American Girl books

[MistyMountain]

DD6 has a good decoding ability but she is very picky about what she likes and often starts a book but won't want to finish it because she doesn't like it. She started reading an American Girl book and she seems to really like it. I don't know that much about the series. Are they decent books?

[PachiSusan]

Yep!!! The historical ones are pretty well researched too.

[Hunter]

I like them. I read through some of them with an adult tutoring student. She liked the HIstory Mysteries best.

[Aurelia]

They are pretty good. Much better than a lot of the stuff out there.

[coralloyd]

My daughters love them, but we are American Girl crazy in this house. I wouldn't say they are great literature but they are a lot better than most books on that reading level. My girls do learn things from them.

[SilverMoon]

They're not high quality literature, but they're fun and educational. Quite decent. I'd hand any of them to my young daughters without a trace of concern.

[MinivanMom]

Dd9 loved them when she was that age. They really helped her move from just reading fluently to reading anything. She also developed a passion for American history (and the experience of American women) that is still going strong.

[Tracy]

They are great for that age. They are very scripted, but otherwise good books. My dd8 has read all of the books, and I am trying to figure out what I can get her hooked on next.

[Momof3littles]

We used the books as part of a HSing co-op and my 6 yo loved them. It has given her little hooks to place other historical events in context (ie that happened during Kit's life, or that event occurred when Molly was a child). We tied in some biographies and other reading to the AG books, and it made for a nice little intro to some US History. I use SOTW with my DS1, so he hasn't gotten a lot of US history yet (we are finishing SOTW3). The AG spine gave him a good intro to several US History topics (Civil War/Slavery, FDR/Great Depression/CCC, etc.) The kids enjoyed it.

 

eta: my kids are fairly sensitive and DD did struggle with Addy's story, for example. We have talked about slavery previously, but we read those books together, as she needed some support through them. There are some more sensitive topics that can possibly be an issue if your DC hasn't been introduced to them or otherwise is sensitive. Spoiler alert, but DD struggled with Addy and her mother having to leave baby Esther behind, the separation of Addy and her mom from her brother/father, and obviously the treatment of slaves. She was somewhat familiar with the idea of slavery, etc. but reading it was very emotional for her. She teared up and so forth. That said, it was a good experience.

[UrbanSue]

Definitely not great literature, but, as others have said, so much better than a lot of stuff out there. I would definitely run with them if you have a reluctant reader who has shown some interest. I think all of the series have been popular here but Josefina was the favorite. My daughter is only 6 and I will say that we stopped reading Addy for the same reasons already stated. It was too much for her right now.

[RootAnn]

My older two loved (still love) most of the Am. Girl books. I'm not so thrilled with "Julie" (70s) and we haven't read the N'Orleans ones (Cecile & Marie Grace) yet. My next dd is getting to that age, so maybe she'll pick those up. (Both of those are newer than the AG phase my older kids went through.)

 

There's even a unit study of US History using some of the older Am Girls books (Portraits of American Girlhood). YMMV.

[JNW]

My DD5 already loves the American girl books, DVDs, dolls, etc. The books about the characters Samantha, Molly, and Kirsten have been around since I was a girl (I'm 34), so they should be very easy to find at most libraries. The books usually try to teach a lesson about friendship, courage, etc. My DD has been able to connect some dots regarding historical events because of the books. If you visit places like Williamsburg where the stories take place, it can give kids some background knowledge about the place before you go. In the back of each book, there's a non-fiction section that discusses what it was like in the time period when the book took place, which I think is neat. There are a gazillion supplemental materials as well-cookbooks, craft books, etc. for each character. I'd rather my DD read Meet Samantha than Junie B. Jones any day!

[CraftyHomeschool]

I read the first several sets (Samantha, Addy, Felicity, Molly, Kirsten) when I was about 10 (or around then :huh: ). I LOVED them. I haven't read the newer ones so I'm not sure about those. They were some of my favorite books as a kid and I can recall staying up late at night to finish one. I can't recall reading anything questionable or upsetting. The historical material was pretty interesting (and fairly accurate) and is part of my present day interest in history.

[Miselainia]

My older daughter began reading through those when she was 8 and read as fast as I could manage to get them for her. Like has been mentioned, they aren't great literature, but the historical settings are well-incorporated. With the older books, we were able to go through the supplemental books along with the readers which better helped create the world in which the girls lived and able to further discuss some of the issues that arose in those eras. However, my younger daughter, now 11, tried reading them but still has no interest whatsoever in trying again.

[Miselainia]

My older daughter began reading through those when she was 8 and read as fast as I could manage to get them for her. Like has been mentioned, they aren't great literature, but the historical settings are well-incorporated. With the older books, we were able to go through the supplemental books along with the readers which better helped create the world in which the girls lived and able to further discuss some of the issues that arose in those eras. However, my younger daughter, now 11, tried reading them but still has no interest whatsoever in trying again.

[AmyontheFarm]

My 10 year old daughter is currently do a lap book on each girl. She loves the series!

[kiwik]

I haven't read them but I wish there was something similar for boys. Then again when I read little house on the prairie last night ds6 was crying because the dog drowned so some of the topics might be a bit much.

[Down_the_Rabbit_Hole]

My 10 year old daughter is currently do a lap book on each girl. She loves the series!

Is this one she is making on her own or can you get the templates? Would love a link if possible.

[RootAnn]

I haven't read them but I wish there was something similar for boys. Then again when I read little house on the prairie last night ds6 was crying because the dog drowned so some of the topics might be a bit much.

 

Did you keep reading? ... Because if I remember correctly, the dog didn't really drown. :gnorsi:

[2_girls_mommy]

AG books are great. My dd8, not a big reader, will always read them and be excited about the history and remember things about it. You can get a lot of mileage with them, though she will also start craving her first $100 plus doll :) I am just warning you...

[In The Great White North]

There was a thread a few years ago about the history in American Girl dolls, and how they put today's knowledge and prejudices into some characters way back when.

 

I don't remember all the examples but the one was the girl that was horrified when her nanny "had" to quit working because she was pregnant, and would be staying home and taking care of her own baby. It was around the turn if the century, and I highly doubt if anyone back then would have been horrified about it. More likely, they would have been horrified if she hadn't been able to stay home and take care of her child.

[AmyontheFarm]

Here's the link:

 

http://www.knowledgeboxcentral.com/index.php?main_page=advanced_search_result&search_in_description=1&keyword=American+Girl&x=0&y=0

[bakpak]

Any problems reading these with younger children? I read the first Kirsten book with my 3.75 y.o. recently She seemed to really like it, although the main character's best friend dies in the story from cholera. I was a little nervous about reading that chapter with my somewhat sensitive child, but then again, it gave me the opportunity to tell her again why immunizations are her friend ;)

[Momof3littles]

Any problems reading these with younger children? I read the first Kirsten book with my 3.75 y.o. recently She seemed to really like it, although the main character's best friend dies in the story from cholera. I was a little nervous about reading that chapter with my somewhat sensitive child, but then again, it gave me the opportunity to tell her again why immunizations are her friend ;)

I think it really depends on the child and the book, and their particular sensitivities. I posted upthread about my 6 yo DD struggling with the Addy books. We have discussed slavery, etc. but reading about the separation of Addy from her dad and brother, and then Addy and her mom leaving behind baby Esther, was very tough for my DD. Add in the treatment of the slaves, and my DD got very teary. Other sections of some of the other books held her in suspense or were intense for her, but no tears.

[UrbanSue]

I already mentioned a similar issue with the first Addy book. I just remembered that dd6 also had kind of a hard time with Kit Saves the Day. Kit is put in jail, and then escapes and crosses a trestle bridge and has to hang on while a train passes. It was just intense and my dd is pretty sensitive.

 

Fwiw, that Kit book bothered me quite a bit because she does incredibly stupid things but, in the end, everyone just says, "Oh, it's okay!" I find this to be a problem across the books though none are as serious as that one. That would probably by my main AG criticism is all this "Girls should follow their inner star" stuff sometimes means that they do really foolish things and there are seldom any real consequences.

 

I also agree that all the girls have very anachronistic attitudes. They all think like 21st-century girls for the most part.

 

I still stand by what I said earlier that these are mostly harmless and fun books.

[kiwik]

 

 

Did you keep reading? ... Because if I remember correctly, the dog didn't really drown. :gnorsi:

 

The've kept on driving and couldn't find the dog. Ds was sick last night so we didn't read. I didn't stop reading because he was upset because I think the book is worth it and I can't stop every book when he gets upset or scared (I would if he really wanted me too but he didn't). I will do a quick read ahead and see.