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What Katy Did

Susan Coolidge

●

1872

3.75
★★★⯪☆

⚠️Content Warnings
Illness
Katy Carr intends to be beautiful and beloved and as sweet as an angel one day. For now, though, her hair is forever in a tangle, her dress is always torn and she doesn’t care at all for being called ‘good’. But then a terrible accident happens and Katy must find the courage to remember her daydreams and the delightful plans she once schemed; for when she is grown up she wants to do something grand . . .
👥 Readers Engaged 📈 Live Insights 🔮 Trends for This Book
Completion Rate
75%
Avg Time To Finish
14 days
Reading Now
1
Completion Trend
DNF Completed Currently Reading
Tonight’s fit

Best for readers who enjoy:  Heartwarming · Classics · Slow-burn

Heartwarming Family Home POV: Single-Pov Published by Roberts Brothers
Characters
• Children • Family
Sub-genre
• Classics • Coming of Age
Experience
• Heartwarming • Relatable • Timeless
Pace
Gentle Adrenaline
Gentle
Tone
Light Dark
Balanced
Book length
Short Epic
Short
More nuance
Violence
Soft Graphic
Soft
Romance
Background Front and centre
Background
Worldbuilding
Light touch Deep & dense
Light touch
Readability
Breezy Dense
Balanced
Humour
Serious Very funny
Balanced
Target audience
Younger Adult
Younger
Susan Coolidge

Susan Coolidge

Children's Fiction
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Book Review: What Katy Did by Susan Coolidge | Sammi Loves BooksSusan Coolidge, pen name of Sarah Chauncey Woolsey (1835-1905), was an American author best known for the popular children's series about the Carr family, starting with What Katy Did (1872). Her books followed the adventures and maturation of the tomboyish, well-meaning Katy, teaching lessons about responsibility and kindness through relatable scrapes, family life, and later, European travels, establishing her as a significant voice in Victorian children's literature alongside authors like Louisa May Alcott.

Books By This Author

What Katy Did Next

By Susan Coolidge
4.0

1886

1

What Katy Did at School

By Susan Coolidge
2.6

1873

1

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Reader Reviews

★ ★ ★ ★ ★
3.75
12 ratings
10 reviews
5 stars
3 (25%)
4 stars
6 (50%)
3 stars
0 (0%)
2 stars
3 (25%)
1 stars
0 (0%)
dustymetric
6 January 2026
★★☆☆☆
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Didn’t work for me: What Katy Did

What Katy Did is the kind of book that hooks you early if you like its vibe. The middle drags and repeats the same tension a bit too long. If you’re on the fence, try a sample — you’ll know quickly.
0
velcroecho
6 January 2026
★★★★☆
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Really enjoyed: What Katy Did

0
deadpixelclub
6 January 2026
★★★★★
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Loved it: What Katy Did

0
almostsignal
6 January 2026
★★★★☆
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Really enjoyed: What Katy Did

0
signalnoiseonly
6 January 2026
★★☆☆☆
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Didn’t work for me: What Katy Did

⚠️ Spoilers: minor plot detail mentioned below. Mixed feelings on What Katy Did, but I can see why people love it. The middle drags and repeats the same tension a bit too long. There are a few scenes that genuinely hit emotionally. There’s a specific turning point late in the book that changes the tone hard — that moment will make or break it for you. If you’re on the fence, try a sample — you’ll know quickly.
Spoiler ahead Click to reveal this review.
0
greyroomlight
6 January 2026
★★★★☆
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Really enjoyed: What Katy Did

0
halfawakeagain
6 January 2026
★★☆☆☆
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Didn’t work for me: What Katy Did

What Katy Did has a strong core idea — the execution mostly works. The middle drags and repeats the same tension a bit too long. If you’re on the fence, try a sample — you’ll know quickly.
0
softresetter
6 January 2026
★★★★☆
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Really enjoyed: What Katy Did

0
halfawakeagain
6 January 2026
★★★★☆
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Really enjoyed: What Katy Did

0
greyroomlight
6 January 2026
★★★★☆
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Really enjoyed: What Katy Did

I went into What Katy Did with pretty normal expectations and it surprised me. There are a few scenes that genuinely hit emotionally. Overall, I’d recommend it to the right reader.
0