Katy’s New World by Kim Vogel Sawyer has been reviewed by Focus on the Family’s marriage and parenting magazine. It is the first book in the “Katy Lambright” series.
Katy’s New World by Kim Vogel Sawyer has been reviewed by Focus on the Family’s marriage and parenting magazine. It is the first book in the “Katy Lambright” series.
Katy Lambright receives permission from the deacons of her Mennonite sect to depart from tradition and attend a nearby public high school. Katy becomes friends with a girl named Shelby, and although Katy considers Shelby and her family to be worldly, she quickly discovers that their religious beliefs are quite similar to her own. Katy’s closest Mennonite friend, Annika, is jealous of Katy’s relationship with Shelby. Others in the Mennonite community begin to question Katy’s dedication to their faith because she spends more time with people outside of their sect than she does with people within it.
Katy struggles to find a sense of belonging and wonders if she is compromising her beliefs by attending high school. Katy’s grandmother Ruthie encourages Katy to follow the Lord’s leading and to choose wisely. But when Jewel, a foster teen staying with Shelby’s family, asks Katy to skip school with her, Katy agrees to ditch it with Jewel out of curiosity. Because of this, Katy’s father is worried that he won’t be able to trust Katy, but Katy proves to him that she has learned from her mistake. As time goes on, Katy becomes more comfortable with showing her faith and her convictions to both those within and outside of the Mennonite sect.
Katy belongs to a conservative Mennonite sect. Her family’s faith in God is an obvious part of their daily lives, often shown through times of prayer and devotions, and Katy strives to maintain her close walk with the Lord. Shelby’s father, Rev. Nuss, is a Southern Baptist minister, and he expects his children to follow the teachings of Scripture. Shelby participates in a Bible study held at the high school, and Katy’s father eventually gives Katy permission to join this group.
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Katy’s father, Samuel, is a single dad, and he sometimes struggles with knowing how to interact with his daughter. While Katy finds him overprotective at times, he does his best to ensure her well-being, and he hopes to impart an unshakable faith in God to her. At the same time, he doesn’t allow his own fears about things outside of his control to keep Katy from pursuing her desire to further her education.
Samuel’s parents, Ben and Ruthie, are loving and involved grandparents to Katy. Katy feels comfortable going to Ruthie with her concerns, and both Ben and Ruthie seek to support Katy with their prayers.
Ms. Hamilton, Jewel’s mother, is permissive, allowing her daughter to make her own choices without guidance or direction.
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At a corn-shucking party, Caleb, a Mennonite boy, is given an ear of red corn, which entitles him to kiss the girl of his choice. Caleb approaches Katy, but she runs away before he can kiss her.
Ms. Hamilton’s live-in boyfriend, Hugo, is described as having a problem with keeping his hands to himself, and the family’s social worker will not let Jewel return home until Hugo is gone.
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