ABOUT THE BOOK
Coming of age amidst the seething unrest of the Civil War era, feisty fourteen-year-old Katie McCafferty infiltrates the Molly Maguires, a secret Irish organization, to rescue a lifelong friend. Under the guise of Dominick, a draft resister, Katie volunteers for a dangerous mission in hopes of preventing bloodshed. Katie risks job, family, and ultimately her very life to intervene. A series of tragedies challenge Katie's strength and ingenuity, and she faces a crisis of conscience. Can she balance her sense of justice with the law? Call Me Kate is suitable for readers from eleven to adult. The story is dramatic and adventuresome, yet expressive of daily life in the patches of the hard coal region during the Civil War era. This novel will appeal to readers of the Dear America series, as well as more mature readers who will enjoy the story's rich context and drama.
MY THOUGHTS
From the first page, when the miningi bell rings through the town, with Kate being called from the school, Call Me Kate grabbed my attention. It never let go until I turned the last page. Kate is a charismatic and fearless character who I immediately liked. Trying to survive in a time where everything was simple and education took a back seat to working for a living, I found this novel fascinating, and historical accurate as I recall learning about it. It's devastating to see such young children working the mines, and to see such hardship with no hope for tomorrow. You won't want to miss this journey with Kate, it is extraordinary and I am definitely glad I picked this one up! Young adults and adults will enjoy this one.
You can read an excerpt HERE.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Molly Roe is the pen name of Mary Garrity Slaby, a veteran language arts & reading teacher at Lake-Lehman Junior Senior High School. Mary holds a Ph.D. in education from Temple University, and Pennsylvania teaching certification in six areas. She has pursued the hobby of genealogy for the past decade. Mary was born in Philadelphia, raised in Schuylkill County, and currently lives in Dallas, Pennsylvania with her husband, John. They are parents of two grown children, Melissa and John Garrett, cover illustrator of Call Me Kate. Digging into the past has given Mary newfound respect for her ancestors and a better understanding of history. Call Me Kate is the first in the author’s trilogy of historical novels loosely based on the lives of the strong women who preceded her.
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Wendy - thanks for sharing 'Call Me Kate' with your blog readers. We appreciate your support of the book.
ReplyDeleteYou brought up so many good points in your review - the appalling conditions of child labor, the hardscrabble existence of life in a mining town and the ferocious persistence of Katie to do the right thing in the face of towering adversity.
I'm so glad that you enjoyed the book and couldn't put it down.
Best wishes,
Nicole
Tribute Books
I've read several favorable reviews for this title and am looking forward to reading it.
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