Tuesday, March 13, 2007
Changes for Felicity
by Valerie Tripp
So ends the American Girls: Felicity series. Things change as the Revolutionary War really makes itself felt for Felicity and her family and neighbors in the town of Williamsburg. The story itself is probably the weakest of the lot, but it contains the same pleasant characters and illustrations. It also fails to rise above simple waiting room material in terms of quality. No change there.
LibraryThing link
So ends the American Girls: Felicity series. Things change as the Revolutionary War really makes itself felt for Felicity and her family and neighbors in the town of Williamsburg. The story itself is probably the weakest of the lot, but it contains the same pleasant characters and illustrations. It also fails to rise above simple waiting room material in terms of quality. No change there.
LibraryThing link
Labels: AmericanGirls, ValerieTripp, WaitingRoomMaterial
Monday, March 12, 2007
Felicity Saves the Day
by Valerie Tripp
I was really dreading reading this one. I'm prejudiced against stories in which children "save the day". In my experience, such stories usually feature talented, precocious children and insipid adults. Fortunately, this book didn't fulfill my worst fears. For one thing, there wasn't any great crisis. Most of the book is really just an account on how pleasant it is to visit one's grandfather's plantation in the summertime. A problem does arise and, in another world, the situation could have turned quite ugly. But in the world of the American Girls, things don't seem to get that bad. Anyway, it's another fine example of waiting room material that your kids might enjoy.
LibraryThing link
I was really dreading reading this one. I'm prejudiced against stories in which children "save the day". In my experience, such stories usually feature talented, precocious children and insipid adults. Fortunately, this book didn't fulfill my worst fears. For one thing, there wasn't any great crisis. Most of the book is really just an account on how pleasant it is to visit one's grandfather's plantation in the summertime. A problem does arise and, in another world, the situation could have turned quite ugly. But in the world of the American Girls, things don't seem to get that bad. Anyway, it's another fine example of waiting room material that your kids might enjoy.
LibraryThing link
Labels: AmericanGirls, ValerieTripp, WaitingRoomMaterial
Happy Birthday, Felicity!
by Valerie Tripp
There's a nice touch in the fourth book of the American Girls: Felicity series: Felicity does something totally boneheaded. I mean, despite her "spunky, spritely" qualities, she pulls an absent minded stunt that any nine-year-old might do. Other than that, the story has little that rates a comment. (Well, I do wonder if her family's kitchen helper is an employee or property. Slavery is only mentioned in passing in this series.) 'Tis a simple, predictable tale with a happy ending. It's nice waiting room material, like its predecessors.
LibraryThing link
There's a nice touch in the fourth book of the American Girls: Felicity series: Felicity does something totally boneheaded. I mean, despite her "spunky, spritely" qualities, she pulls an absent minded stunt that any nine-year-old might do. Other than that, the story has little that rates a comment. (Well, I do wonder if her family's kitchen helper is an employee or property. Slavery is only mentioned in passing in this series.) 'Tis a simple, predictable tale with a happy ending. It's nice waiting room material, like its predecessors.
LibraryThing link
Labels: AmericanGirls, ValerieTripp, WaitingRoomMaterial
Sunday, March 11, 2007
Felicity's Surprise
by Valerie Tripp
In book three of the "American Girls: Felicity" series, it's Christmastime and Felicity gets invited to a party at the Governor's Palace. It's an exciting event in a young girl's life, but there are complications. Will Felicity be so klutzy that she will make a fool of herself? Will she look like a frump in her old brown gown? Will health issues in the family prevent her from going at all? The tale is somewhat predictable, but in its favor, the characters all end up behaving with kindness and nobility. Perhaps people don't act like that in real life, but they should. Anyway, this one is nice waiting room material, but waiting room material nonetheless.
LibraryThing link
In book three of the "American Girls: Felicity" series, it's Christmastime and Felicity gets invited to a party at the Governor's Palace. It's an exciting event in a young girl's life, but there are complications. Will Felicity be so klutzy that she will make a fool of herself? Will she look like a frump in her old brown gown? Will health issues in the family prevent her from going at all? The tale is somewhat predictable, but in its favor, the characters all end up behaving with kindness and nobility. Perhaps people don't act like that in real life, but they should. Anyway, this one is nice waiting room material, but waiting room material nonetheless.
LibraryThing link
Labels: AmericanGirls, ValerieTripp, WaitingRoomMaterial
Felicity Learns a Lesson
by Valerie Tripp
This is the second book of the American Girls: Felicity series. It's a bit better than the first book, but still a fine example of waiting room material. In this tale, Felicity is sent over to a neighbors to get an education in being a "gentlewoman". Despite Felicity's "spunky" and independent nature, she manages to do rather well and even enjoy the lessons. However the process is complicated by her two classmates: Elizabeth and Annabelle. They are recent arrivals from England. Elizabeth is eager to be Felicity's friend, but Annabelle is more interested in pointing out her own superiority as one raised in the mother country. Of course, the year is 1774, and people are starting to take sides over the issue of American independence. It's probably this plot thread that makes this book a bit better than Meet Felicity.
LibraryThing link
This is the second book of the American Girls: Felicity series. It's a bit better than the first book, but still a fine example of waiting room material. In this tale, Felicity is sent over to a neighbors to get an education in being a "gentlewoman". Despite Felicity's "spunky" and independent nature, she manages to do rather well and even enjoy the lessons. However the process is complicated by her two classmates: Elizabeth and Annabelle. They are recent arrivals from England. Elizabeth is eager to be Felicity's friend, but Annabelle is more interested in pointing out her own superiority as one raised in the mother country. Of course, the year is 1774, and people are starting to take sides over the issue of American independence. It's probably this plot thread that makes this book a bit better than Meet Felicity.
LibraryThing link
Labels: AmericanGirls, ValerieTripp, WaitingRoomMaterial
Friday, March 09, 2007
Meet Felicity
by Valerie Tripp
It had to come to this. After all this reading of kid's books this past year and a half, I knew that sooner or later I would have to read one of the American Girls series. The American Girls, if you don't know, is a combination of literature of marketing. On the literature side, you have a series of books telling stories about nine-year-old girls in different eras of American history. Currently there's about eight girls and each one stars in six books. The books have corresponding themes, so for each girl you'll get a story set in winter, one set in summer, etc. On the marketing side, one can purchase a corresponding doll for each girl, along with about a gazillion accessories. What could be more American than merchandise? Anyway, sarcasm aside, the concept behind the books is a good one. According to my wife and daughters, the books are also pretty well written, so I've had no compunctions about letting the girls read and collect them. Of course, I've never read them myself... until now. Felicity is the Revolutionary War-era American girl. She lives with her family in colonial Williamsburg. She's an energetic little thing, having difficulty being calm and ladylike. She has quite an affection for horses and becomes concerned about a horse that has been recently obtained by the neighborhood tanner, one Jiggy Nye. Jiggy's a nasty old bird who oughtn't be allowed to deal with any horse that isn't already dead. But somehow the good Lord allowed Jiggy to have this beautiful animal. How can Felicity stand by while Mr. Nye mistreats the poor thing? Well, if you want, you can read the book and find out. The tale itself is rather pedestrian--pure waiting room material. But even kids need some lightweight reading from time to time, and I think Meet Felicity will serve that role just fine.
LibraryThing link
It had to come to this. After all this reading of kid's books this past year and a half, I knew that sooner or later I would have to read one of the American Girls series. The American Girls, if you don't know, is a combination of literature of marketing. On the literature side, you have a series of books telling stories about nine-year-old girls in different eras of American history. Currently there's about eight girls and each one stars in six books. The books have corresponding themes, so for each girl you'll get a story set in winter, one set in summer, etc. On the marketing side, one can purchase a corresponding doll for each girl, along with about a gazillion accessories. What could be more American than merchandise? Anyway, sarcasm aside, the concept behind the books is a good one. According to my wife and daughters, the books are also pretty well written, so I've had no compunctions about letting the girls read and collect them. Of course, I've never read them myself... until now. Felicity is the Revolutionary War-era American girl. She lives with her family in colonial Williamsburg. She's an energetic little thing, having difficulty being calm and ladylike. She has quite an affection for horses and becomes concerned about a horse that has been recently obtained by the neighborhood tanner, one Jiggy Nye. Jiggy's a nasty old bird who oughtn't be allowed to deal with any horse that isn't already dead. But somehow the good Lord allowed Jiggy to have this beautiful animal. How can Felicity stand by while Mr. Nye mistreats the poor thing? Well, if you want, you can read the book and find out. The tale itself is rather pedestrian--pure waiting room material. But even kids need some lightweight reading from time to time, and I think Meet Felicity will serve that role just fine.
LibraryThing link
Labels: AmericanGirls, ValerieTripp, WaitingRoomMaterial
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