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Call Me Kate: Meeting the Molly Maguires by Molly Roe
Age: Teen
Call Me Kate takes place towards the beginning of the Civil War. Katie is a 14-year-old girl living in a small Pennsylvania coil mining town. After a mining accident that severely injures her father, Katie has to help her family survive and make ends meet. During a time of great prejudice and tension, Irish men in particular are sent to fight in the war if they are unable to repay $300 in debts. A secret Irish organization known as the Molly Maquires are planning something big and dangerous to counteract these standards. After finding out that a close friend of hers has become involved with this group, Katie decides that she has to do something about it.
I felt that Kate, was a very strong girl for the times. Her courage in keeping her family together during such an emotional and tumultuous times is inspirational and admirable. One thing that popped up for me while reading this book is that it would be a great piece of historical fiction for teen reading assignments. I could recommend this more for the younger teens. But it is a fascinating look at a piece of history we don’t really learn about in school.
Call Me Kate: Meeting the Molly Maquires by Molly Roe Tribute Books, 2009 ISBN 0-9814619-3-9 — Sent for Review by Tribute Books —*******************************************
Find this book at your local library
Author Information – from Tribute Books
Molly Roe Blog:
http://conversationsfromthesideporch.blogspot.com/
Molly Roe Bio:
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.
The Novel World 
Nari – thank you for sharing “Call Me Kate” with your blog readers. We appreciate your support of the book.
I agree with you that the book would be perfect for young adult discussion groups. Katie’s struggles represent those of many today dealing with tough economic conditions and family members deployed overseas.
Best wishes,
Nicole
Tribute Books