Bibliography
Kelly, Jacqueline. 2009. The Evolution of Calpurnia Tate. New
York: Henry Holt. ISBN 978-0805088410.
Brief plot summary
Calpurnia Virginia Tate (Callie
Vee) is an inquisitive eleven-year-old growing up in a small Texas town in
1899. She is the only girl in a family of seven children. Her mother is trying
to prepare her for her life as a wife and mother by ensuring that she learns
the domestic arts—knitting, tatting, cooking and playing the piano; however, Callie
is more interested in exploring the natural world around her. During the
closing months of 1899 Callie forms a deep relationship with her Granddaddy,
who kindles her interest in natural science and encourages her to use the
scientific method in her quest for answers about the natural world.
Critical analysis
The Evolution of Calpurnia Tate is that rarest of books that draws in readers who
would not ordinarily turn to science. It makes a romance of the most mundane of
scientific tasks as it embraces an early 20th century Texas girl’s
coming of age and the struggle to find one’s identity in a society with strict
gender expectations.
Callie’s story of
self-discovery is told through lively first-person narrative that includes sly humor
and rich details that breathe life into the well-defined characters and settings.
The culture and social life of the early 20th century is accurately depicted in
Calpurnia’s family and the community. Fact and fiction are well balanced as historical
details are carefully woven into the story, adding to its authenticity. Each
chapter begins with an epigraph taken from Charles Darwin’s The Origin of Species. These chapter
headings not only provide a hint about what is occurring in Calpurnia’s life,
but also provide the reader with a direct connection with Calpurnia, who is
reading The Origin of Species.
The book’s themes of
science, family life, and working toward a future dream should resonate with
its audience. The story ends with a new century dawning and the reader is left rooting
for Callie Vee to challenge traditional roles and expectations for the women of
her times and to realize her dream of becoming a scientist.
Review excerpts
“Kelly,
without anachronism, has created a memorable, warm, spirited young woman who’s
refreshingly ahead of her time.” – Horn
Book, Starred Review
“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. The eye-catching jacket art, which silhouettes Callie and images from nature against a yellow background, is true to the period and the story. Many readers will hope for a sequel to this engaging, satisfying first novel.” – Booklist, Starred Review
“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. The eye-catching jacket art, which silhouettes Callie and images from nature against a yellow background, is true to the period and the story. Many readers will hope for a sequel to this engaging, satisfying first novel.” – Booklist, Starred Review
“Readers
will finish this witty, deftly crafted debut novel rooting for "Callie
Vee" and wishing they knew what kind of adult she would become.” – Kirkus Reviews, Starred Review
“A charming and inventive story of a child struggling to find her identity at the turn of the 20th century… there’s no uncertainty over the achievement of Kelly’s debut novel.” – School Library Journal, Starred Review
“Callie’s transformation into an adult and her unexpected bravery make for an exciting and enjoyable read. Kelly’s rich images and setting, believable relationships and a touch of magic take this story far.” – Publishers Weekly, Starred Review
“A charming and inventive story of a child struggling to find her identity at the turn of the 20th century… there’s no uncertainty over the achievement of Kelly’s debut novel.” – School Library Journal, Starred Review
“Callie’s transformation into an adult and her unexpected bravery make for an exciting and enjoyable read. Kelly’s rich images and setting, believable relationships and a touch of magic take this story far.” – Publishers Weekly, Starred Review
“Each
chapter of this winning…novel opens with a quotation from ‘On the Origin of
Species’—a forbidden book that her own grandfather turns out to have hidden
away. Together they study Darwin’s masterpiece, leading to a revolution
in Callie’s ideas of what she might accomplish on her own.” – The New York Times Book Review
Awards / Best Books
Indies Choice Book Award
Honor Book, 2010
John Newberry Medal Honor
Book, 2010
School Library Journal
Battle of the Kids’ Books Nominee, 2010
ALSC Notable Children’s Books,
2009
Amazon Editors’ Picks: Top
10 Books, 2009
Booklist Top 10 Historical
Fiction for Youth, 2010
Publishers Weekly Best
Children’s Books, 2009
School Library Journal
Best Books, 2009
Teachers’ Choices, 2010
YALSA Best Books for Young
Adults, 2010
Classroom Connections
Each
chapter begins with an epigraph from Charles Darwin’s Origin of Species. Students take any given chapter and connect the significance of the epigraph to the theme of
that chapter.
Calpurnia is fascinated
with Charles Darwin and his book The
Origin of Species. Students can research Charles Darwin’s life and
the book that made him famous. What was his basic premise? How does it link to
Callie’s observations about the green and yellow grasshoppers?
Callie longs to be a
scientist. Have a discussion about how unusual this was for a girl growing up
at that time. Students can research and write about the social or cultural
obstacles Calpurnia might face in pursuing this goal and the possibility that
she will be able achieve her goal?
Compare this book with
Albert Marrin’s book Flesh & Blood So
Cheap: The Triangle Fire and Its Legacy, another book that deals with
women’s rights at the turn of the century.
Other related books:
- Charles and Emma: The Darwins’ Leap of Faith by Deborah Heiligman – ISBN 978-0805087215
- Charles Darwin: Naturalist by Margaret J. Anderson – ISBN 978-0766027947
- DK Biography: Charles Darwin by David C. King – ISBN 978-0756625542
- Lifelines: Charles Darwin by Alan Gibbons – ISBN 978-0753462515
- Evolution: How We and All Things Came to Be by Daniel Loxton – ISBN 978-1554534302
- The True Adventures of Charley Darwin by Carolyn Meyer – ISBN 978-0152061944
- Monkey Town: The Summer of the Scopes Trial by Ronald Kidd – ISBN 1416905723
- Who Was Charles Darwin? by Deborah Hopkinson – ISBN 978-0448437644
