JacketFlap connects you to the work of more than 200,000 authors, illustrators, publishers and other creators of books for Children and Young Adults. The site is updated daily with information about every book, author, illustrator, and publisher in the children's / young adult book industry. Members include published authors and illustrators, librarians, agents, editors, publicists, booksellers, publishers and fans. Join now (it's free).
Login or Register for free to create your own customized page of blog posts from your favorite blogs. You can also add blogs by clicking the "Add to MyJacketFlap" links next to the blog name in each post.
Blog Posts by Tag
In the past 7 days
Blog Posts by Date
Click days in this calendar to see posts by day or month
Viewing: Blog Posts Tagged with: The Evolution of Calpurnia Tate, Most Recent at Top [Help]
Results 1 - 6 of 6
How to use this Page
You are viewing the most recent posts tagged with the words: The Evolution of Calpurnia Tate in the JacketFlap blog reader. What is a tag? Think of a tag as a keyword or category label. Tags can both help you find posts on JacketFlap.com as well as provide an easy way for you to "remember" and classify posts for later recall. Try adding a tag yourself by clicking "Add a tag" below a post's header. Scroll down through the list of Recent Posts in the left column and click on a post title that sounds interesting. You can view all posts from a specific blog by clicking the Blog name in the right column, or you can click a 'More Posts from this Blog' link in any individual post.
Someone on Twitter was looking for suggestions. I rattled off a list…and then copied it to Facebook and thought of more…and I figured I’d throw the titles up here too, for easy access, though of course this is a mere sliver of what I’d put on my ideal Books for Ten-Year-Olds bookshelf. Later, when time permits, I’ll try to come back and add capsule reviews, but today is not that day.
(Um, it goes without saying I recommend my own The Prairie Thief for this age, yes? Because I’m totally saying it anyway. Boys and girls. Ahem.)
Harold Underdown suggested Rapunzel’s Revenge by Shannon Hale, and I second that—my kids and I loved it (and the related Calamity Jack—both graphic novels); they love all Shannon’s books like CRAZY. Next to Betsy-Tacy and Percy Jackson, the Shannon Hale novels are the most frequently borrowed books by their friends. We basically have a Lovelace/Riordan/Hale lending library going here.
#66 The Evolution of Calpurnia Tate by Jacqueline Kelly (2009)
30 points
(I will be in a purple froth if this book does not make the top 100!) – Dana Chidiac
Purple froth avoided! This Newbery Honor winner makes its debut on our list this time around. Ignored on the 2010 poll I’m pleased to see it climb quite high this time around.
The description from my review reads, “It’s 1899 and eleven-year-old Calpurnia Tate is the sole and single girl child in a family full of six brothers. She is generally ignored until one day she asks her grandfather a question: Where did the huge yellow grasshoppers that appeared during the unusually hot summer come from? Grandfather, an imposing figure the children usually avoid, merely says that he’s sure she’ll figure it out on her own. Only when she does exactly that does he begin to take an interest in her. Before long Calpurnia finds herself a naturalist in the making. Grandfather teaches her about evolution and the natural world, which is wonderful, but it’s really not the kind of thing a girl of her age and era would learn. Between adventures involving her brothers, her friends, and a whole new species of plant, Calpurnia must come to terms with what she is and what the world expects her to be. Ms. Kelly prefaces each chapter with a quote from Charles Darwin’s Origin of Species.”
The inspiration for the book itself is not difficult to find. In a Q&A with Macmillan Ms. Kelly explained it all in no uncertain terms: “This book was inspired by a summer sojourn in my big old 120-year-old farmhouse in Fentress, Texas. With the thermometer almost boiling over, I began to wonder how people stood the heat a hundred years ago with no air conditioning, especially since they had to wear all those clothes. Callie and her entire family sprang to life at that moment. The book was also inspired by the sight of a big yellow grasshopper and a small green grasshopper sunning themselves on one of the window screens. They looked so different that I wondered if they were different species or not. I spent a lot of time trying to figure this out but never could. Alas, the grasshoppers have refused an interview.”
As for the path to publication, I learned from The Write Stuff that Jacqueline Kelly won the 2002 Manuscript Contest Mainstream Fiction category with the first chapter of this book. Mind you, that was a full seven year gap between winning the contest and the book’s actual publication.
And the sequel? Well, recently Ms. Kelly put the finishing touches on a sequel . . . to The Wind in the Willows. Yep! In an interview with SLJ back in 2009, Ms. Kelly said that it was her favorite book when she was younger. This year on October 30th we shall see her Return to the Willows, illustrated by Clint Young. But after THAT I was told at a recent Macmillan librarian preview that a sequel to Calpurnia is
6 Comments on Top 100 Children’s Novels #66: The Evolution of Calpurnia Tate by Jacqueline Kelly, last added: 5/23/2012
Very glad to see this on this list! And I hadn’t pictured a sequel, but that’s perfect, since we don’t know how or even if Callie will be able to achieve any of her desires.
Jennifer Schultz said, on 5/22/2012 10:10:00 AM
A sequel to Calpurnia! That I did not know.
(I reviewed The Evolution of Calpurnia Tate for SLJ! I was so happy to do so. Forgive me for bragging. I’m happy reviewing anything for SLJ, but this remains one of my favorites.)
Elizabeth Bird said, on 5/22/2012 12:46:00 PM
Yeah, I thought about mentioning that you wrote that review, Jennifer. Then I figured I hadn’t mentioned who the other reviewers were on other books so I kept mum. But I did indeed notice last night and felt good I knew you.
David Ziegler said, on 5/22/2012 6:50:00 PM
I really enjoyed reading this when it was published and am happy to see it on the list. Looking forward to the sequel, and more of Callie and her family.
Jacqueline Kelly said, on 5/22/2012 7:13:00 PM
Well, I have to say I’m tickled pink by all of this. Thanks, everyone!
Jackie Kelly
Jennifer Schultz said, on 5/23/2012 7:17:00 AM
Aww, that’s sweet, Betsy. Thank you. Jackie, I cannot wait to find out what happens to Callie!
What am I reading now? The Evolution of Calpurnia Tate by Jacqueline Kelly
I’ve always had this desire to work at a children’s bookstore. A desire that stems from my passion for children’s literature. I’m happy to report that now I actually do. The Flying Dragon Bookshop is a dream come true. It’s everything I imagined and more.
I describe The Flying Dragon Bookshop as a treasure chest. Those who venture through its door are fortunate enough to behold the jewels that lie within. And let me tell you, there are many. I’m not only talking about the books but also the people.
At the helm, you’ll find a trio of bona fide experts — Cathy Francis, Nina McCreath and Vikki VanSickle. If you’ve got a book related question, you can be sure they’ve got the answer. They encompass a wealth of knowledge that is revered by many, including me. But the speciality of The Flying Dragon Bookshop doesn’t end there.
The tight-knit group that works there is a family. They desire nothing more then to see each other thrive. The same holds true for the patrons that frequent the bookshop religiously. They aren’t just customers, they’re friends.
Being able to match the perfect book with the perfect person at the perfect moment is a tough job, but somebody’s got to do it. I’m glad that somebody is me.
“The Flying Dragon Bookshop on the wings of a child’s imagination.”
0 Comments on The Flying Dragon Bookshop as of 1/1/1900
Why, I wonder, am I so compelled to write about my reading life? I suppose it has something to do with memory, with holding on to things (we recall best those things which we have narrated, as Charlotte Mason was astute enough to recognize), and also with the way putting thoughts into words, written words, shifts vague and swirling impressions to coherent observations, connections, understanding.
Then, too, the urge to talk (write) about books springs also from booklover’s enthusiasm: when I’ve enjoyed something, or even just parts of something, I am eager, eager, eager to share. This creates all sorts of readerly, writerly dilemmas for me: sometimes I start conversations that I can’t squeeze out time to finish (though, in my mind, they are never finished, never closed; and I’m always figuring I’ll have a chance to chime in at some point). Sometimes I want to talk about books that I mostly loved, but I had this one quibble with a plot point, or I thought the ending was weak, or the first-person narrative voice was an unfortunate choice, or—well, any critical observations at all, and if the author is a living person, I find myself completely paralyzed at the prospect of putting my criticism in print. (Which is why, of course, I’m not a book reviewer by trade.)
Then, of course, there’s the spoiler problem, over which I’ve sweated here before. For example, I want to tell you all about how much I enjoyed Rebecca Stead’s excellent middle-grade novel, When You Reach Me—but if I say anything, practically anything at all, I’ll give away things I’d rather you discovered yourself in the pages of the book, in the perfect way Stead has chosen to reveal them to you. I can say that it’s about a girl who reads A Wrinkle in Time repeatedly, constantly; that her best friend, a boy, abruptly withdraws from her; that her mother is a single, working mom hoping for a chance to shine on $20,000 Pyramid; that it’s 1979; that there’s a mystery; that there are characters I will never forget, completely fresh, completely believable; that I haven’t read a novel that nails the flavor of New York City so perfectly since, gosh, Harriet the Spy. But none of that tells you what I loved most about the book, or what makes it sing, or why I won’t soon forget it. I can’t tell you those things until you’ve read it—and then you won’t need me to, because you’ll know too.
Or how about The Evolution of Calpurnia Tate by Jacqueline Kelly? I loved it: this funny, tangy tale of an eleven-year-old girl, surrounded by brothers on a Texas pecan farm in 1899, with a mother yearning for a girly-girl, a fascination with the critters whose doings she records in her very important notebook, and an aloof, bewhiskered grandfather who has never, until now, seemed to notice her existence? I was delighted by the way Callie and her grandfather become acquainted with one another via their mutual interest in the natural world—he’s a correspondent of Charles Darwin and an amateur naturalist and scientist, ever on the lookout for a new species of flora or fauna that might add his name to the rolls of the distinguished discoverers of the day. At first he reacts to Callie rather as if she’s a curious new species herself, and the feeling is mutual. Slowly, they bond…oh, I loved it, the slow revelation of kindred spirits. And meanwhile, there are family antics, and wondrous new technology coming to town (a telegraph! an automobile!), and Callie has to figure out how to carve out time for her burning interests when the womenfolk in her life demand piano practice and embroidery and cookery lessons. Certainly there have been many books tackling a girl’s struggles to define and defend her own identity as the people around her seem determined to squeeze her into a mold she isn’t sure fits—I’ve worked with that theme myself, in my Martha books—but I don’t think we’ve ever seen anyone quite like Miss Calpurnia Tate. It’s the setting, the context, that sold me on this book: I’d place it with The Great Brain and Ginger Pye on my mental bookshelf: episodic, comical, historically delicious novels full of eccentric and lovable characters, with that something extra that sets them apart from the crowd.
And I’ve ten times written and deleted a sentence of criticism about one of these two novels, which my what-if-I-hurt-the-writer’s-feelings cowardice will not allow me to keep intact. How’s that for some obnoxious ambiguity?
This week I posted my review of The Evolution of Calpurnia Tate. As a follow up, I have interviewed the author of this marvelous book , Jacqueline Kelly. Here is the interview.
1. Where did the inspiration for The Evolution of Calpurnia Tate come from?
The entire story was inspired by my 140-year-old Victorian farmhouse in Fentress, Texas. The house has plumbing from the 1920's, and an electrical system from the 1930's, and only a few of the rooms have window units for air conditioning, so it gets uncomfortably hot during the summer. One day I was lounging on the day be in the living room under an inadequate AC unit, when I thought, "How did people stand it in this house, in this heat, a hundred years ago?" And just like that, Calpurnia and her family sprang to life to answer the question.
2. The story is based in Texas , where you now live. How did you find out what it was like to live in Texas in the late 1800’s?
I have always been interested in the turn of that century, and I just seem to have picked up details along the way. There's also an excellent resource, The Texas Handbook Online. Plus, you can find out all sorts of interesting details by looking at old advertisements, either online or in old magazines and catalogs and newspapers.
3. In the story, Calpurnia Tate develops an interest in the natural world. Is this an interest that you share with your character?
I do. I love sitting on a cushion on the front steps early in the morning and just waiting to see what I can see. Cardinals, toads, cottontails, moles, all manner of life goes by.
4. Why did you decide to bring Charles Darwin and his book into the story?
It was clear to me that Callie was going to have a deep interest in nature, and I know that, at least in certain parts of the world, Darwin was still considered a controversial character. Although I can't be completely positive, I'm fairly sure that she, as a young girl, would never have been allowed to read The Origin of Species at that time. Bringing him into the book struck me as a natural way to set up conflict between her desires for her future and what society expected of her.
5. The Evolution of Calpurnia Tate is full of humorous moments. I particularly like the part where Callie’s little brother gets upset because he doesn’t want the family to eat the Thanksgiving turkeys that he has cared for. Where did the ideas for these moments come from?
Sometimes, even I don't know where the ideas come from. They just show up in my head when I need them, and the turkey scene was one of those. I know that I wanted Callie to have at least one brother who was sweet and soft-hearted, and showing him as fond (maybe overly fond) of animals was one way to do that. And remember, probably all children growing up then would have seen chickens killed, possibly even pigs and cows slaughtered. Today we would shield a child from that, but back then, it was just part of life.
6. Animal characters pop in and out of the story regularly. Are you fond of animals? My husband and I presently have two dogs and three cats, and we are very attached to them. I think every child should have a dog or cat, some kind of pet that has the capacity to show affection and responsiveness.
7. Callie’s grandfather is a wonderful larger than life character. Is he based on someone you know?
Granddaddy is physically based on the portraits of Charles Darwin taken late in his life. There are elements of his personality that remind me of myself, my father, and a couple of friends of mine, whom I probably should not name.
8. Do you have a writing schedule that you stick to?
I would love to be able to write every morning for three hours, but alas, my other work prevents this. I find that I do best in the mornings with a large cup of coffee inside me. I like to play the local classical music station while I work. Chamber music is very helpful when the work is flowing. When it is not, reggae provides a good shot of energy.
9. Are you working on another book for young readers? (I hope so)
I am presently working on a sequel to The Wind in the Willows, entitled The Willows Redux. I may be about to begin a sequel to Calpurnia, as well.
10. What kinds of books did you like to read when you were young?
I loved Black Beauty, National Velvet, The Jungle Book, the Doctor Doolittle books (especially the one where he flies to the moon on the back of a giant moth), Alice in Wonderland, The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe, and The Wind in the Willows. Thank goodness these books are all classics and are still being read.
Thank you so much for this interview Jacqueline. I look forward to reading your forthcoming books. You can find out more about Jacqueline on her website.
Someone on Twitter was looking for suggestions. I rattled off a list…and then copied it to Facebook and thought of more…and I figured I’d throw the titles up here too, for easy access, though of course this is a mere sliver of what I’d put on my ideal Books for Ten-Year-Olds bookshelf. Later, when time permits, I’ll try to come back and add capsule reviews, but today is not that day.
Then, of course, there’s the spoiler problem, over which I’ve sweated here before. For example, I want to tell you all about how much I enjoyed Rebecca Stead’s excellent middle-grade novel, When You Reach Me—but if I say anything, practically anything at all, I’ll give away things I’d rather you discovered yourself in the pages of the book, in the perfect way Stead has chosen to reveal them to you. I can say that it’s about a girl who reads A Wrinkle in Time repeatedly, constantly; that her best friend, a boy, abruptly withdraws from her; that her mother is a single, working mom hoping for a chance to shine on $20,000 Pyramid; that it’s 1979; that there’s a mystery; that there are characters I will never forget, completely fresh, completely believable; that I haven’t read a novel that nails the flavor of New York City so perfectly since, gosh, Harriet the Spy. But none of that tells you what I loved most about the book, or what makes it sing, or why I won’t soon forget it. I can’t tell you those things until you’ve read it—and then you won’t need me to, because you’ll know too.
Or how about The Evolution of Calpurnia Tate by Jacqueline Kelly? I loved it: this funny, tangy tale of an eleven-year-old girl, surrounded by brothers on a Texas pecan farm in 1899, with a mother yearning for a girly-girl, a fascination with the critters whose doings she records in her very important notebook, and an aloof, bewhiskered grandfather who has never, until now, seemed to notice her existence? I was delighted by the way Callie and her grandfather become acquainted with one another via their mutual interest in the natural world—he’s a correspondent of Charles Darwin and an amateur naturalist and scientist, ever on the lookout for a new species of flora or fauna that might add his name to the rolls of the distinguished discoverers of the day. At first he reacts to Callie rather as if she’s a curious new species herself, and the feeling is mutual. Slowly, they bond…oh, I loved it, the slow revelation of kindred spirits. And meanwhile, there are family antics, and wondrous new technology coming to town (a telegraph! an automobile!), and Callie has to figure out how to carve out time for her burning interests when the womenfolk in her life demand piano practice and embroidery and cookery lessons. Certainly there have been many books tackling a girl’s struggles to define and defend her own identity as the people around her seem determined to squeeze her into a mold she isn’t sure fits—I’ve worked with that theme myself, in my Martha books—but I don’t think we’ve ever seen anyone quite like Miss Calpurnia Tate. It’s the setting, the context, that sold me on this book: I’d place it with The Great Brain and Ginger Pye on my mental bookshelf: episodic, comical, historically delicious novels full of eccentric and lovable characters, with that something extra that sets them apart from the crowd.
Very glad to see this on this list! And I hadn’t pictured a sequel, but that’s perfect, since we don’t know how or even if Callie will be able to achieve any of her desires.
A sequel to Calpurnia! That I did not know.
(I reviewed The Evolution of Calpurnia Tate for SLJ! I was so happy to do so. Forgive me for bragging. I’m happy reviewing anything for SLJ, but this remains one of my favorites.)
Yeah, I thought about mentioning that you wrote that review, Jennifer. Then I figured I hadn’t mentioned who the other reviewers were on other books so I kept mum. But I did indeed notice last night and felt good I knew you.
I really enjoyed reading this when it was published and am happy to see it on the list. Looking forward to the sequel, and more of Callie and her family.
Well, I have to say I’m tickled pink by all of this. Thanks, everyone!
Jackie Kelly
Aww, that’s sweet, Betsy. Thank you. Jackie, I cannot wait to find out what happens to Callie!