Katie John

Katie John #1

by Mary Calhoun, Paul Frame (Illustrator)

Ten-year-old Katie John Tucker did not look forward to the summer she and her parents were to spend in the enormous old house in the small southern town. She hadn't wanted to leave her friends, and she wished that fall would come quickly. But in spite of all her gloomy predictions, Katie John had a wonderful summer. With her new friend, Sue Halsey, she explored the old house and found it full of exciting surprises. The girls founded a society to improve people, and "improved" Sue's infuriating older sister with amazing results. The summer flew by and fall arrived all too soon. Playing a more responsible and adult role than ever before, Katie John was instrumental in deciding her family's future. Young readers will be delighted by impulsive, warm-hearted Katie John, for, as the Virginia Kirkus Service review says, Mrs. Calhoun "imbues her story with a good feeling of locale, a strong sense of seasonal Change, and above all a vigorous portrayal of an appealing and lively heroine."

Genres: Childrens, Fiction, Middle Grade, Young Adult, Historical Fiction, Adventure, Classics

144 pages, Library Binding

First published January 1, 1960

About the author

Mary Louise Huiskamp Wilkins, also known as Mary Calhoun was born on August 3, 1926 in Keokuk, Iowa. She received a bachelor's degree in journalism for the University of Iowa in 1948. She was hired as a reporter for the World-Herald in Omaha, Nebraska after graduation. Her fascination with spirits and folklore of the 19th century led her to write stories about witches, elves, cats, dwarfs, and pixies. She has also published stories in Jack and Jill and Humpty Dumpty magazines. She worked at the Omaha World Herald before marrying fellow journalist Frank Calhoun. Her first book, Making the Mississippi Shout, was published in 1957. She wrote more than 50 children's books during her lifetime including the Katie John series, Julie's Tree, Henry the Sailor Cat, and Cross-Country Cat. She died on October 27, 2015 at the age of 89.

Reviews

[Katt Hansen · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a pleasure to re-visit Katie John. Now I need to find the other books in the series (I have some of them, but am missing one).

I read Katie John for the first time back when I was probably about her age. It was an old book then, so a glimpse into life in the 1950s? 1960s? was a lot of fun and made me long for a simpler time. Who would think that now, so many years later, I'd be longing for that simpler time of the 1970s so our perspective tends to really change as we get older.

Katie John is a girl who moves to a new neighborhood in a new state far away from California where she's grown up. It's supposed to be a temporary move to a great big old house that has been left to her mother, and so she's resolved to not like anything about it. Or about the town or the people she meets there. In short her attitude stinks at first.

But adventures ensue, and she makes new friends. Though I'll admit to being horrified regarding her adventure on the raft. But doesn't that show what life was like in those times too? Kids didn't wait around for rescues back then. We solved our own problems, sometimes in very messy ways.

I loved visiting Katie John's old house. I loved her adventures and the good times she has. I love her family and the way her father makes time for her even while writing (ah, the ideal job of writer...how those of us who write have such a hard time keeping ourselves out of our novels...)

Was this the best kid's book ever? Not by a long shot. I think the last star of the five given is purely for nostalgia's sake. But it's still a lovely book. I wonder if kids today ever pick up things like this to read anymore?

[Kerith · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you like Anne Shirley, Jo March, Ramona Quimby, Emily Bartlett and the many others who have paraded past us in books for years -- you will love Katie John Tucker. This is the first book in a (too short!) series of four titles wherein Katie explores life, makes friends, and has wonderful adventures in Great-Aunt Emily's big old house. Set in a small town on a Mississippi bluff, the story begins with Katie glum after moving from exciting California to Missouri to sell the big family home before moving to New York. In Calhoun's usual cheerful fashion Katie's summer unfolds beautifully, meeting best friend Sue and running lemonade stands, exploring the house and getting into trouble, until of course school begins and she doesn't want to ever leave.
I still love to visit with Katie John from time to time, and can't wait for my daughter to meet her.

[Melody · Rating 4 out of 5]

Re-read. I love this book. Katie John c'est moi! Goofy, ham-handed, good-natured and well-meaning, she blunders her way through her 10th year in this sweetly nostalgic story. The supporting characters are a joy, too.

[Keri Smith · Rating 5 out of 5]

If I had read this book when I was younger, I would have been OBSESSED! Katie John is a tiny version of younger me, flaws and all. Constant scheming and never ending energy to follow through with the schemes, always underestimated by adults, a tendency to get into outrageous pickles, and a deep, abiding love for old houses. It’s me to a tee!

Tone-wise, it’s super similar to the Betsy-Tacy series, so readers who like those books are likely to enjoy this one, also. And it’s got some seriously pleasant cozy vibes, too! Katie John’s world is a feel-good place to retreat to when the real world gets too stressful. Definitely picking up the next book in the series!

[Lisa · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was one of the books Mrs. Scott, my second grade teacher read to the class after lunch. At the time I admired Katie John. She seemed adventerous and not afraid to get dirty. She had spunk.

When I read the book recently, however, I discovered Katie John wasn't as spunky as I'd remembered. In fact, her greatest adventure was spying on the grumpy next door neighbor with her friend, Cindy (I think that was here name). The rest of the time she was an obedient helper at home--a place her parents turned into a boarding house in order to make ends meet.

This story was written in 1960, so I expected the language to reflect that. But I still had a difficult time believing people actually spoke to one another in such a stiff and white bread sort of way. All in all, I was disappointed that the Katie John in the book wasn't the Katie John I remembered.

[Colleen · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a childhood favorite that my daughter gave me for Christmas. How fun to go back in time and remember how I loved reading and the adventures I would go on. This book always made me want to live in the Midwest. After living here for 14 years I am still looking for the Midwest of that book.

[Amy · Rating 3 out of 5]

B says she liked it.

I enjoyed the way the book was written - it made for a good read aloud. I thought some of the adventures were very relevant and interesting for B (age 9) and a few were pushing the envelope a bit (or were just less relevant to her life) but nothing innappropriate. We liked the adventures that came from the big old house itself esp. the dumb waiter.

[Sarah · Rating 3 out of 5]

Too neat of a package to be believable but kind of fun nonetheless. The highly fictitious nature of this book bears resemblance to an episode of Leave it to Beaver. But, come on, sometimes it's a relief to pretend everything does work out for the best in 23 minutes or 144 pages.

[Kara · Rating 5 out of 5]

LOVED Miss Katie John. Another lively, spunky, regular girl heroin after my own heart.
Does anyone remember the book where her mom puts hot potatoes in Katie's pockets
for warmth and she is teased at school? Was it called Hot Potato Katie or am I dreaming?

[Cheryl · Rating 4 out of 5]

I know, I give too many books four stars. But according to GR, it means "I really liked it" and I really did enjoy reading the adventures of this spirited young girl. Very wholesome, but realistic, too. I would have loved it when I was a child.

Episodic chapters, no arc, so not immersive. But there was def. a beginning and an end. And to note that there are sequels, gosh, I hope I can find them.

It is an older book, so probably there are archived copies of each on openlibrary.org. Also, because it's older, there are just a few slightly iffy bits, so read it before sharing it with your children... or better yet, read it together.

"What a good thing mothers were young once!"

I liked Mr. Flower for admiring, out loud, Katie John's gumption and perseverance, and giving her just that little bit of scaffolding. If you have a chance to encourage a child, please take it.

It seemed more "polite" to carry the unidentified bone in a box, instead of sack or hands. Katie and Sue always try to do the right thing.

Note the "Benefit Chess Pageant" of 1897, in which the members of the community played the chess pieces. Wouldn't that be fun, even now?

[Teri-K · Rating 4 out of 5]

Old-fashioned and fun story about a young girl with good intentions who often acts before she thinks. I remember really enjoying these books when I was little.

[Katie Fitzgerald · Rating 4 out of 5]

This review also appears on my blog, Read-at-Home Mom.

Katie John Tucker's family has recently inherited Great Aunt Emily's large old Southern house, so they must spend the summer cleaning it up and getting it ready to sell before they move onto New York, where Katie's father can resume his writing career. Katie is not thrilled about spending the summer in such a small town, but that changes when she meets Sue, a girl in the neighborhood with whom she shares many adventures. The girls look for ghosts, discover a possible human bone, have a lemonade stand, and get into a big fight (and make up, of course.) When Fall rolls around, Katie finds that she doesn't want to leave - and that she might just have a plan that will help her family stay in the big house.

I owned this book as a child and never read it. Knowing what I was like, this was probably because the first chapter mentions the possibility of ghosts and I hated to be scared. Otherwise, this is exactly the kind of book I have always enjoyed, about real kids doing regular things and finding their own excitement. Katie John has much in common with contemporary characters like Ivy and Bean, Clementine, the Penderwick sisters, and Judy Moody, and her personality is just the right combination of sweetness and trouble. Though this book was published in 1960, there is no reason kids today - especially those living in small towns themselves - can't relate to Katie. Her concerns about moving, making friends, and figuring out what made Great Aunt Emily tick are things that will always interest kids, no matter the time period. Katie John also makes a nice read-alike for another vintage favorite from around the same time, Gone-Away Lake.

[Ann · Rating 4 out of 5]

The KATIE JOHN books were some of my favorites as a child, and my son just bought me a set of “the old ones” for Christmas. I can see why I loved this character and her adventures. Katie John has a great imagination that often gets her in trouble, but often helps her get out of a fix. Her parents are loving, accepting, and affirm who she is even when she causes problems. (They are some of the most understanding parents in children’s literature.)

Katie John was considered a tomboy. I love how she is so physically active, courageous, headstrong, and often acts before thinking. She is a believable and likable protagonist, worthy of one of my favorite words:irrepressible,a quality that encouraged me to be more than the socially proscribed roles I saw growing up.

In this first book, Katie John and her parents move from California to a small town in “the backwoods of Missouri.” Although she’s not happy about the move, Katie John makes a good friend and explores the possibly haunted house her family has inherited from a great-aunt.

[Amy Flink · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the first in a wonderful series about a 10-year-old adventurous tomboy named Katie John Tucker who moves from California to Missouri with her parents in order to sell her deceased Great-Aunt Emily's estate. At first, Katie is not happy in Missouri and she hates the big old house they inherited from her, but as she does some exploring, she meets a friend, dear plump Sue, and falls in love with the big old house and so does her parents, and soon they can't imagine leaving. The book starts with a bang (the first chapter is titled "The Ghost's Voice"--wow, my heart was pounding hard, really got my attention there as a nine-year-old).

Katie John is a character I grew up with, and the books about her are filled with fun, adventures, and funny things that happen, while teaching good vurtues. Which is more than I can say for some of the depressing childrens' books in the bookstores and libraries today. The author should keep writing!

[Tia · Rating 5 out of 5]

Read this to my eight and ten year old this summer because I found it on a list of great books to read about spunky girls. We enjoyed it. Katie John had some admirable qualities aside from her spunk. In one chapter she was in trouble with her mom for something and she didn't go play with her friend even though she'd been looking forward to doing that all day because she had a conscience and felt bad about her naughty behavior. It was a good model for my own sometimes sassy 10 year old. Fun to read in summer because it took place in summer.

[Alyssa · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loves Katie John books when I was younger, and it was fun to re-read this. It took place in 1960 and I read it in the early 1980s. I remember then feeling how far in the past the book felt, and that feeling was much stronger (with better reason!) this time. The book doesn't have a strong plot; the story revolves around the only child in family that moves from California to Missouri to sell an aunt's house but each chapter is a fairly distinct story of a random day in Katie John's life and it's really sweet picturing the carefree childhood days of that era.

[Cathy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I had to order this book, a childhood favorite of mine, 2nd hand, because I didn't see any currently for sale. I remembered the adventure of the dumb waiter all these years later, and wanted to be able to give my kids a clean book to read - without gore or grown-up issues. I read it to my 1st grader, 4th grader, and 7th grader. Katie John herself is the age of the 4th grader. My kids enjoyed the humor, and I laughed so hard at the antics of the black hand gang that I cried. The oldest enjoyed trying to predict what would go wrong.

[Roberta · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well worth the re-read. Looking back on my own youth now, I can see some similarities between Katie's life and my own. She found her great-aunt's wedding gown in the attic and tried it on. I found my mother's in ours and did the same. She and Sue tried to start a neighborhood newpaper. My friend Anne and I made a little hand-written newspaper one summer. But I never got into the trouble that Katie John did, as I was actually more like Sue than like Katie John. I can definitely see why I liked this book so much.

[HeavyReader · Rating 2 out of 5]

I had forgotten about the Katie John series until I saw one of the titles at the Social Service League thrift store.

If I remember correctly, Katie John is a very wholesome little girl who has mild adventures. I may be wrong, but I think she was very much like Pollyanna in many way: cheerful; smart, but not brilliant; hardworking; obedient; maybe mildly naughty, but only to give the book a little excitement. Can Katie John really manage to entertain the children of the 21st century?

[Melissa · Rating 3 out of 5]

A first-time read for me.
Must admit that I fell in love with the house before I fell in love with Katie John. I found some of her adventures rather annoying, but then there would be this spark of realness that kept me going. However, up until the last chapter, I was pretty sure that I would not be moving on to the sequels. And then, my love of the house took over and I know I'll have to read more, just to find out about the house's new life.

[S. · Rating 3 out of 5]

Spunky, clean reading...apparently the first book in a series (which would really appeal to R and other 10 year old girls). I don't remember reading this when I was young but this book is the reason S built secret passages in her new house.

[Emily · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book as a child and am enjoying reading it to Mimie now. It's our first "big girl book" with only one picture per chapter. Mimie is completely engaged in the story and was actually scared when Katie was stuck out on that raft.

[Tabitha · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5 stars, it just wasn't interesting to me. I didn't like Katie that much and the stories are definitely geared exclusively toward younger readers, with many obvious statements that make it a bit dull to plod through. If I had read this as a kid I might feel differently. :)

[Dichotomy Girl · Rating 4 out of 5]

Katie John's true character is not accurately presented by the smiling cherub that graces the front cover of this book!

I think that books like this, will continue to amuse some of today's kids, simply because the idea of a free-range childhood is to them a thing of fantasy.

3.5 Stars

[Betsy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Yet another true love from my childhood, along with the two sequels (and yet another sequel which I discovered as an adult).

[Saralyn · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved reading the adventures of Katie John as a child. She got into all sorts of scrapes and I loved her for it.

[Alicia · Rating 3 out of 5]

Rachel says, "She kind-of acts a little silly at first, but then it's good."

[Deborah · Rating 4 out of 5]

one of my childhood favorites

[Allie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really liked this book :)

[Rachel · Rating 4 out of 5]

Laughed at this until I cried as a kid. I just found a nice hardback for $1 at the library sale. It's still lovely.