Review: Call Me Kate

Summary (from Goodreads): 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?

My Thoughts: This is a very good historical fiction book about something rarely covered when one learns about the Civil War. I think this book will make excellent supplemental reading to help children – and even adults – have a better understanding of life during the Civil War, especially for Irish immigrants. I had absolutely no idea about any of the issues addressed in this book. Perhaps I’d have heard more if I came from Pennsylvania? I dunno. What I do know is that I, a full-fledged adult, learned something new while reading this.

This is labeled young adult, but I think it’s more middle grade. I think it’s suitable to younger readers. I can’t put my finger on it, but something about it gives it a feel that I think works better for maybe middle school, possibly even fifth and sixth grades. I will be honest and say it’s not riveting, but could be if read in the context of learning about the Civil War and/or Irish immigration into the U.S. There are questions and suggested activities at the back of the book that teachers can use to help the story come to life for their students.

My Rating: 3.5 stars

Source: Received as part of a blog tour promotion on Tribute Books. (Tribute Books can also be found on Facebook and Twitter.)

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.

Molly Roe can be found on her blog and on Facebook.

More Information: If you’d like to read an excerpt, you can do so HERE. Here, also, is a trailer:

Read It: Get your own copy HERE. (This is an Amazon link, but not one of my affiliate links.)

FTC Disclosure: All items reviewed were either obtained by me for my own enjoyment or sent (from the author, publisher, publicist, via tour sites, etc.) in exchange for an honest review. I receive no monetary compensation for my posts. All opinions expressed are my own.

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