Sensible Kate

I loved this story about an orphan who has been bounced from one foster home to another. She has decided that since she's not pretty or cute she might as well just be sensible. But in her latest situation she might not be able to continue her sensibility.

The author is able to put you into the mind of a child and while the story is set in a time and place not familiar to the modern reader it remains fresh, much like the Anne of Green Gables books. Recommended.

This is a lesser-known story by the author of the award-winning Blue Willow. Kate is an orphan, recently handed off to "the county" by her shiftless relatives. When we first meet her, she's on her way to her first placement, as a home helper with an older couple, the Tuttles, on the California coast. Kate is immediately caught up in her new life, exploring the beach, meeting new friends, and starting at a new school. The theme of the story is Kate's self-proclaimed common sense. She's not cute or pretty or charming, but she is sensible and practical and is determined to make what she can of her few assets. With the help of new friends, Kate learns to enjoy the unexpected and sometimes put her practical instincts aside. The ending is show more expectedly happy, fulfilling all of Kate's secret hopes and satisfying the reader.

Verdict: Like Kate's new friends, the reader will fall in love with the reserved, hopeful little girl and enjoy watching her grow and learn in her new home.

ISBN: N/A; Published in 1967 by Viking; Reviewed from my personal collection show less

Why Doris Gates hasn't listservs devoted to her lovely work is beyond me. This tale of Kate, who is an orphan easily as delightful as Anne Shirley, is one I treasure and re-read often. In fact, I'm about due for a re-read of this, my favorite of all the orphan books in the world. The illustrations are simply lovely, the story glows. Kate beats Anne all hollow.

I highly recommend! I remember reading this as a child. I can see where some of my values were influenced by this book. The illustration by Marjorie Torrey is truly wonderful, which is appropriate since one of the characters is an artist. With these lovely pictures I could easily imagine his work. I would suggest for my Vintage Book Circle except that there is only one copy in our library system. It is really charming.

Charming. And the illustrations by [[Marjorie Torrey]] are exceptionally lovely.