Kelly, J. (2009). The
evolution of Calpurnia Tate. New
York: Henry Holt.
Reading level: 830L
Interest level: Grades 6 - 9
Calpurnia’s brothers are all named after great men,
but her family's expectations for her are not so elevated - after all, this is the 19th century, and Texas no less. She spends her days observing the world around her, trying to make
sense of the things she notices. For example, during this particularly hot
summer, she notices a huge increase in large, yellow grasshoppers. At first,
Calpurnia believes she’s discovered a new species, but eventually she figures
out that the yellow grasshoppers are a more successful variation of the same
species. Determined to learn more, she requests and eventually receives a copy
of “The Origin of Species” by Charles Darwin.