Book-It 'o15! Book #5
The Fifty Books Challenge, year six! ( 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, and 2014) This was a library request.
Title: A Surprise For Caroline by Kathleen Ernst, illustrated by Robert Papp
Details: Copyright 2012, American Girl Publishing
Synopsis (By Way of Back Cover):
"Caroline imagined it would be great fun to have two girls staying at her house for the winter. But her friend Rhoda Hathaway and her cousin Lydia are both twelve, and sometimes they seem to be better friends with each other than with Caroline. Worse, they'd rather stay inside styling hair than go skating and sledding! Nothing Caroline tries seems to change things, not even the special Christmas gift she gives Rhonda. Finally, hurt feelings lead Caroline to make a rash decision-- one that puts all three girls on very thin ice!"
Why I Wanted to Read It: Remember my remembrances of the American Girl franchise? And my reviews of the character Kit's six-book series? And my reviews of the character Rebecca's six-book series? And my reviews of the characters Cécile and Marie-Grace's six-book series, my review of Marie-Grace's mystery, and my review of Cécile's mystery? My review of Caroline's first book? And the second? Okay, then.
How I Liked It: In the lifespan of almost every American Girl historical character, there usually comes a moment of pure spunk, ingenuity, and/or bravery where she truly comes into her own as an American Girl character. Reading the later books (which do not conform to the "six core books" model in place for the first seven historical characters), the moment is generally hard to pinpoint. Caroline the character has been pushed to bravery early on, sacrificing her luxurious warm new carpet to soldiers, smuggling a secret message to her imprisoned father, to name a few, but she still hadn't quite come into her own yet. It's interesting that this book, somewhat removed from the themes of war, is where Caroline really comes into her own.
The author has a deft hand with blending historical and relateable and Caroline can seldom be more relatable to children than when she's attempting to interest her older friends into childlike activities they've rejected. The book runs a typical American Girl stretch of personal growth (from being so selfish and demanding that her friend come ice-skate with her as to craft and gift her with a pair of skates for Christmas to so kind as to volunteer time with the very youngest of their family who has no one her own age with whom to play) but it's no less believable (after all, Caroline's realization doesn't come to her on her own, it comes with the help of older relatives and a brush with disaster) nor entertaining a happy ending.
Illustrations remain the same, and Looking Back attempts to demonstrate what childhood was like in the early nineteenth century.
Title: A Surprise For Caroline by Kathleen Ernst, illustrated by Robert Papp
Details: Copyright 2012, American Girl Publishing
Synopsis (By Way of Back Cover):
"Caroline imagined it would be great fun to have two girls staying at her house for the winter. But her friend Rhoda Hathaway and her cousin Lydia are both twelve, and sometimes they seem to be better friends with each other than with Caroline. Worse, they'd rather stay inside styling hair than go skating and sledding! Nothing Caroline tries seems to change things, not even the special Christmas gift she gives Rhonda. Finally, hurt feelings lead Caroline to make a rash decision-- one that puts all three girls on very thin ice!"
Why I Wanted to Read It: Remember my remembrances of the American Girl franchise? And my reviews of the character Kit's six-book series? And my reviews of the character Rebecca's six-book series? And my reviews of the characters Cécile and Marie-Grace's six-book series, my review of Marie-Grace's mystery, and my review of Cécile's mystery? My review of Caroline's first book? And the second? Okay, then.
How I Liked It: In the lifespan of almost every American Girl historical character, there usually comes a moment of pure spunk, ingenuity, and/or bravery where she truly comes into her own as an American Girl character. Reading the later books (which do not conform to the "six core books" model in place for the first seven historical characters), the moment is generally hard to pinpoint. Caroline the character has been pushed to bravery early on, sacrificing her luxurious warm new carpet to soldiers, smuggling a secret message to her imprisoned father, to name a few, but she still hadn't quite come into her own yet. It's interesting that this book, somewhat removed from the themes of war, is where Caroline really comes into her own.
The author has a deft hand with blending historical and relateable and Caroline can seldom be more relatable to children than when she's attempting to interest her older friends into childlike activities they've rejected. The book runs a typical American Girl stretch of personal growth (from being so selfish and demanding that her friend come ice-skate with her as to craft and gift her with a pair of skates for Christmas to so kind as to volunteer time with the very youngest of their family who has no one her own age with whom to play) but it's no less believable (after all, Caroline's realization doesn't come to her on her own, it comes with the help of older relatives and a brush with disaster) nor entertaining a happy ending.
Illustrations remain the same, and Looking Back attempts to demonstrate what childhood was like in the early nineteenth century.