"What, exactly, was a naturalist? I wasn't sure, but I decided to spend the rest of my summer being one." Callie pg. 8 The Evolution of Calpurnia Tate
Calpurnia Virginia Tate, Callie Vee for short, was eleven years old in the summer of 1899, living on a large Texas estate with her father, mother, three older brothers, three younger brothers and grandfather. Callie began observing birds, insects, plants, even the family dogs that summer and making notes about all her observations in a journal her oldest brother had given her. Besides all her fascinating discoveries, Callie also discovered that her grandfather (whom she had previously been scared of) also spent his time observing nature and the two soon become close, exploring the estate together. When they stumbled upon a possible new species of plant, Callie begins to realize that maybe she would like to be a scientist when she grows up, unfortunately girls, especially girls from well-to-do families, at the turn of the century where expected to be ladies who wore corsets and did needlework, not girls who tromped around in the woods and read scientific journals. Will Callie be able to make her mother understand that she doesn't like to sew, knit or play the piano? Will her dreams of being a scientist ever come true?
Callie spent a lot of time exploring the world around her home, so I took a little time to explore the world around the library and have a few pictures below of some of our feathered friends living just across the street on Lake Anna. The Evolution of Calpurnia Tate is one of the 2010 Newbery Honor Books, and if you enjoy reading about the natural world, Hoot by Carl Hiaasen, is another good read.
Calpurnia Virginia Tate, Callie Vee for short, was eleven years old in the summer of 1899, living on a large Texas estate with her father, mother, three older brothers, three younger brothers and grandfather. Callie began observing birds, insects, plants, even the family dogs that summer and making notes about all her observations in a journal her oldest brother had given her. Besides all her fascinating discoveries, Callie also discovered that her grandfather (whom she had previously been scared of) also spent his time observing nature and the two soon become close, exploring the estate together. When they stumbled upon a possible new species of plant, Callie begins to realize that maybe she would like to be a scientist when she grows up, unfortunately girls, especially girls from well-to-do families, at the turn of the century where expected to be ladies who wore corsets and did needlework, not girls who tromped around in the woods and read scientific journals. Will Callie be able to make her mother understand that she doesn't like to sew, knit or play the piano? Will her dreams of being a scientist ever come true?
Callie spent a lot of time exploring the world around her home, so I took a little time to explore the world around the library and have a few pictures below of some of our feathered friends living just across the street on Lake Anna. The Evolution of Calpurnia Tate is one of the 2010 Newbery Honor Books, and if you enjoy reading about the natural world, Hoot by Carl Hiaasen, is another good read.