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cvbmom
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| Posted: May 17 2007 at 11:43am | IP Logged
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Hello,
I have a question about the American Girls books. I found a stack of them at a garage sale (some books about Felicity, Kirsten, Josefina, and Addy - no complete sets except Felicity). They are about 60-70 pages long with pictures.
I have never read them but dd (8) is very interested. She has loved all of the Little House books (and prequels/sequels). I'm not sure I want to get into another set.
Has anyone out there read them? Are they OK (read: is there any anti-Catholic material, even slightly)? Do you, and dc, like them? Comments...
Thanks and God bless,
Christine
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Mary G
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| Posted: May 17 2007 at 11:56am | IP Logged
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Between my two daughters, I've read most of them....they're pretty inocuous and border on twaddle, but the information at the end of each book is pretty good. I don't much care for the new books -- mysteries and short stories -- but the older ones (usually a white cover and number 1-6 or so) aren't bad ... might get your daughter off on history rabbit trails, which is always a good thing....
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MaryG
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my website that combines my schooling, hand-knits work, writing and everything else in one spot!
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Cay Gibson
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| Posted: May 17 2007 at 12:32pm | IP Logged
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My 9 yr old has read them all and is now absorbing the mysteries and short stories.
I haven't read them but the history she has learned through them make me disagree with Mary's analysis of them being twaddle. If they're twaddle, then I might has well stop hsing. 
The history rabbit trails Mary mentions are tremendous. I would really like to have my dd tested in American history.
If your dd wnats to read the American Girls, go for it. They are delightful and informative and motivate a love for history.
As far as the Catholic aspect, my dd is forever making Catholic connections through the books, especially with Josefina.
These books have also given my dd the writing bug. She is forever writing little stories and wants to grow up to be an American Girl writer. 
I'd give our experience an A+.
I understand your hesitation about not wanting to start another set but I know, through my own experience, that, had I only stayed with the Little HOuse books, I would have missed out on the Anne of Green Gables series and Betsy-Tacy series which made my life so much richer.
My dd has very recently, like this past week, picked up the Nancy Drew series. Now that is twaddle...but pretty harmless for 8, 9, 10 year old girls.
She saw the Nancy Drew previews and knew her older sister had the first five books (given to her for her b-day by a cousin). I have a larger collection of them still at my mom's house. She started reading the first one and I let her because I have fond memories of reading them and wishing I could be an amateur detective just like Nancy.
So we started reading a chapter together each night at bedtime. And it's been really nice.
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Cay Gibson
"There are 49 states, then there is Louisiana." ~ Chef Emeril
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Cajun Cottage Under the Oaks
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teachingmom
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| Posted: May 17 2007 at 12:44pm | IP Logged
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My girls love them! 
They are not great literature, but are perfect for that age after easy readers and before longer chapter books. My older girls read just about all of them during the early elementary years. I try to incorporate them into our history studies when they fit into the period we are studying, particularly for my girls who are k - 4th grade or so. We have fond memories of reading the Josephina books aloud during a driving trip through New Mexico and Arizona a number of years ago now. It was great for making connections. We are studying WWII now and still need to include the Molly books. (Which the older girls read on their own way back when, but the youngers haven't yet heard.) We recently finished the book Molly's World, which is a large non-fiction book that covers the WWII era in an interesting way.
I can honestly say that they played a large part in introducing a love of historical fiction in my girls.
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~Irene (Mom to 6 girls, ages 7-19)
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cvbmom
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| Posted: May 17 2007 at 1:12pm | IP Logged
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These are the white cover ones
I guess that's a good thing. I was worried about twaddle and anti-Catholic bias in them, mostly. Dd (8) who is interested in them, has already gone through Little House (all sets!), Betsy-Tacy series, All-of-a-Kind family series, and so much more. These books seemed easy for her, but then, she's 8 and she is interested in them. I appreciate all the comments. Keep them coming  This may sound strange, but because they are so popular in the schools and in our culture, I have an immediate hesitation about them  .
Thanks!
Christine
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Carole N.
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We had a positive experience with the American Girl books. My daughter participated in the American Girl Experience and read everyone of the books. She loved them. At the end of the experience, we took a trip to Chicago to the American Girl Place with some of the other moms/daughters in our area. It was such fun. She turned 10 that year and received Felicity as her birthday present.
When she studied these parts of American history, the books have reinforced what she was learning. She spent quite a bit of time on Williamsburg and I even had a study unit on it. I also incorporated some of the Glory of America series as well.
Now she is off on a Little House rabbit trail. I realize that she is not getting the firmest foundation in history, but she just dreaded studying Egyptian history. Hopefully, next year we can cover some of that, but she is loving Little House. I purchased Melissa's books before they were reprinted, so she is looking forward to them as well.
All in all, I give the American Girl books an A+.
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Mary G
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| Posted: May 17 2007 at 2:30pm | IP Logged
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Cay Gibson wrote:
I haven't read them but the history she has learned through them make me disagree with Mary's analysis of them being twaddle. If they're twaddle, then I might has well stop hsing.
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Cay, "twaddle" may be too harsh a word for some of the books -- I find them formulaic and a bit trite but the facts at the end of each book make them worthwhile.
I think they're a great resource for rabbit trails....
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helene
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| Posted: May 17 2007 at 2:54pm | IP Logged
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My daughter read every last one of them from our local libraries. You may not have to make that investment!
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Happy Mom to five girls (20,17,13,11and 4) and five boys (19, 15, 10, 8 and 6)
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JSchaaf
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We've read them all, and I can't recall anything problematic in them. I would choose them over these, I think. I wouldn't bother buying them, they are readily available at the library and easy to find used if you do want to collect them all. I just don't see them as "collectible" as all the Little House books!!
Jennifer
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Karen E.
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| Posted: May 26 2007 at 8:34pm | IP Logged
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teachingmom wrote:
My girls love them!
They are not great literature, but are perfect for that age after easy readers and before longer chapter books. My older girls read just about all of them during the early elementary years. I try to incorporate them into our history studies when they fit into the period we are studying, particularly for my girls who are k - 4th grade or so. We have fond memories of reading the Josephina books aloud during a driving trip through New Mexico and Arizona a number of years ago now. It was great for making connections. We are studying WWII now and still need to include the Molly books. (Which the older girls read on their own way back when, but the youngers haven't yet heard.) We recently finished the book Molly's World, which is a large non-fiction book that covers the WWII era in an interesting way.
I can honestly say that they played a large part in introducing a love of historical fiction in my girls. |
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Ummm ... can I just say that Irene's girls and mine appear to be identical siblings? 
Ditto to all of the above!
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God bless,
Karen E.
mom to three on earth, and several souls in God's care
Visit my blog, with its shockingly clever title, "Karen Edmisten."
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guitarnan
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| Posted: May 26 2007 at 9:06pm | IP Logged
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We recently met Valerie Tripp, who wrote many of the AG books. She is awesome! She really focuses on the interests and comments of her target audience. She's been in on the AG concept from the beginning. She loves history, and she loves the idea of connecting girls of today to the experiences of girls in past times. Valerie thanked all the girls at the library workshop we attended for their enthusiasm and their fan letters. Turns out she has used more than one fan letter suggestion in her books!
My dd (now 9) ate up the Felicity books...she really connected with bright, lively, horse-loving Felicity, and that connection enabled our family to truly enjoy a Williamsburg experience last spring. Without the AG books, I know dd would have been totally uninvolved.
We've sinced moved on to some of the other AG book series, and have not found anything objectionable in the books. I think this is due (in the case of Valerie Tripp) to meticulous research. She really, really tries to make things as authentic as possible.
I, personally, really like these books, and dd agrees. Go for it...and then run along whatever rabbit trails your dd suggests, to further round out the experience.
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Nancy in MD. Mom of ds (24) & dd (18); 31-year Navy wife, move coordinator and keeper of home fires. Writer and dance mom.
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chicken lady
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| Posted: May 26 2007 at 9:07pm | IP Logged
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We love them......nothing I have found to be off base at all!
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JenniferS
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| Posted: May 27 2007 at 3:39pm | IP Logged
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My dd loved the books, also.
Jen
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4Real Forums : Living Literature
Topic: American Girls Question
