• Age: 7 to 10
• Grade: 2 to 5

In this fourth book in the illustrated Calpurnia Tate, Girl Vet chapter book series, a young Callie Vee tackles a conundrum involving the rambunctious family dog and some very prickly quills
When the Tate family dog, Ajax, has a run-in with a porcupine, things get prickly—and dangerous—quickly. It'll take Callie's quick thinking and doctoring, along with a little help from Dr. Pritzker, to make things right. Will Ajax learn to leave other critters alone?
From Jacqueline Kelly, the author of the acclaimed books,The Evolution of Calpurnia TateandThe Curious World of Calpurnia Tate, comes a series for younger readers, featuring a smart and spunky heroine and the lushly imagined world of turn-of-the-century Texas.
- GODWIN BOOKS -
Read the whole series:
Skunked!
Counting Sheep
Who Gives a Hoot?
A Prickly Problem
Praise for the Calpurnia Tate, Girl Vet series:
"Animal husbandry done right for the young reader set." —Kirkus ReviewsonCounting Sheep
“Expect a fresh crop of Calpurnia readers to simply enjoy this on its own considerable merits.” —The Bulletin onSkunked!
“This is a great progression from the Lois Lowry books and Laura Ingalls Wilder’s ‘Little House’ books.” —Children's Literature onSkunked!
"This engaging introductory chapter book contains the added benefit of introducing readers to science and nature terminology as well as a bit of Texas history. . . . Entertaining, humorous, and informative." —School Library Journal,starred review onSkunked!

Jacqueline Kelly's profile page

Jacqueline Kelly is the author ofThe Curious World of Calpurnia Tate,Return to the Willows, and Newbery Honor winnerThe Evolution of Calpurnia Tate. Born in New Zealand, she now lives with her husband and too many cats and dogs in Austin, Texas.
Jennifer L. Meyer is an award-winning artist whose work has been featured multiple times in the Best in Contemporary Fantastic Art annual,Spectrum. Born into a fantasy-loving military family, she grew up a big fan of comics, reading, and drawing animals (especially bunnies). Jennifer's art has appeared in comic books, children's books, graphic novels, and other media. She is the illustrator of the Calpurnia Tate, Girl Vet series by Jacqueline Kelly.
Teagan Whiteis a freelance illustrator who specializes in intricate drawings of flora and fauna. Originally from Chicago, Teagan now lives and works in Minnesota, where she received a BFA in illustration from the Minneapolis College of Art & Design in 2012. She is the cover artist for the Calpurnia Tate, Girl Vet series by Jacqueline Kelly.

Praise forThe Curious World of Calpurnia Tate:
“Six years after debuting in Kelly's Newbery Honor-winningThe Evolution of Calpurnia Tate, the budding Texas scientist returns, as curious and charming as ever, and now preoccupied with fauna instead of flora . . . Happily, the episodic narrative leaves the door wide open for further adventures—if we're lucky.” —Publishers Weekly,starred review onThe Curious World of Calpurnia Tate
“Animal lovers will revel in the abundant anecdotes about the benevolent country vet and Travis' mangy strays—some heart-wrenching, some hilarious—while learning plenty about nature ("from pond water up to the stars"), the deadly 1900 Galveston hurricane, and early Texas history as recounted by Callie's scholarly and beloved Granddaddy. A warm, welcome stand-alone companion to Kelly's lauded debut.” —Kirkus Reviews,starred review onThe Curious World of Calpurnia Tate
“Well worth waiting for . . . Readers will flock to this sequel” —Booklist,starred review onThe Curious World of Calpurnia Tate
“Humor and little heartbreaks abound as Callie learns animal care under the tutelage of Dr. Pritzker, the town's veterinarian. . . .” —School Library Journal,starred review onThe Curious World of Calpurnia Tate
Praise forThe Evolution of Calpurnia Tate:
“The Evolution of Calpurnia Tate is the most delightful historical novel for tweens in many, many years. …Callie's struggles to find a place in the world where she'll be encouraged in the gawky joys of intellectual curiosity are fresh, funny, and poignant today.” —The New Yorker,"Book Bench" section onThe Evolution of Calpurnia Tate
“In her debut novel, Jacqueline Kelly brings to vivid life a boisterous small-town family at the dawn of a new century. And she especially shines in her depiction of the natural world that so intrigues Callie . . . Readers will want to crank up the A.C. before cracking the cover, though. That first chapter packs a lot of summer heat.” —The Washington PostonThe Evolution of Calpurnia Tate