Reviews

The Curious World of Calpurnia Tate by Jacqueline Kelly

outoftheblue14's review against another edition

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4.0

Il secondo romanzo delle avventure di Calpurnia Tate comincia dove il primo si era interrotto: per il Capodanno del 1900, Calpurnia aveva espresso il desiderio di vedere una nevicata e... desiderio esaudito. Ma non è tutto così semplice per la nostra eroina: è dura desiderare di diventare una scienziata quando la tua famiglia ti pensa solo come futura moglie e madre. Per fortuna c'è il Nonno, sempre pronto a impartire lezioni. Quando Calpurnia vede un esemplare di un uccello mai visto a Fentress e scopre che si tratta di un gabbiano, a 300 km dalla costa, il nonno capisce che si avvicina un uragano e manda subito telegrammi alle città costiere. Invano: le sue parole non sono ascoltate. La città di Galveston, dove abita la famiglia della zia materna di Calpurnia, viene spazzata via. Il Babbo e Harry partono per portare aiuto, e al loro ritorno, dopo mesi, portano con sè un veterinario e la cugina diciassettenne Agatha (Aggie).

Il veterinario, dottor Pritzer, apre la sua attività in paese, suscitando l'interesse di Calpurnia e del suo fratellino Travis. Travis ama molto gli animali e tenta di "salvare" e addomesticare tutti quelli che incontra, con risultati spesso tragicomici. Il dottor Pritzer incoraggia Travis a considerare la futura carriera di veterinario, anche se a Travis viene la nausea solo all'idea di sezionare un lombrico. E' Calpurnia che disseziona gli animali e somministra anestesie senza battere ciglio, ma la professione di veterinario "è troppo faticosa, non è adatta a una signora". Per diventare veterinari servono due anni di studio all'università: non ci sarebbe problema per Travis, secondo il Babbo e la Mamma, ma per Calpurnia... "al massimo possiamo concederti un anno all'università, e poi potresti trovare un bravo giovanotto che ti sposi". Povera Calpurnia, è "una cittadina di serie b nella [sua] stessa casa".

Ci sarà un terzo volume in questa serie? Il primo romanzo avrebbe potuto stare a sè, ma questo secondo mi dà l'impressione di essere in attesa del terzo.

(nota: Calpurnia era il nome della moglie di Cesare)

Interrogativi aperti:
- Harry si sposa o non si sposa?
- cosa c'è davvero nel "tonico" che la mamma di Calpurnia prende contro il mal di testa?

jennrocca's review against another edition

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4.0

Not as good as the first but still good - especially for a science oriented 4th/5th grader. Main character is excellent. In this book she does tons of simple experiments that make you want to jump up and go build a barometer/astrolabe, etc.

Ending was... sudden... and weird. I expected something to happen but in the last chapter she decided to stop writing, tied up a few loose ends, and called it a day. That was disappointing. If there is a third book I'll read it. My 9 year old loved it.

Someday I want to know that this girl will get to go to college and become a scientist. Any other ending will be too heartbreaking to bare.

harry_p0tter_enjoyer1357's review against another edition

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funny mysterious fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

5.0

gmamartha's review against another edition

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4.0

Using quotes from Darwin as chapter headings, we follow Callie through a frustrating year in 1900 trying to follow her love of all things scientific, in spite of her family's expectations of who a young lady should be.

alidottie's review against another edition

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5.0

I absolutely loved the first Calpurnia book and this sequel does not disappoint. Such a delightful main character in such an interesting time in history. This is juvenile fiction so entertaining most adults will be as entertained as I am--but you can fearlessly share this with a child. My kind of book!

reikista's review against another edition

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4.0

Calpurnia is 12 now, and still fascinated by science and the world she lives in, but she is getting older and discovering that, as a girl, she’s a second class citizen.

moack_5's review against another edition

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adventurous emotional funny medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

shirleytupperfreeman's review against another edition

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The second book about Calpurnia Tate and her exploits will be published in July. It, too, was a delightful romp through science and history and family life in 1900. The devastating Galveston Hurricane and flood of 1900 is featured in an educational and not overly morbid way. Calpurnia begins to dream about becoming a veterinarian - something that females just did not do at the time. Young people who enjoyed the first book will be pleased with the continuing story of Calpurnia Virginia Tate.

michellehenriereads's review against another edition

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4.0

In The Evolution of Caluprnia Tate the focus of the story was Callie Vee's relationship with her grandfather and her discovery of herself as she observed the natural world. It was a coming of age story. I feel like Callie Vee stalled in The Curious World of Calpurnia Tate. She still has a special relationship with her grandfather. She still has too many annoying brothers. And, she is still misunderstood by her parents. So, what was missing?

To read the full review go to www.talesuntangled.wordpress.com

bookmarvel's review against another edition

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5.0

Same vibes as the first one, chill, the usual light drama, very comforting. I wasn’t sure if I had read this book before, even though I’ve known it existed for a long time, and I hadn’t but I really enjoyed it. Calpurnia still resists all efforts by her family to turn her into a proper young lady, and in this one she starts to earn and save her own money. Overall she becomes more mature and more confident in herself and she finds ways to get around her family to do things she wants to do and I’m glad to see it. She’s well on her way to busting up standards for women in the early 1900s and I’m sure she made a very good life for herself when she grew up.