I had the opportunity to review Call Me Kate: Meeting the Molly Maguires by Molly Roe, a young adult book that I would recommend for girls and young women ages 11 and up.
From the Publisher:
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.
Call Me Kate: Meeting the Molly Maguires is a Mom’s Choice Awards® Silver Recipient
My review:
Call Me Kate was very reminiscent of the American Girl tradition but brings some more mature themes to the table... Katie, as a character is typical of young women of the time - considering marriage and love and balancing that with taking care of her family and making her way in the world.
I was fascinated by the historical context that Katie was placed in - it is an area of Civil War history that I knew very little about and the historical element kept me enthralled in the story as an adult. The perspective of Irish Catholic workers and their struggles both before and during the Civil War and the cast of characters made this book worth the read.
I would recommend this as a great Mother/daughter read because there's something in it on multiple levels.
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.
Disclaimer: I was provided an e-book copy of Call Me Kate for the purpose of this review, I received no other compensation and all opinions are my own.
Second Chance: How Adoption Saved a Boy with Autism & His Shelter Dog (PBS Kids recommended title)
by Sandra J. Gerencher is a great children's book that combines sensitivity, caring and understanding for the sometimes difficult topics of orphans, adoption, autism and belonging.
From the Publisher:
The timeless tale of a boy (with autism) and his (shelter) dog. Over the past 10 years, author Sandra Gerencher has been on a mission to save dogs from high-kill animal shelters. Her first rescue was P.J., the black and white Pomeranian in the story. She also adopted the orange Pomeranians Shelby and Lil Rascal, and of course, Chance, the big black Rottweiler/German Shepherd mix. All characters in the story are based on Sandra's real life family. The book is filled with softly blended watercolor photos of her loved ones. Her most significant adoption was her son, Terry. He was considered a special needs child because he was born with a genetic disorder known as Fragile X Syndrome. The disorder can cause many cognitive disorders, such as autism, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, mental retardation and depression.
My review:
Although I'm not a dog person, I am an avid reader of everything to do with autism and adoption and I love that this book is able to express compassion, love and understanding of family, adoption and autism. This book offers the reader, young and old, an opportunity to glimpse a small moment in the author's life as she welcomes a new member of her family into the fold and allows him to learn organically about his place in their 'pack' and what the terms 'adoption' and 'autism' mean.
This book would make an excellent edition to school libraries, classrooms and home libraries, especially as a communication tool to talk about and celebrate difference, similarity and family!
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Sandra Gerencher is a special education teacher in the public school system. Prior to becoming a teacher, she worked at Lehigh University in a school-based program, as a Program Specialist for adults with disabilities. Over the past 20 years she has worked with children and adults with special needs in such areas as counseling, Behavior Specialist Consultation, behavioral research, crisis intervention and abuse therapy. Sandra graduated from Lehigh University with a M.Ed. in Special Education (2004) and from Chestnut Hill College in Philadelphia with an M.S. in Counseling Psychology (1999).
Purchase the book:
Second Chance: How Adoption Saved a Boy with Autism & His Shelter Dog is available from Amazon.com as both a paperback and a kindle edition
, and a portion of the proceeds supports the Humane Society
