What Katy Did Next

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Set in America, England, France, and Italy during the 1870s, this story is a lovely mix of adventure & slice-of-life. The writing style is just gorgeous, as always with Susan Coolidge. The descriptions of Europe were so well done that I felt as if I was traveling along with Katy. I was delighted with the bookish perspective, especially in England! There are beautiful descriptions of nature & people & places and such excellent humour…

I had initially rated this 2 stars as an okay book, but something has reminded me of it recently, and on thinking it over, I'm forced to rate it down. It contains not one, but three very unpleasant ideas which I wish children weren't exposed to: stars (8/10 hearts). Such a beautiful story! This is definitely my favourite Katy Did book. I’ve always had a thing for going-abroad/traveling-Europe books and this book totally satisfied me. When Aunt Izzie dies two years later, Katy takes over the running of the household, and after a further two years, her spine is healed, and she learns to walk again.The title of the book What Katy Did is a kind of pun, or play on words. It refers to the “katydid”, a family of insects more commonly called “long-horned grasshoppers”. If you don’t believe me, take a look at the cover of the first edition:

In the movie Coffee and Cigarettes by Jim Jarmusch, a Steve Coogan fan says her name is Katy and he answers "What Katy did next". The book introduces a new character, a widow called Mrs. Ashe. Her nephew, Walter, has come to visit, but then he is discovered that to have scarlet fever. Mrs. Ashe does not want her only daughter Amy to get the disease, so she is sent to live with the Carrs. (What a considerate mother!) She and Katy, the eldest daughter, become good friends. vanaaegne (esmilmunud 1886) ameerika tüdrukuteraamat, mis väärib lugemist juba spst, et on ameerika oma ja seega teistsugune kui näiteks inglise omad. neid on tegelikult terve sari - esimeses ("What Katy Did") on Katy 12-aastane ja läbib hoogsalt kogu isikliku arengu, mis tal meile pakkuda on; teine, "What Katy Did At School" on meeleolukas internaatkooliraamat a la "Pikkjalg-isa", kus Katy on 16 ja kus minu mäletamist mööda eriti midagi ei juhtunud; ja kolmas on siis "What Katy Did Next," mis on sarnane "Väikeste naiste" selle osaga, kus Amy Euroopas rändab, aga Katyga (kes on nüüd juba 21) ei juhtu jälle justkui midagi. Well, this is mighty awkward. You all know of one of those books you adored as a child but reread as a feminist adult and see things from an entirely different perspective? What Katy Did was one of those books.This realization is exactly what motivates the main character of the story to change herself until she can earn the pleasure of God and of those around her. A Favourite Humorous Quote: “‘How delicious!’ cried Clover, skipping about and clapping her hands: ‘I never, never, never did hear of anything so perfectly lovely. Papa, when are you coming down stairs? I want to speak to you dreadfully.’ Susan Coolidge lived in America from 1835 to 1905. She was born into an upper class family and her real name was Sarah Chauncy Woolsey. She worked as a nurse in the American Civil War and then began her writing career. Her editor was also the editor of Louisa M Alcott who was having huge success with her book Little Women. The editor suggested that Susan try her hand at the same kind of family story and the five books about the irrepressible Katy Carr followed. They followed the fortunes and misfortunes of the Carr family, from childhood, through school and travels in Europe, to marriage. The books: What Katy Did, What Katy Did at School, What Katy Did Next, Clover and In the High Valley brought fame to Susan Coolidge. The titles of the first three books are a pun on the North American grasshopper-like insect, the katydid, whose noise was not only responsible for its name but inspired Susan Coolidge!

The book is a typical 19th century morality tale, allied with the theme of personal growth. It needs to be read very much with the time it was written in mind. The language is chatty, cosy and overly bright. Also there are other aspects from a modern standpoint which jarr. Why is Katy confined to an upstairs room? True she has a wheelchair, but she is never able to go further than her bedroom window:

"+t+"

stars & 8/10 hearts. I was given this book between 10-13 years old and loved it right away. Since then, I have only loved it more and more each read through!