Don't Call Me Katie Rose by Lenora Mattingly Weber

Don't Call Me Katie Rose
by Lenora Mattingly Weber

First Published: 1964
Image Cascase Publishing edition: 2000
Genre: Coming of age, Romance, Vintage YA
Paperback: 302 pages
Rating: 5

Description from publisher:
Katie Rose Belford is in her first year at Adams High. She is intent on being called Kathleen and takes on a sophisticated image in order to impress Bruce Seerie, a star athlete of Adams High. "Kathleen's" emotions and finances become quite strained as she lives beyond her means. Does the pressure become too stressful?

My two-bits:
In-a-word: petunia

I loved this book for its fresh and innocent characters of the 60's. This is a tale of the awkwardness of being a teen and then coming-of-age. Romance, crushes and heartache come into play for the main character, Katie Rose. But lessons are learned and good things prevail in the end.


Side note:
This is the pivotal book in my life. I first got turned onto reading from this book. It was the summer of 1981 when I discovered this book while vacationing with my cousins. One of my cousins picked the book up from the library and the cover and title intrigued me. I didn't even read the book jacket description, but felt the need to read the book.

When I got home from vacation, I went to my local library and got the book. I devoured it within a week. I was hooked by the magic of books and reading. I went back to the library to find more books to enjoy and haven't stopped reading since.


Katie Rose Belford Series:
Don't Call Me Katie Rose
The Winds of March
A New and Different Summer
I Met a Boy I Used to Know
Angel in Heavy Shoes


Zombie sighting(s):
These were all Katie Rose's reference to her friend, Miguel.

Zany as a zombie! (page 24)

You're zany as a zombie. (page 12)

There was her zombie. (page 44)

Imagine Kathleen being uneasy about the impression her zombie from Mexico would make at Adams High! (page 67)

Get out you zany zombie. (page 292)

And found a fair sprinkling of velvet adjectives.

Along with tracking zombies and velvets in the books I read, I get especially jazzed when I see something from the Philippines.

Filipino sighting:

The following Monday, when a quiet, polite boy from the Philippines (also in French II) came in alone and looked shyly about, Miguel called, "Over here, George." (page 71)


*i got my copy from the amazon but you can go to image cascade to get vintage YA from the 1930s to 1960s.


*part of the Rosie Riveter at Booklust - check out my guest post on Katie Rose