is a historical novel, it transcends its setting, revealing a timeless character in Callie Vee, whose sense of humor and good-hearted gumption will leave you wanting more. Bring on the sequel!

CONNECTIONS:
*General: This would be a fantastic book for an all-city One Book or community read. It would appeal to young adults, upper elementary, and adults alike, especially those of us who live in or have lived in rural Texas communities.
*Science and Critical Thinking: The descriptions of Texas wildlife and the scientific method lend themselves to reading the book aloud (in particular the passage beginning on p. 103 which describes collecting and looking at pond water through a microscope, taking detailed notes, then researching in the library), and then conducting field research around the school. A good companion book would be FROG SCIENTIST which details Dr. Tyrone Hayes and his students studying frogs in the field.
*Social Studies and Critical Thinking: This book is packed with anecdotes from Texas History - from the description of Austin in 1899, to a story about a bat caught in a battle along the Sabine River (p.40), along with the well-researched details of daily life in Texas at that time. I particularly enjoyed the descriptions of the cotton harvest and gin (p. 197), and it would be great to take 7th grade students out to Burton, TX to see the running of the oldest operational cotton gin in America. See http://www.cottonginfestival.com/ for more information.