Katy's New World

I love Kim Vogel Sawyer's books, and this book was no exception! Katy Lambright is a young mennonite girl without a mother and is in essence, trying to find herself. She gets permission to attend a public high school, and makes some new friends there. Kim makes the character of Katy act as any normal teenager with conflicts and adventures. I like Katy. She has spunk, and determination as well as Christian values. The book is a very good read. I will save it for my two daughters to read when they get old enough, and I would highly recommend this book to anyone--not just the younger audience.

Katy Lambright Series book one. This was a departure in my personal reading as a book targeted for young adults. I am a historical fiction lover at heart, but this quick read captured and held my attention for many reasons. The ever-popular Amish and Mennonite fiction has so far eluded my reading shelf, but I admit, I've been curious. This is about a young Mennonite girl, Kathleen Lambright, who has been given special permission from the deacons of her congregation to attend public high school beyond the ninth grade norm of her community. Right away, Sawyer depicts teen angst at its finest, as Katy leaves her familiarity and ventures into what no one else in her community has ever done with the leadership's blessing--enter the world. Adding to the conflict of Katy's awkward adjustments to school bells and the snickering and tittering of those around her, her community doesn't understand her longing for learning. Her best friend's jealousy over her time away and of her new friendships leaves her between two worlds, and the criticism of her aunt and others who think she will repeat a family scandal grieves her heart. But through it all, Katy faces her changing landscape with courage, determination, and a lovably imperfect character that manages to triumph in the end, rather like an Anne of Green Gables in a bonnet. I found myself endeared to this realistic young heroine to the point that I would like to follow her on her next journey, which looks like an addition to her close-knit family may be brewing. Engaging, warm and full of human insight, the writing matched the character. A wonderful read for young and old.

Ok first before we even start, I need to mention this is NOT a book about the Amish. Yes I know the girl on the front looks Amish, but she is not. She is Mennonite which, while similar, is quite different in what they believe and how they act. This book is quite unique because for the first time (that I can remember) a teen character who normally shuns the outside way of life choosing to live in that life. Katy is from a strict Mennonite family but is allowed to pursue her dream of higher education by attending the public high school in her area. I found this to be quite interesting as normally most characters who come from strict lifestyle usually give up and return home by the end of the first book. The story doesn't mention which sect Katy's family is in but from what I gathered in the book they appear to be quite conservative than most other Mennonites. Other books I've read that features Mennonite vs. Amish shows the Mennonites as being practically English other than their dress and what they believe. In this book, it's mentioned that Katy's dad has a truck but other than that I didn't really see what made them different from the Amish other than actual religious beliefs. What makes this book stand out for me was the fact that Katy was NOT portrayed a goody two shoes. Even though she almost always obeys her father and abides by the rules of her community, she does not act passive and reject every unknown idea. For the most part, Katy asks like a regular teen and shows that even though she will always be different there are parts of her that just wants to fit in. Also even if she can't say things because she knows that she would get in trouble, her thoughts are a different matter which really make things more realistic. Basically the story allows Katy to be both Mennonite and a normal teen and shows equal balance without upsetting either party. I felt like this book was targeted at younger teens but older teens will enjoy it as well. I think this book was more of an introduction to the characters as well as Katy getting a first taste of the outside world. Perhaps in future books she'll be faced with more difficult challenges that everyday teens face. It will be interesting to see what her Mennonite perspective will be. I will also find it interesting as to what will happens when tougher school subjects are introduced, like using computer research at home or if we get to the point of Katy graduating and what will happen next. As it stands, I have great hopes for this series and am looking forward to future books.

Katy's New World by Kim Vogel Sawyer is the first book in the Katy Lambright series about a Mennonite girl attending a public high school. I just have to get this off of my chest before I get into my review: I don't think that this book will actually appeal to the audience the author and publisher is hoping for. While bonnet fiction is extremely popular right now, I don't see teenage girls who listen to Ke$ha and Lady Gaga being interested in a Mennonite girl's life. That said, it's the kind of book that moms really want their daughters to read and girls roll their eyes at and ignore. However, if the girls could be convinced to crack the covers, inside they will find a completely enjoyable read. Katy, although Mennonite, is going through the same worries and insecurities that so many teenage girls suffer. She worries about fitting in and pleasing her parents. She feels overburdened by her father's expectations and flustered by the attention of boys. She wants to stay true to who God wants her to be, but she hasn't exactly figure out who that is yet. I loved reading about Katy's love of language and poetry and her desire for to know more and be more than her community expects. I look forward to reading more of this series.

I was introduced to Kim Vogel Sawyer's books about a year ago - and I really love her writing. Her books are quickly becoming my favorites and have found permanent homes on my bookshelves. I have yet to send one on to paperbackswap! When I was given the chance to review Kim's newest title, Katy's New World, the first book in a series written for young adults, I really wanted to see what she'd write for our daughters. Like each of Kim's books that I have read so far, Katy's New World is well-developed and full of engaging, believable characters. Katy belongs to a Mennonite community which only schools their children through 9th grade. After much thought and prayer, Katy's community has allowed her to attend the public high school. She is warned that any sign of following the world, will result in that decision being reversed. Having never been exposed to so much of the world, Katy finds it loud and unsettling at first. She then begins to wonder where she fits in. The "world" thinks her weird, and her close Mennonite friends seem to avoid her. I was pleased to see that Katy showed respect to her dad, even when she felt the typical inner teen struggle between what-I-want-to-do versus what-is-right-to-do. And, although Katy is not perfect - she makes some wrong choices - I felt her entire character was safe for my daughter to read Katy's New World some day. *Each of us holds to different standards and guidelines. I highly recommend you reading several books by the author(s) of your children's books, before allowing them to read them.* Check out more of my book reviews on my blog: thecreativesideofsteph DOT blogspot DOT com