I just loved this book. I think that it will mostly have a female audience and it may not appeal to hardcore fantasy fans; it definitely has a Young Adult feel to it. However, having survived the Twilight-mania that is sweeping the globe I can only say that this story is so much more deserving of that kind of popularity. I devoured it in just a few days. Read this book!

Have you read this book? No? Then go and read it. Immediately. Especially if you are a fan of To Kill a Mockingbird because Calpurnia Tate surely will remind you of a certain Scout Finch, and the relationship with her naturalist Grandfather will definitely remind you of Scout's relationship with Atticus.

Funny, heartfelt, sweet and sad, this book just had my heart from the first page. It's 1899 and Calpurnia is a 12 yr old with a whole mess of brothers. She lives in a small town outside of Austin and her father runs a cotton farm. Her grandfather is a naturalist who corresponds with a Mr. Charles Darwin, and turns Calpurnia's life of boring domestic inanity around as she becomes his assistant.

I am a ruined pile of emotions.