Katy's Homecoming

February 1, 2011
Katy is continuing her education at a mainstream high school in this follow-up to Katy's New World (2010). This is a true sequel, relying on the prior books for an introduction to characters and the situation that has Katy, an Old Order Mennonite, trying to function in a more worldly milieu. It is not the classes or schoolwork that provides the conflict here, but the vast difference in social and cultural assumptions and the tug of war between Katy's family and beliefs with the more typical way of teenagers in the modern world. When Katy is selected to represent the sophomore class as the homecoming attendant, the pull of peers, popularity and the longing to participate grow stronger. Katy's father is marrying Mrs. Graber, a widow, and he, plus the entire Mennonite community, are distracted by these celebratory preparations, leaving Katy to make her decisions on her own. Readers who enjoyed the first two books or who are intrigued by the moral dilemma between personal choice and adhering to a religious code are clearly the intended audience. (Fiction. 10-15)

(COPYRIGHT (2011) KIRKUS REVIEWS/NIELSEN BUSINESS MEDIA, INC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.)

August 1, 2011

Gr 5-8-Katy Lambright is growing up in a Mennonite community. Most girls do not attend school beyond eighth grade, but Katy has petitioned the elders to continue her education by attending a public high school. In the first book, things at home start to unravel just as Katy gets adjusted to her new school. Her single father believes that she needs a mother's touch, and he begins courting a woman whom Katy dislikes. Can her new skills learned from the school's debate team help her reason with her father before his relationship becomes serious? In Katy's Homecoming, the teen's troubles continue when she finds out that she has been nominated for the homecoming court. Her initial excitement turns to worry as she becomes nervous about receiving approval from the Mennonite community, which prohibits dancing, makeup, and immodest clothing. Katy is a strong and independent character who will entertain children in similar communities, and may educate others who are unfamiliar with this faith.-Stephanie Malosh, Donoghue Elementary School, Chicago, IL

Copyright 2011 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.