"The Evolution of Calpurnia Tate" -Jacqueline Kelly

I don't listen to audiobooks often but changes in my commute has really cut down on my reading time. And so I've begun a shift to a little bit o'listening.

The Evolution of Calpurnia Tate is the story of a young girl growing up in Texas at the turn-of-the-century. The book follows Cali from the summer of 1899 to New Year's Day 1900. Cali has an interest in scienec; she teams up with her grandfather to study her surroundings. As she learns, the reader sees how many things in her life mirror those of nature, evolution, and Darwin's theories.

This was a fascinating combination of period technology and modern issues. While characters gawk at horseless carriages, marvel over microscopes, and think the first snow is the end of the world, Cali faces a rocky mother-daughter relationship, annoying brothers, and what to do when she grows up.

Read Also:

Jane Birdsall's "The Penderwicks" series.

Joelle Stolz's The Shadows of Ghadames.

Margaret Sidney's The Five Little Peppers and How They Grew.