Katy was the sort of girl who might do anything next, so long as it was something exciting! At twenty-one, she was as eager for adventure as ever, and what greater adventure could there be for an American girl than a trip to Europe? Watching a Punch-and-Judy show in London…driving down the Champs-Élysées in Paris…on to the Riviera and the picture-postcard blue of the Mediterranean…on again to Italy, Naples, Rome, Florence and, at last, to Venice and into a gondola on the Grand Canal, with a handsome young naval officer who—ah, but that would be telling!
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"I will be interested to see how I feel about this book. When I first read it as a child, most of the romance went over my head. Now I am older (a so-called grown-up at 51), I wonder what I will think?So far, so good... "
— Ros (5 out of 5 stars)
“Katy goes to Europe and is so fortunate as to enjoy the novelties and beauties which she sees, with ideal enthusiasm. Somehow, despite the familiarity of the ground, the story does not lack interest and freshness. The book is bright, sensible, and entertaining.”
— Nation“The freshness of spirit, charm of style, warm sympathy with and large knowledge of childhood, which have characterized all Susan Coolidge’s stories for young readers reappear in [What Katy Did Next].”
— Book News“Susan Coolidge’s books need no commending; they are as tempting as they are sweet and pure; she knows how to make attractive everything she touches; and good literature, good English, does not suffer at her hands, while the refinement of tone and moral fiber are all that could be desired.”
— Literary World“Written in Miss Coolidge’s usual bright style…the characters are well drawn and the tone as high as its predecessors.”
— Churchman" Typical Victorian Story Books about classic romance. Simple and quite boring. "
— Sally, 1/7/2014" Read & enyed as a child.. "
— Dreamer, 12/8/2013" I liked this Katy book less than the first two. It read as more of a travelogue than a novel, and not that much happened. It was still a fun read, but I would definitely recommend the first two books over this one. "
— Dianna, 11/25/2013" I just discovered that all the Katy books are available for free in the Kindle store! I must have read this 50 years ago, it's lovely to revisit and find it as charming as it was to me then. "
— Bron, 10/3/2013" I have only read a couple chapters in this book, but so far it is good. "
— Eryn, 9/25/2013" It doesn't disappoint at all though it has the most amazing prequels! My favorite from the series.. :) "
— Devika, 7/21/2013" Not as enjoyable as the first two -- Katy becomes less interesting as she becomes more "perfect." "
— Margali, 2/2/2013" Meh. First nothing happened, and then predictable things happened. "
— Shoshana, 9/7/2012" I read this when I was at school and loved the whole series. I am tempted to revisit them but am scared that they will not be as good as I remember! "
— Zippy, 7/10/2012" I didn't realise I'd skipped a book til now! "
— Snufkin, 1/23/2012" The book that triggered my love for travel as a kid.. "
— Mithra, 9/28/2011" So lovely to revisit a favorite childhood classic and find that there were two more of them (free on the Kindle!) While predictable, I was glad to re-enter Katy's world and go through Europe with her. "
— Kaitlyn, 7/18/2011" Couldn't get through it. EVERTHING was turned into a moral for little girls -_- "
— Chris, 4/5/2011" I love the What Katy Did series. It's clean and fresh. "
— Goldie, 3/20/2011" It doesn't disappoint at all though it has the most amazing prequels! My favorite from the series.. :) "
— Devika, 11/10/2010" It was ok... <br/>kind of boring... <br/>in my perspective i saw it as not interesting at all. <br/>i dont recommend this book to anyone to be honest. <br/>i felt like it wasn't exciting but i did like the way the book ended and the reason the name of the book was chosen. "
— Ameena, 3/16/2010" Not as enjoyable as the first two -- Katy becomes less interesting as she becomes more "perfect." "
— Margali, 3/5/2010" Meh. First nothing happened, and then predictable things happened. "
— Shoshana, 11/30/2008" Typical Victorian Story Books about classic romance. Simple and quite boring. "
— Sally, 10/16/2008" I read this when I was at school and loved the whole series. I am tempted to revisit them but am scared that they will not be as good as I remember! "
— Zippy, 8/12/2008Susan Coolidge was the pen name of Sarah Chauncy Woolsey (1835–1905). Born in Ohio, she served as a nurse during the Civil War and after that turned to writing. When her first book, A New Year’s Bargain, was published in 1871, her editor, who was also the editor for Louisa May Alcott, suggested that Susan Coolidge try her hand at the same kind of story as Alcott’s. What followed were five books about the irrepressible Katy Carr and the fortunes and misfortunes of the Carr family, characters based on members of Coolidge’s own family.
Susan O’Malley (a.k.a. Bernadette Dunne) is the winner of numerous AudioFile Earphones Awards and has twice been nominated for the prestigious Audie Award. She studied at the Royal National Theatre in London and the Studio Theater in Washington, DC, and has appeared at the Kennedy Center and off Broadway. She lives in Brooklyn, New York.