THE AMERICAN GIRLS Collections is actually several series put together. Kaya, Felicity, Josefina, Kirsten, Addy, Samantha, Kit and Molly all live in America; but their lives and circumstances are as different as the times they inhabit. From Kaya’s world of the Nez Perce Indians to the World War II era of Molly, you will be totally caught up with the girls and their adventures. In fact, we bet that you’ll be so into the American Girls Collection, you won’t even notice that you’re learning tons of stuff!
For a list of available titles, please go to: http://readingwell.com/americangirl.html
Here are biographies of the girls in the books.
Kaya, 1764: Kaya is a Nez Perce Indian girl growing up in the Arizona, New Mexico area before America became a country.
Felicity, 1774: Felicity grows up in the heart of Williamsburg, Virginia, at the very beginning of the American Revolution.
Josefina, 1824: American Girls returns to New Mexico as expansion begins on the Santa Fe Trail.
Kirsten, 1854: Kirsten’s family are immigrants who come to America and pioneer the American frontiers.
Addy, 1864: Addy is a slave girl who endures hardships during the period prior to the Civil War.
Samantha, 1904: The Victorian Era of the early 1900′s was an exciting time to be a growing young girl. There were lots of changes in the United States. This was the beginning of industrialization.
Rebecca, 1914: Rebecca’s family is a Jewish family who immigrated here from Russia. Rebecca was born after they immigrated, so she has American citizenship. Readers get a look into the heart of the immigration movements in New York City between WWI & WWII.
Kit, 1934: Kit lives through the Great Depression. Her family struggles to make ends meet. They open their house to borders and learn some creative ways to share with others. This series is perfect for a young girl learning about money. In present day, this country’s recession has a lot of similarities to the Great Depression. People are losing their homes, their jobs. Homeless shelters are seeing an increase in unmet needs. This story teaches the values of family, friendship and working together.
Molly, 1944: Molly lives in the historical period during WWII. Her dad is a doctor who is oversees in Europe. The family misses dad and carries on. Her mother takes a job, and a neighbor comes in to help cook and clean for the family. Molly learns to make a Victory Garden, and collects scrap metal for the war efforts. This too, is a great series to buy for a little girl in this time period, as many young girls face the fact that their dad is away at war this year to keep the country and world safe.
Julie, 1974: This is a fun and enlightening story of what life was like in the early 1970′s. The Vietnam War had just ended. It is a time of great change and more freedom than America has ever experienced before.
