Skunked! (Calpurnia Tate, Girl Vet #1)

Expect a fresh crop of Calpurnia readers to simply enjoy this on its own considerable merits.

Gr 2-4--Award-winning author Kelly introduces the "Calpurnia Tate" series to a younger audience. The year is 1901, and Calpurnia lives in a big white house in Texas with her mother, father, grandfather, and six brothers. Living with so many brothers can bring excitement and, at times, trouble. High jinks ensue when Cal's younger brother Travis discovers an abandoned baby skunk. Sharing his sister's love of animals, Travis brings the skunk, Stinky, home to care for it. One skunk isn't too much of a problem, but the situation escalates when Travis finds the runt of the litter, Winky. The most difficult part of caring for baby skunks is keeping them a secret from Cal and Travis's watchful mother. She would be furious if she knew there were baby skunks living in her barn, and Cal and Travis desperately want to avoid her wrath. This engaging introductory chapter book contains the added benefit of introducing readers to science and nature terminology as well as a bit of Texas history. Readers need not have read Kelly's The Evolution of Calpurnia Tate to enjoy this charming selection. VERDICT Young readers will find Cal and Travis's exploits entertaining, humorous, and informative.--Tiffany Davis, Mount Saint Mary College, Newburgh, NY

Copyright 2016 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

Animal lovers will revel in the abundant anecdotes about the benevolent country vet and Travis' mangy strays-some heart-wrenching, some hilarious-while learning plenty about nature (from pond water up to the stars), the deadly 1900 Galveston hurricane, and early Texas history as recounted by Callie's scholarly and beloved Granddaddy. A warm, welcome stand-alone companion to Kelly's lauded debut.

Six years after debuting in Kelly's Newbery Honor-winning The Evolution of Calpurnia Tate, the budding Texas scientist returns, as curious and charming as ever, and now preoccupied with fauna instead of flora . . . Happily, the episodic narrative leaves the door wide open for further adventures-if we're lucky.

"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." —BCCB 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

"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 on The Evolution of Calpurnia Tate