The Curious World of Calpurnia Tate

By: Jacqueline Kelly

Narrated by: Natalie Ross

Callie Vee, Travis, Granddaddy, and the whole Tate clan are back in this charming follow-up to Newbery Honor-winner The Evolution of Calpurnia Tate.

Travis keeps bringing home strays. And Callie has her hands full keeping the wild animals-her brother included-away from her mother's critical eye. Whether it's wrangling a rogue armadillo or stray dog, a guileless younger brother or standoffish cousin, the trials and tribulations of Callie Vee will have listeners laughing and crying and cheering for this most endearing heroine.

This title has Common Core connections.

Critic reviews

“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

“In her debut novel, Jacqueline Kelly brings to vivid life a boisterous small-town family at the dawn of a new century. And she especially shines in her depiction of the natural world that so intrigues Callie . . . Readers will want to crank up the A.C. before cracking the cover, though. That first chapter packs a lot of summer heat.” —The Washington Post on The Evolution of Calpurnia Tate

“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.” —New York Times Book Review on The Evolution of Calpurnia Tate

“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 on The Evolution of Calpurnia Tate

“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 on The Evolution of Calpurnia Tate

“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, Starred Review on The Evolution of Calpurnia Tate

“Narrator Calpurnia's voice is fresh and convincing, and Granddaddy is that favorite relative most readers would love to claim as their own. Historical fiction fans are in for a treat.” —Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books on The Evolution of Calpurnia Tate

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

Enchanting!

My daughter and I have loved the previous & this Cally Vee book. Hopeful for another one soon!

amazing!!!

l love this book so so much.
the story was so awesome!
and I love the voice.😁

Seven year old and ten year old love this series

My daughters love Science and history and the Calpurnia series is a perfect mix of both. We learned a lot just from listening. The writing uses sophisticated language and vocabulary that challenges my kids but is not too challenging. The story includes moral tales as well and has helped me to have meaningful conversations about equality and women's rights with my children. The voice performer does an outstanding job. Her voices, pauses, inflections, etc are perfect and bring out the wonderful subtle humor that is such an enjoyable part of this book. Highly recommend this book for kids who enjoy history and science, and adults too.

Delightful

I love the narrator and the innocent world of Capernia Tate. It’s a simple, pure and intelligently interesting story. I didn’t recover to like the sequel as well as the first novel but I did.

👏🏽😍👍🏽

Loved it! Callie!s determined spirit and character are truly inspirational. Definitely a must read.😍