Reviews (5)

Kirsten is a good character, but not one of the best
In the Kirsten boxed set, you will read six books about Kirsten Larson, a pioneer girl growing up in 1854.In "Meet Kirsten" Kirsten and her family are coming to America.Kirsten is one of the few characters in the American Girls Collection that stays the same.All the other characters change in some way, but I did not see this in the Kirsten books.The next five books in the boxed set show how Kirsten and her family try to combine Swedish and American traditions.In "Kirsten Learns A Lesson"Kirsten has difficulty with school and meets an Indian girl named Singing Bird.In "Kirsten's Surprise"Kirsten tries to keep some of the Larsons' Swedish traditions alive by planning a secret Saint Lucia celebration with her cousins.In "Happy Birthday, Kirsten!" Kirsten does extra chores after her mom has a baby, and then gets a special birthday party.In "Kirsten Saves the Day" Kirsten finds treasure in the woods and nearly gets herself and her brother killed when she tries to bring the treasure home.In "Changes for Kirsten" Kirsten's family loses thier home to a fire and must find a way to get a new one. The Kirsten books are good.When I was younger, "Changes for Kirsten" was my favorite of Kirsten's stories.When I went back and read it again later on, as a teen, I discovered something.In the story, the Larsons lose their house--but that is because Kirsten disobeys her mother and brings an injured raccoon in the Larson's cabin, knowing full well the mischeif they are capable of. To date, I can't pinpoint which of the Kirsten books is a favorite, but I know that "Changes for Kirsten" is not one of them.

Kirsten; A Journey to a Special Time
Joining Kirsten in her travel from Sweden to the United States and then on to the forests of Minnesota has been an enjoyable and interseting experience for both my daughter and I.The pioneer time of our country's history has always been of an interest to me as I have read of my own family's journeys from Hingham England to Massachusetts and then on to Montana during the time of the late 1600's through the early 1800's.What a rich heritage they passed on. And now, my daughter can enjoy learning about the pioneer era with a girl her own age.We have had a great deal of enjoyment reading these books together and discussing what happened to Kirsten in each one.Especially interesting and enlightening are the "Peek Into the Past" sections found at the end of each book.We have had some interesting and lively discussions about what it would be like to live during Kirsten's time. It has been very refreshing to see my daughter and her friends develop a deep interset in these books, role playing the characters, playing with the dolls, and learning about another time rather than pursuing the mindless, empty fluff of many things vying for a young girl's attention. Although some of Kirsten's experiences are a bit far-fetched (I.e. - not fearing a bear, having a pet racoon) the books' intrinsic value is not in the experiences, but rather in the history given in a light, fun way - what better way to learn than by having fun doing it.

Something to think about
In general, we love the American Girl series of books but two books in the Kirsten series disturbed me.In the book "Kirsten Saves the Day" she discovers a bee tree and decides to gather the honey by herself tosuprise her family.This is understandable but she acts very foolishlywhen she goes back to the tree despite having seen a bear the previous day. To make matters worse, she manipulates her little brother into helpingher, risking his life with her own.She nearly gets both of them killedwhen the bear returns to the bee tree

In the book "Changes forKirsten" she finds a baby racoon in the woods and brings it home.Hermother specifically tells her to leave the racoon in the barn and never tobring it near the house. Despite this, the minute her mother leaves thehouse Kirsten defies her and brings the baby racoon in.He gets loose andknocks over an oil lamp, burning down their cabin.

All in all I don'tfind the character of Kirsten to be the sort of person I want my girls toemulate.

A great book
Pioneers have always been interesting to me. Maybe that's why I loved the Kirsten books so much. When you read the Kirsten books, it is so easy to put yourself in her position. To know what she went through. You just seemto find yourself imagining what you would of done in her place. I reccomendthese books to all girls!

Well written historical fiction for girls
Kristen is a Swedish immigrant girl who settles in the Northern plains with her family.She faces language barriers, Indians, poverty and even bears with courage.

These books (and all the ones in the American Girls series) are written at a 2-3 grade level or are great to read aloud to younger children.The "American Girls" provide children with a sense of American history, a sense of what it was like to live during that historcial period and strong female role models.My daughters and I love them ... Read more

Book Description

The spirited redhead returns in this heartwarming sequel to Anne of Green Gables. Now she's the schoolma'am in the same place where she was a student, and not much older than her pupils. Anne's determination to win the respect and affection of her students, along with her ongoing search for kindred spirits and her attempts to beautify Avonlea with the village improvement society, provide the same "scope for imagination" that made this book's predecessor a treasure for young readers.
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Reviews (40)

A good classic
LM Montgomery had a great ability to write stories that made us laugh, cry, and tug at our heart strings. Both Anne of Green Gables and Anne of Avonlea are books i bought, and will give to my children to read when they are old enough to appreciate them.
I never read them as a child. I wasn't even introduced to them until I was planning a vacation to Prince Edward Island three years ago, and I read the first book. I also watched the movies which were both such wonderful adaptations.
Anne of Avonlea picks up where the first one left off. Anne, who I think is the best female fictional character I've ever had the priviledge to read of, is now a teacher. She is growing up, but she still has her adventures with Diana, and her other friends.
There are a few new characters are introduced, and although you don't instantly fall in love with them like Ann, they grow you. All but Davey, this character was just so annoying. THis boy was just a bad apple.
I'm sure LM had good intentions, but I was utterly annoyed and it brought my feeling of the book down a bit.
IF you loved the first book, you will probably enjoy this as well. There is a long series of books by LM. I am currently on break from reading her.
She was a great writer, able to bring a great deal of sense of humor in her storytelling, and she is very descriptive. She really brings the characters so true to life, especially Anne.
I do recommend this despite my problem w/ davey.
Anne will always remain forever in my heart as a true heroine of classic literature. One of the best character to ever be put on paper..as she is kind, funny, good spirited, and what an imagination!

Anne Shirley becomes the teacher at Avonlea School
After the great success of "Anne of Green Gables," Lucy Maud Montgomery had to quickly write a sequel to continue the misadventures of the mischievous red-headed orphan on Prince Edward Island. Since the original classic was not intended to be the first in a series, Montgomery had to make some changes. The one that will drive you crazy is that Anne is back to being oblivious about Gilbert Blythe being the love of her life and her perfect match. The other thing that becomes obvious is that Montgomery is somewhat uncomfortable with Anne growing up, even though she is only "half-past sixteen," as evidenced by the infusion of new children into the story because Anne is now teaching at Avonlea school and Marilla has adopted the irrepressible Keith twins, Davy and Dora. You can also throw into the mix the mysterious new neighbor with his parrot and (my favorite part) the eccentric Miss Lavendar who has been waiting a quarter of a century for her beloved Stephen Irving to return to her. Along with "Anne of Windy Poplars," this book is a testament to Montgomery's respect for the teaching profession; the book is dedicated to her former teacher, Hattie Gordon Smith. While this is not one of my favorite Anne novels, it is still a worthy successor to the classic story. However, be warned: If you watch either of the "Anne of Avonlea" movies you will that virtually nothing from this novel ever made it to film.

A bit of a disappointment
If I could have, I would rate this book a three star one. But I had to rate it higher, just because it's an L.M Montgomery book, and an Anne one.
This book features a few new characters, one of them is a queer, bad-tempered bald man, called Mr. Harrison. Anne and her friends also start a club to improve the community, although some parts are interesting, this bores me a bit.
Gilbert is not shown a lot in the book, and when he is, it's usually for a few moments or for A.V.I.S, the club. Same with Diana.
You will find that this book is true to it's title, it focuses A LOT on the Avonlea school. Most of the book is about the children, one dreamy boy in particular.
Marilla and Anne also adopt two twins, a troublesome, yet lovable boy Davy, and the prim, unemotional Dora. They have a lot in the book.
Oh, and Anne meets a new kindred spirit, Miss Lavender, the spinster in the cozy cottage. Anne reunites Miss Lavender with her old, old sweetheart. And Miss Lavender gets married to him. This was sweet, but somewhat dull. At the very end of the book, Gilbert does give a hint to Anne, about how he feels about her.
Overall, this book was mostly disappointments, although I would highly recommend reading it. If you expect to be about Anne getting into interesting scrapes, Gilbert being romantic about Anne, and seeing Anne's old chums a lot, than stop expecting. But as I said, I would still suggest this book.

Unanticipated Anne Shirley Back In Action!
Red haired with a flaming temper, the phenomenal Anne Shirley is back in her 2nd book! Marilla, a kindly old maid who had set heart on bringing Anne up (when she was an orphan) has decided to also adopt two adorable little twins, Davy and Dora Keith. Anne is absolutely thrilled but adopting these twins causes big trouble. Davy is really a good boy at heart but always finds himself into scrapes: like making his sister Dora walk the pig fence! Davy¡¦s idea of fun includes violence and humor ¡V but only for himself. The girls have to teach Davy manners, which is a difficult task for such a cheeky little boy. Anne¡¦s problems grow even more as she takes up responsibility of being a schoolteacher and suddenly feels very timid again, but she has to pull up her socks and jerk herself back into the adult world. At school, she regains her impertinence temper and broad imaginations as she shares happy times with her students, especially Paul Irving, this sweet little kid with brown hair and the most delightful face she has ever seen. He brings her flowers and calls her ¡§Sweet Teacher¡¨. Her friendship with striking Gilbert Blythe (ex-enemy for calling her hair ¡§carrots¡¨) has grown, but what is Gilberts real reason of being so sweet and pleasant? Has Diana (her bosom friend) finally grown up? I really enjoyed this book because it talks about Anne growing up and finding her place in the adult world leaving her wonderful childhood behind forever. I simply couldn¡¦t put it down because after every page, Anne has another adventure so it is like a cliffhanger. My mom keeps telling me to go and do work but I cannot stop because this is the most wonderful book ever written. I like the others in this series also.Thank you L.M. Montgomery for bringing a bright light into my life!~~ Referring to the special collectors edition

A great book
I love this story. Echo lodge was great. It was about the last book where Anne is in Avonlea and a little girl. Very excellent book! ... Read more

Reviews (1)

A Really Good Book :o)
In my class we have to do a book report every month. The month of December we did biographies. So, I picked this book, Pocahontas. There are 176 pages of interesting events that happened in Pocahontas's life. Although some of them are sad, they are written in a great way. At the beginning of the book, the book tells you on what pages you can see nicely done illustrations by Meryl Henderson, too. This is a great book and I think you should read it. I enjoyed reading Pocahontas and so will you so go to the nearest bookstore and buy this book! ... Read more

Reviews (41)

Real life in 1847
This book is one of the Dear America Series, which is a collection of historical fiction books, written in the form of diaries of young girls living during different periods in American history. This book tells the story of Mary Driscoll, a young Irish girl who comes to America to escape the dreaded Potato Famine. It is Black '47, and Mary sees the death and social damage that the Great Hunger is inflicting on her country. She then experiences emigration to America, with all of its hazards, and gets a job in a pre-safety laws textile mill.

This book is not for one wanting happy stories and happy endings. Holding back no punches, it portrays mid-Nineteenth Century life is all of its unvarnished actuality. Containing no sex or unnecessary violence, it is suitable for young readers, the 9-12 category probably being just right. I would recommend it for any reader, young or old, who wants a short, truthful look at life in 1847.

By the way, the hardcover binding is of top-notch quality, and the attached bookmarker ribbon makes reading this book a real pleasure.

A haunting, poignant account of life in the Lowell mills.
This latest addition to the popular Dear America series chronicles the hardships faced by a young Irish immigrant girl working in the Lowell mills. Mary Driscoll was eager to leave famine stricken Ireland to go to America - a place where there is always enough to eat and poor Irish people like herself are paid fair wages working at decent jobs. But life in America is not what Mary expected. She must slave away long hours in a hot, filthy, crowded mill for low wages. And then, a letter comes from Ireland with terrible news. So Far from Home gives an insight into the terrible working conditions of the Lowell mills through the diary of Mary Driscoll, a young Irish immigrant who hopes and prays on the way to the "golden land," and survives terrible working condtions by keeping alive the dream that someday her family will be together again in America.

A bonus if you're interested in diaries
Mary Driscoll leaves her home in Ireland during the years of the potato famine to join her aunt and sister in Lowell, Massachusetts. Arriving, she lives with her aunt while working in the mills where she hopes to earn enough money so she could send for her parents who are still back in Ireland.

So Far From Home gives a look into what it might have been like for a young Irish girl who comes to American during the famine and works in the mills. It also shows how there were those who were against the Irish and those who did not want to hire them.

Intersting
Mary Driscoll leaves her home in Ireland during the time of the great potato famine. Moving to Lowell, Massachusetts, Mary gets work in the mills where she meets and befriends with an American girl and several of her friends who also happen to work at the mill. She faces several challenges being that she is Irish and there are so many other Irish arriving in America.

This book was both interesting and educational being that you learn about the Irish potato famine, immigrating to America and working in a mill. You also get to read about the daily life of a girl who lived it, even if she is only a fictional character.

Great Book!!!!!
I loved this book!!!!! I think it's great for reports, stories and just for fun!!!!! The only part I don't like about it is that some parts are a little on the sad side. Other than that I think it's great!!!!! ... Read more

Amazon.com

Sent from her native Scotland to live in the court of her futurefather-in-law, King Henry II of France, young Mary, Queen of Scots, spends hertime attending balls, hunting and hawking, learning Latin and fractions andmusic, and playing with her future husband, Francis. In Kathryn Lasky'sfictionalized diary of the 11-year-old queen, readers will get a piquant tasteof 16th-century life in Europe. Mary is quite aware of her role as the betrothedto France's royal family. Playing chess together one day, Francis comments toMary, "Did it ever strike you, Mary, that we are not so much children and sonsand daughters of parents as we are pieces on a gigantic chessboard calledEurope? You are given to me to help checkmate England." As with the other titlesin the Royal Diaries series (Elizabeth I: Red Rose of the House ofTudor, etc.), a fact-packed historical note, epilogue, paintings, andfamily tree provide just enough additional information to whet the appetites ofreaders for more about the ill-fated queen of Scotland and France. (Ages 9 to14) --Emilie Coulter ... Read more

Reviews (30)

Mary, Queen of Scots - Girl and Queen away from home
1553, Mary Stuart, aka Mary, Queen of Scots resides in France at age eleven. She describes to her journal, the details of the French court with her four Marys, her close friends from Scotland. She details encounters with the stern Queen Catherine de Medici, the beautiful Diane de Poitiers, her friend, the sickly Dauphn who is to be her future husband, Francis, and many others. She finds conflicts with the Queen Catherine and believes that "there is no room in one country for two Queens". She misses her mother and native land of Scotland dearly. An eleven year old girl who is at times, a queen and a child. Some things conflict but she takes them introspectively. She is truly growing up as a Queen away from home.

Kathryn Lasky did a great job in this portryal of the young Scottish Queen. It was very believable and convincing. She was able to weave cameos of people like Nostradamus and important historical details of things happening in England at that time. This is another great book to add to the series but I thought many details were left out in the Historical Notes and Epilogue which can be researched in more detail though. Overall, Mary, Queen of Scots, is an asute, lonely and brave young Queen in this addition to the Royal Diary Series. An enjoyable read.

Mary Queen of Scots is best princess ever!
I read this book back when it first came out but I cans till remember it well. Mary is the daughter of the Scottish king who died when she was less than a week old. When she was 6, her mother sent her to be educated in France, where she would also marry the French dauphin Francis. Now, she is 9, and has been living in the French court for years with her only real friends, her four Marys from Scotland. But the French court isn't everything it came out to be. Catherine de Medici hates Mary, and will stop at nothing to destroy her. Mary befriends the king's true lover, Diane de Poitiers, and Mary even gets visits from her mother eveyr once and a while! However, amny deaths come and many mysteries are solevd in this book. It is my favorite from the Royal Diaries series and I hope you enjoy it too. Kathryn Lasky brings Mary to life, although Mary seems older than 9 in her speech and knowledge, and the research shows in this book. Almsot everything is real and researched and nothing is made up. Nostramadus even makes a guest appearance in this book! I recommend this boys and girls of all ages.

I liked this book.
Thirteen-year-old Mary has been Queen of Scotland ever since she was nine months old. She used to live in Scotland with her mother, but when King Henry II of France decides she should marry his son, Francis, Mary is sent to live in France. She joins her four sisters and one brother in the King's palace, and that's when her new life begins.

In 16th century France, the royal family is very wealthy and they love to have parties and go to fancy balls all the time. Mary also attends the parties, and learns how to hunt, speak Latin and play musical instruments.

But Queen Catherine, wife of King Henry, is a mean queen. She hates most people and doesn't care about their feelings. Catherine is also expecting a baby and is very jealous of the other Royal children. The story takes you through Mary's childhood and gives you a picture of the trouble that's to come for this young queen later in life.

I liked this book because I like to learn about how people lived in different countries during different time periods. If I would have been Mary, I would have tried to find my mother, but stay in the same country with my family.

--- (...)

Positively Wonderful!
This has got to be one of the best Royal Diary books ever written. It's smashing!

It's about Mary, Queen of Scots, who is living in France with the King so she can be educated. Court life, however, is filled with mysteries and disasters. And when Mary thinks that someone is spying on her, what will she do? Read this marvelous book to find out.

I loved the way Mary was strong, despite turmoil all around her. She never gave up! Now that is a real role model!

THIS IS THE BEST BOOK EVER!!!
I started reading The Royal Diaries when I was ten. Then first one I read was Elizabeth I (which is funny because she was a cousin to Mary Queen of Scots). I read this book on the way to Florida one year. I finished it within a matter of hours. I wish there could have been more about her in the diary. Kathryn Lasky is a very good author. I really enjoy reading her books. Well, I guess I am getting off the subject of Mary Queen of Scots. This book is very good and you can learn alot about other cultures and people by reading The Royal Diaries... ... Read more

Book Description

Upon discovering that their newborn infant was, in fact, female and not male as first thought, Queen Marie Eleonore wailed inconsolably and King Gustavus Adolphus declared, nevertheless, that the child be raised as a prince.At age six, upon the death of her father, the child Kristina, was proclaimed King of Sweden, with regents assigned to council until she assumes the throne at age eighteen. And indeed, her life followed her father's plan. We meet Kristina when she's almost twelve years old and eschewing feminine practices but reveling in the study of military tactics,
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Reviews (15)

A Review of Kristina: The Girl King
I'm surprised Kristina didn't have mental problems when she got older. She had to live with her crazy mother who constantly criticizes her, and made Kristina live with her at her castle with her father's coffin, and a bunch of dwarfs. She gets nightmares whenever she is around/hears from her mother. Kristina was raised as a king because her parents had no other children. She gets to live with her Aunt Katerina after living with her mother for awhile. Aunt Katerina loves Kristina and takes better care of her than her mother does. This is a great new read from the Royal Diaries. I enjoyed reading about another queen (king in Kristina's case) that wouldn't marry because she didn't want to be ruled by a man. You should read this book!!

A good new book from the Royal Diaries series.
Before Kristina was born, her parents, King Gustav II Adolf of Sweden and his wife Maria Eleonora, had tried for years to have a child that survived. While her mother was pregnant with her, astrologers predicted Kristina would be a boy. Kristina's mother wept with disappointment upon discovering that her newborn infant was female, but her father declared his daughter would be as good as any boy. And when no more children were born to her parents and her father died when Kristina was just six, she inherited the throne of Sweden. Now eleven years old and waiting for the day when she will be old enough to rule on her own, Kristina begins a diary on Midsummer Day, 1638. She describes her education, which is that of a boy, as well as holidays and festivals and her difficult relationship with her mother. I highly recommend this book to all fans of The Royal Diaries series.

not the best
to me .this book was definately NOT one of the best in the series.I admire the Kristina,but this book was slow and dull.It was practiacally all about the politics of sweden.very dull.

Excellent!
Wow! This is an excellant addition to the Royal Diaries! Kristina is a strong girl who is interesting to read about. I reccomend everyone read this book. It's awesome!!

Wonderful, and very interesting.
Kristina, the Girl King, is on eof the best Royal Diaries. Not onkly is it brilliantly written, with a superb plot, but through Kristina's tales of Sweedens history, it is very interesting and educational.
Telling past hisory through the character, using tales of her family, is not somethiing that has been done much in other Royal Diaries. However, Kristina did, and it worked very well. Also, Kristina had an interesting twist, involving Kristina being raised as a king, and this made the book quite funny.
I would definitely reccomend this book, it is one of the best Royal Diaries! ... Read more

Reviews (80)

Great!
Catharine Carey Logan, or better known a Catey, is a Quaker girl living in the Delaware Valley, Pennsylvania. Catey and her family are frightened by reports of Indian raids, but they believe that the Indians will leave them alone if they show trust and love to them.
That all changes when Catey and her brother Tomas are captured while on their way to school.
Catey is determined not to keep the Indian ways, but she finds herself liking it after a while. And she falls in love with an Indian brave named Snow Hunter who was actually a captive white like her. But when given the chance to go back to her village, will Catey follow the leading of her heart?

I absolutely love this book. Even though it's sad enough to make you want to cry, it possesses a sort of charm that keeps you reading till the end.
I felt so sorry for Catey. And you will too, once you read this book. I won't spill the beans regarding the ending, so you'll just have to read it your self. I promise you, you won't be sorry!

Standing in the Light- A Review
The book called Standing in the Light by Mary Pope Osborne is a very good book. It is written in diary form. The story takes place in Delaware Valley, Pennsylvania in 1763. The main characters are Catharine Logan and her little brother, Thomas Logan. In Standing in the Light, Catharine realizes that she likes a guy who she's known for a long time. Later she finds out that there are Indiansnear where she lives that have beencapturing and killing people. One day when she and her brother were walking to school they get captured by Indians. They separated Catharine from Thomas. In Catharine's camp she meetsan Indian boy named Wine-lo-wich, which means Snow Hunter,who was also captured by Indians when he was young. Catharine laterrealizes that she loves Snow Hunter. Soon after that Snow Hunter disappearsafter he goes on a hunting trip. If you want to find out what happened to Snow Hunter and if Catharine and Thomas ever get home, you'll have to read Standing in the Light by Mary Pope Osborne. I thought that it was a wonderful book.

For One Of My Favorite Books
Standing In The Light was one of the best books I've ever read in my entire life. Thinking over the story makes me want to weep. It's about a young Quaker girl named Catherine Logan. She is captured by the Lenape Indians along with her little brother Thomas. She ends up falling in love with the head Indian warrior. Snow Hunter. Who was once a Quaker like her. But captured by Indians at a very young age and brought up by them. But they can't marry because in the eyes of Catherine's people- he is a savage. This book toutched my heart and I loved it. Read this book you will not regret it.

Solid, but occasionally annoying...
I am a college student at home on summer break, and because my mother is a teacher, we have a variety of children's books sitting around the house. I just spent an enjoyable afternoon reading through Mary Pope Osborne's Standing in the Light.

Though the book is targeted at 4th - 7th grades, it is well-written enough to appeal to older readers. I found several passages of the book to be particularly poetic, and the simple, clear writing, while making the book easy to read, was quite elegant in its brevity. Many adult writers could learn from Osborne's style.

The story was certainly compelling enough, if a bit slow at the beginning. Perhaps because I'm an older reader and was able to zip through the book fairly quickly, I didn't find the rest of it to drag at all, and I became increasingly absorbed in the story.

While this book is very good (I give it three stars not because I think it is deficient, but because I'm very sparing with four and five star ratings), I would like to mention that conservative Christian parents might want to be aware that the underlying worldview of this book is very inclusivist, with the implication that all religions are equally valid. Religious tolerance is certainly a good lesson, and it is an important theme of this book. At the same time, Osborne's angle on it seems to me to be an affirmation of the equality of all religions. While I think we can agree about the equality of all people, clearly, most people who actually believe in a religion consider it unique. That said, I certainly wouldn't say that parents shouldn't allow children to read this book; it could possibly be a good springboard for discussion on both tolerance and the uniqueness of Christianity.

(The above comments, of course, were directed solely toward Christian parents who might want to be aware of such things, and were not meant as an absolute criticism on the book. Please don't be offended if Osborne's view is the same as yours. I'm not in the habit of disliking books just because the point of view disagrees with mine, but I write simply because I know parents like to know such things.)

I also have to mention another thing that slightly annoyed me throughout the book, which was the incorrect use of "thee" and the absence of the word "thou." Now, perhaps I should look this up to confirm it, but I do not believe that the Quakers used "thee" as a nominative pronoun. The characters in this book, however, say things such as "Thee is" and even "Thee are." The problem, here, of course, is that the subject of a sentence should be "thou," not "thee," and also that "thee" is a singular pronoun, not a plural. Also, the correct verb with "thou" is "art," not "is." Sometimes, also, Osborne uses the "thou" verb conjugation (adding an "st" at the end of the verb) with a third-person subject, such as "God dost," which is also completely incorrect. Now, if the Quakers actually spoke with incorrect archaic English, then I am certainly incorrect in my criticism. However, the constant misuse of the pronouns in the dialogue did continually grate on my nerves.

These long criticisms aside, however, Standing in the Light is a well-written book.

GREAT!!!
I read this book about a year ago. The story has still held on to me. I loved this book more than a lot of the books I have read. It is a book that any age can enjoy. I loved it because the tale of this girl from a town where everyone is afraid of the indians, gets captured by them and learns to love them. Has a great ending. It is a book that I could read again and again. I would recomend this book to everyone! ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Remember The Alamo
Remember The Alamo
Davy Crockett Aileen Wells Parks
The book Davy Crockett is about one of the most famous men in the history of America. It tells about how he became a great hunter with Daniel Boone. One of my favorite parts is where he defended the Alamoe for his country. The book is great if I had a choice from 1to 10 I wold give it a flat 10 all because of its description and its pictures. This is the kind of book that I would conceders to people that love to learn about history.
The author is Aileen Wells Parks. If you ask me I think she writes good books for all ages. I think she should write more and more books for men, women, and children. I encourage her to write more.
The date this book was published was 1986.
A brief discription is when he goes to hunt for his first time he dosen't bring anything home. But the next week when he goes to hunt he finds a new friend named Danile Boone.

"Bar" Hunter to Hero!
As a kid, Davy wanted to be just like Daniel Boone. He hunted the wilderness, protected people from indians, and even joined the government. Soon, he fought in the Alamo, and became a Texan HERO! ... Read more

Book Description

The Little House books have captivated generations of readers with their story of the little pioneer girl Laura Ingalls growing up on the American frontier. Now the Little House story continues with The Rocky Ridge Years, books that tell the story of Laura and Almanzo Wilder's daughter, Rose.

The first four books in the Series, Little House on Rocky Ridge, Little Farm In The Ozarks, In The Land Of The Big Red Apple, and On The Other Side Of the Hill, describe the Wilders' covered-wagon journey to Missouri and their first three years in their new farmhouse,Little Town In The Ozarks continues their story, as hard times on the farm force Rose and her family to move to the town of Mansfield. Life in town is so different from living on Rocky Ridge Farm that Rose wonders if she will ever learn to like the hustle and bustle of town life.

Little Town In The Ozarks continues the story that Laura Ingalls Wilder began more than sixty years ago -- a story whose wonder and adventure have charmed millions of readers.

Reviews (13)

Little Town Great
This book was an excellant read for children to get a real look at the life and times of pre-twentieth century life in the U.S. Mr. MacBride brings out wonderful details and continues the legendary story of Rose Wilder and her family as they try to better there lives in Mansfield.

A wonderfully entertaining pageturner!
This book is absolutely terrific! Rose Wilder adjusts to life in Mansfield, away from her beloved Rocky Ridge Farm. She meets many new people, has exciting experiences, and also falls in love with her best friend Paul Cooley.

Little Town in the Ozarks is excellent!
This book is just great. Rose is one of my favorite character. She like to read books and has a great appeal. I think every girl who are around 11~12 would find this book wonderful. So I give 5 stars to this book.

Just as charming as her Mama
The girl was quite a firecracker. Again, just as charming as Little House, but the storytelling is a bit more complex and more reflective of who Rose was. This series truly equals the charm and storytelling of Laura's story. Kudos to those who thought to bring this series to print.

Ozarks Adventure Story
Little Town in the Ozarks is the fifth book in a series about Laura Ingalls Wilder's daughter Rose. Rose has many fun, exciting, and scary adventures, such as getting Pneumonia and rolling down a hill in a barrel.
One of my favorite characters, is Nate who lives on a farm with his older brother, Abe, Abe's wife, Effie, and Effie's twin babies, James and Elza. I like him because he is nice , like when Rose gets sick, he comes to see her a lot.
I would recommend this book to anyone who likes to read about 12 year old girls who have lots of adventures and who love to read. One adventure is when a tree falls on their henhouse, after a big ice storm, and makes a big hole that the chickens escape out of, and then they have to find all of the hens and roosters. ... Read more

Reviews (17)

A Very Interesting Read
The Journal of James Edmond Pease by Jim Murphy is about a 16-year-old Civil War Union soldier who is chosen to write an account of the war. In the beginning, he seems to be a little whimpy. I liked this book, even though I am not interested in the Civil War. It was interesting because it is taken from a direct point of view. It is realastic, too. For example, a lot of things are spelled wrong.

Thank goodness my mother made me read it!
I'm a sixth grader, and I read this book over the summer. I highly recommend this book for history-lovers. I went to Gettysburg, PA, this Spring and it really got me into the Civil War. When my mother showed me the book, I couldn't pass it up. It's a great book with lots of true background. James Edmond Pease goes through lots of interesting things. I don't know how he did it. Some parts were so exciting I couldn't sit still!

The Journal of James Edmond Pease: A Civil War Union Soldier
This is a great book. It is about this Union soldier who thinks he has bad luck and has to keep a journal for the company he is in. It is exiting. If you liked The Red Badge of Courage you will like this book.

Courage
This is one of the greatest war books ever!the author does a great job describing the battles and how the bullets zipped past his ear. The book is so descriptive that you feel as if you were there at the battle with James.

War Through His Eyes
The Journal of James Edmon Pease
BY: James Edmon Pease

The Journal of James Edmon Pease is a thrilling book. The book starts out on a battlefield. Private Pease, Lt. Toms, and other solders are the characters. Private Pease is brave, kind, and lively. He is brave because he volunteered to go and fight in the Civil War. He was also brave because he was willing to sacrifice his life for his country. He wrote a journal thinking there was a curse on the journalists when all of them had died. He is kind because he looks out for others, gives them necessary items like clothes and weapons, and helps them when he can. There aren't a lot of lively details but he sacrifices, gives, and helps. Pease takes us through various battles through his eyes and emotions. I wish this book would be have ended with Pease having a family of his own. ... Read more

Reviews (5)

Must-read!
I have a friend who's far away, so I related well to this book. The letters and postcards were a treat, and as I read through the book I remembered my friend. This book is truly enjoyable. Your kids will love it.

Absolutely Fantatic
Of all the Amelia book I read, and loved,I thought that this book was the best of th seiries yet. It is about when Nadia's dad is in a car crash, and Amelia is searching for her own dad. Thy cummunicate through letters. I loved the real letters that you can open and read. I also like how the plot could follow, even through letters. I have already read this book 4 times (and I know I will read it more), and I got it only one day ago. You should definately read this book.

Marissa Moss and Amelia are the coolest!!!
Who thought Marissa Moss and her alter ego Amelia could get any better?!!?

By the end of the book you are hoping that Amelia's dad is as cool as she is, after all he did name her after Amelia Earhart!

Moss is definitely in touch with her inner child, I hope this series goes on for years, I can't wait to see Amelia's teen years!

Great Series of Books
My 10 year old granddaughter LOVES these books! I always encourage her to read and to be interested in books, so I bought her this one and a couple of others, and when I told her there were even more in the "Amelia" series, her eyes lit up and we went to the store and bought them all. This is a great one because it's "interactive" in that it contains actual letters the kids can remove from the envelope and read.

Such a cool book!
This book is really neat. When you read it you feel like you are one of the characters. I reccomend this book to anyone who loves getting mail, or writing letters. ... Read more

Reviews (6)

awsome-a tru american girl story
i loved it...it was a tru samantha story. the decription was amazing and the suspense was incredible. ms. buckley put lot sof effort into making this book a success!!

awsome book !! a kid
This book rocked!! i dont recomend childeren under8 to read this before bed.When i read it the first time i was at my grandmas and when the book said the door opened by its selfand a piese of paper floted in and landed on the dresser my door closed by its self.alsoit said a rat got in a wall, and the walls at my grandmas started creaking. so i dont recomend this for a bed time story.I thoght it rocked. and i also recomend every ag book.

Why the Seance Info?
If you like Nancy Drew, you'll like this book.It may be just a tad simple for the Nancy Drew crowd, but it's well enough written that it's an entertaining read.Definitely aimed at preteens.I just want parents to be aware that there is a looking back section at the end of the book that discusses ghosts and seances.It has NOTHING to do with the storyline, but if you would be offended by your daughter discovering this stuff in an American Girl book, this is not the book for you.

ecellent Samantha story
In the "Curse of Ravenscourt" Samantha and her family move to Ravenscourt to get away from the construction of the attic in their home.But when they move to Ravenscourt, they get more than they bargained for.There are rats running loose, broken furnaces, crashing elevators, falling raven statues, power outages, and the number "13" painted in red.Samantha and Nellie set out to discover who or what is responsible for the happenings, and they attempt to find out why Aunt Cornelia hasdisappeared.The "Peek into the Past" section talks about superstition in Samantha's time, talking about luck, seances, and two girls who claimed they talked to spirits.This section also talks about early developments of skyscrapers and the elevator, as well as the creation of apartment-hotels for the rich in Samantha's time.This is one of four American Girls Collection mysteries, the other three being "The Silent Stranger" (Kaya) "A Spy on the Home Front" (Molly) and "Danger at the Zoo" (Kit).American Girl also released several mystery party kits.So far this mystery has been the better of the two that I have read.I highly recommend it.

Hotel Mystery
While their house is being renovated, Uncle Gard and Aunt Cornelia move Samantha, Nellie, and her two younger sisters Bridget and Jenny to a new residential hotel. The hotel is suffering a run of what looks like bad luck--nonworking furnaces and electricity, an invasion of rats--and things get worse when Bridget and Jenny catch chicken pox and Aunt Cornelia suddenly must go away to nurse her mother.

The mystery portion of the story is pretty good--it will probably keep readers guessing--but Samantha has too much freedom for a rich Victorian girl and she never strikes me as realistic as the other American Girls. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Neil Armstrong : Young Flyer
I had to read this book for a book report, and it was very full of good information. It was easy to read, and I finished it quickly ... Read more

Book Description

The Little House books have captivated generations of readers with their story of the little pioneer girl Laura Ingalls growing LIP on the American frontier. Now the Little House story continues with The Rose Years, books that tell the story of Laura and Almanzo Wilder's daughter, Rose.

The first six books in the series describe the Wilders' journey to Missouri, their first three years on Rocky Ridge Farm. and their move to the town of Mansfield. In this latest Rose Years title, a whole new world opens LIP for Rose when she leaves Rocky Ridge Farm and moves to Louisiana to live with her aunt Eliza Jane. Rose is sixteen now, and she thrives in a city brimming with excitement and adventure. Rose even finds herself becoming an independent young woman with her own ideas, ambitions, and dreams.

ON THE BANKS OF THE BAYOU continues the story that Laura Ingalls Wilder began more than sixty years ago -- a story whose wonder and adventure have charmed millions of readers.

Reviews (10)

Very pleasant story...
Young Rose Wilder, daughter of Laura Ingalls Wilder, is becoming a young woman. She had decided to go to high school in a place that's far away from home and her family. Now when she gets there, she is no longer a little girl who always has listen to her mother. Now she is a woman of her own. Rose does things her mother would not approve. But it is a very pleasant story of Roses' life.

PS- Missouri Bound is probably the next book(and the last) after this. It has not yet been published. It will be out on October, 1999. Be sure to read it!

Good book about Rose Wilder.
This book, the seventh about Laura Ingalls Wilder's daughter, Rose, was good. In it, Rose goes to live with her aunt Eliza Jane in Crowley, Louisiana, for almost a year so she can attend high school. Rose has many experiances in Louisiana. She meets a Cajun girl and her family, and goes to a traditional Mardi Gras party. She learns about the terrible racial predjudices of the turn of the century south, and joins the causes of rights for both women and workers. I highly reccomend this book.

Got a Lot from this Book
This is definitely one of my fave books(i'm 14). I think I first read this book when I was 9 or 10, but I wasn't mature enough to really get all of it yet. Rose is definitly growing up, separating from her mother, making good and bad friends, falling in love, taking big risks and thinking about her future. Frankly she is dying to ditch her boring, ordinary life in her small Ozarks town, but she also has to decide what she is going to do about Paul, her first love, who is gone most of the time. Basically it is a coming-of-age story set in small-town turn-of-the-century America. I liked it especially for the historical value, and would recommend it to anyone who liked the Laura books, or likes historical fiction for young adults. ...

My favorite Rose book
ON THE BANKS OF THE BAYOU is a delight. It is the best of all the Rose books. Rose goes to a Louisiana academy, taking up her aunt's offer. She stays with her aunt, and slowly realizies that she is for womens' rights. She crusades with her aunt to help boost voting for women, and along the way she learns Latin and learns about Lousiana with a new Cajun friend, Odette, and her huge family. It is fun and inspirational, but Rose also learns the horrible truth of slavery and segregation in full. When she eats at an ice-cream parlor under cooling fans, she watches a black girl pay at a special window and sit on a dingy chair in the blazing sun. Rose learns more than Latin, Algebra, and geography. She learns what it is to live in the world.

Big Red Apple doesn't fall far from the tree
Delightful glimpse into Rose's life away from home and adds another layer of complexity to the bossy sister-struggling teacher-go to it gal in the form of Eliza Jane. I don't doubt for a minute most of this volume is true to word, especially the emergence of Rose's feminist/socialist values.

Fun for kids, equally interesting to this adult. ... Read more

Book Description

World War I has ended, and Ella, the oldest of the five sisters, who dreams of singing and dancing in the theater, is discovered by a Broadway talent scout. It seems that she will have her chance at a theatrical career after all, starting in vaudeville. But her thoughts are also on Jules, just returned from the War, and marriage. Once again a loving family provides the support needed to make the right decision. ... Read more

Reviews (6)

Weak and disappointing
I first read the All of Kind Family series in grade school, and I loved them. But I had never read Ella, which is the final one. I saw the book lying out at the library the other day, and on impulse, I sat down and read it. I must say, it had none of the magic I remember from the other books. And I don't think it's because I'm an adult now--I have reread other favorite childhood stories and they are still wonderful.

Anyway, what I found most disappointing was Ella's decision to forgo her singing career to get married. I realize that is what most girls did back then, and I guess the book was originally written in the 1950s (not our most enlightened period) but still, couldn't Ella have been a trail blazer? Couldn't she tell Jules that if he wanted to marry her, then he'd have to agree to her career? It would've been so refreshing, such an inspiration for any girl reading it now. Instead, it made me want to throw up. First her mother lost a chance at a singing career, and now Ella.

There's better books for young girls out there. Read the rest of the series, but skip this nonsense.

A disappointing follow-up to the other books in the series
Though this book is fairly good in its own right, the magic of the All of a Kind Family series has waned in this one. This book focuses a lot on Ella, who by this time is a fussy teenager and does not really interact with her younger siblings unless it is to complain about them embarassing her in front of her boyfriend Jules. The family dynamic was what made the other books in the series so delightful, but in this book all we see is Ella struggling to be free of them as she tries to find her independence. However, Ella is not charismatic enough to have the bulk of an entire book devoted to her. Her siblings, who rarely appear in this book, are the saving graces to the slow and weak plot. Here they are the same witty trouble-makers that they'd been in the previous books, but they do not appear enough to make this book as good as the others. If you like the other books in the series, this one is a big disappointment.

Ella is all grown up
This is the fifth book in the series and focuses mostly on Ella. We still get to hear about Gertie and Charlotte's misadventures in babysitting and about Henny's hijinks in school, but the book does focus primarily on Ella. The year in 1919. The first World War is over. Women have had to step into men's roles during the war and now want something more. The Suffrage Movement has begun. Meanwhile, talented Ella is continuing her voice lessons and is soon discovered. Now Ella has a choice to make: Fame or family? Will she become a star or marry Jules? Older girls will probably appreciate this book more than younger girls. The previous books focused on all the girls which gives the reader several characters to relate to. Ella is a young woman now and is facing serious decisions which may bore younger readers. Overall it is a wonderful book and makes you wish all the girls and Charley had a book focusing just on them.

wonderful stories about a family in the 1920's
I enjoyed these books as a young girl, they exposed me to a new and different culture. I learned about Jewish customs from them and loved the characters. How clever Mama was!

Once Again Another Good All of a kind Family book
This book was about Ella (I think you could of figured that out from the title) who was the oldest of the 5 girls and 1 boy. She loves music and is a wonderful singer and gets into the business of vaudeville..but is it really as great as she thought it would be? ... Read more

Reviews (4)

this book rocks!! a kid
This was a great book. i own all the ag misterys(samantha, molly,kaya,and kit). it also teaches kids that even if we are difrent we can still be friends.

a new Molly story
"A Spy on the Home Front" is the first Molly mystery.In this story, Molly is visiting her grandparents in rural Illinois in the summer.She has a new friend, Anna Schulz, to play with.One day Molly's Aunt Eleanor (first introduced in "Molly Takes Flight") comes back and stirs up trouble when the two FBI agents stationed at the airstrip find anti-American literature on her plane.Aunt Eleanor is questioned, and Anna's brother is taken into custody simply because he's German.Molly and Anna become determined to prove Max's innoncence by spying around the hangar, and what they learn surprises them. In the end, Molly learns just how much the war has changed things.The peek into the past section talks about internment of Japanese, German, and Italian immigrants, efforts by the FBI to track spies, and the women military pilots of Molly's time (the WASPs).This mystery is a little bit different from the regular Molly books, and seems to be gaged for an older audience.(The book posts its reading level to be ages 9 and up.) At times the book could be a little dry and predicatble, which is why I give this book four stars.It was released with "The Count of Ravenscourt" a mystery involving Samantha, "The Silent Stranger" a mystery with Kaya, and "Danger at the Zoo" a mystery with Kit.Party kits were also released by American Girl and can be found on thier website.I'll have to get used to this new format of American girls books.I'd also like to see mysteries for Felicity, Josefina, Kirsten and Addy.

Wonderful New Mystery for Middle Readers
The year is 1944, and nine-year-old Molly McIntire is ecstatic to have the opportunity to spend a full two weeks at her Grammy and Granpa's farm. Like the previous summers visiting her grandparents, Molly spends the majority of her time with her very good summer-buddy Anna, a German girl. The two girls spend the hot, summer days swimming, eating cookies, and getting into all sorts of mischief. But this summer, things aren't so happy-go-lucky. When Molly's Aunt Eleanor, a pilot for the army, flies into town with a handful of propaganda fliers in her plane. Soon Anna's older brother, Max, is taken in by the FBI as the main suspect in the case. Molly now knows that it's up to her and Anna to solve the mystery, and clear Max's name, or else Anna may never see her beloved older brother again.

I have been reading the AMERICAN GIRL books since I was about 5-years-old, and even as I got older, my interest in the series never dwindled. So you can imagine how happy I was to hear that PLEASANT COMPANY was releasing the new AMERICAN GIRL MYSTERIES series. Molly, as always, is an exciting character whom middle readers will love, and identify with. Alison Hart has done a fantastic job with this mystery, and I can't wait to read the rest of the AMERICAN GIRL MYSTERIES, as I'm sure they are just as fascinating.

Erika Sorocco
Book Review Columnist for The Community Bugle Newspaper

A Mystery for Molly
Molly McIntire is spending two weeks at her grandparents' farm. As always, she spends most of her time with her friend Anna, who lives on the next farm. But WWII has brought a change to the community: Anna's parents, who are German, are suspected of being loyal to the Fatherland. Rumors abound and also affect Anna's older brother Max, who works at a nearby airfield. Then Molly's aunt Eleanor is involved when propaganda flyers are found hidden in her airplane when she makes a stop at the airfield while shuttling it to Texas. Could Max be the culprit? Or is it someone else at the airfield? Molly is determined to find out.

This is a good historical mystery for younger girls, who will learn some history painlessly--in fact, adults will learn things as well; I had never heard about the pro-Nazi group the Silver Shirts mentioned in the book. I also enjoyed the way everything wasn't wrapped up at the end of the story; pretty much like real life. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Smart Ben
I thought that it was a good book because I like biographies. I especially liked the part when he went to the Latin School and he couldn't say the poem because the school master gave Ben the wrong poem. I recommend this book to you if you like to read biographies. I also recommend this book if you think that a president's life would be interesting.

If you are the type of person who loves to read about famo..
us historians of our past...I highly recommend this biography of a young printer, Benjamin Franklin. Stevenson talks about the bigger of Ben's life, however going into smallest details in ocations(In my opinion: Like all biographers should.)This is a small price for a large book and may be ordered from Amazon.com! ... Read more

Reviews (33)

Great!
In the spring of 1883, fourteen-year-old Teresa Viscardi and her large Italian-American family leave their home in New York City and head west to Idaho to participate in a new community called Opportunity. However Teresa hates the ides. She wants to return to New York City, where everything is familiar and orderly. Instead, she's on a crowded train, and then on a covered wagon caravan, with her annoying family. She most despises her younger sister Netta for always reading her diary. But when tragedy strikes, Teresa realizes how much her family means to her. Since at that time her father was away because of a gold strike Teresa may be the only one who can save her big family from all parishing. This was another great book and full of details on the hardships of the journey west and the hopes of one young girl!

One of my favorite Dear America books
This was one of the most enjoyable books in the Dear America series.

Fourteen-year-old Teresa Viscardi, while on a history-making trek West to "Opportunity", still experiences ordinary things. She tries to keep her nosy little sister Netta away from her diary, she makes a new best friend, takes care of her baby brother Tomas, and gets a crush on the handsome John Anderson.

Then everything changes when Teresa's father and uncle leave the trail and go off on a "get-rich-quick" scheme. One of her brothers, Ernesto, falls deathly ill. With her grandmother, Teresa goes in search of her father, and finds him. They travel back to the wagon to find that Ernesto is fine, but one of her other family members has passed away from the same illness.

Teresa now addresses her diary to her lost loved one, and it helps her to handle her grief.

I liked how realistic this book was--instead of having a, "everything was just fine and great" type ending, the 3 page epilouge tells how the family arrived at their destination and made a home for themselves by hard work, and how Teresa, after some years of schoolteaching, finds her true love not to be John Anderson but a man she meets in Opportunity.

Terrible, terrible book.
This is, without a doubt, the worst dear america ever! The protagonaist complains WAY to much. The author also never explains who people are. Your left to guess there relationship with teresa. Usually you can get a halfway decenat idea of whjo the heck they are, but often your left with no clue. I gusee this is suppose to make the book feel more realesitc and diary like, but it jsut gets irritating. Now, you'd think this piece of garbage couldn't get any worse. How wrong you are! The author, it seems, had the brigh idea to kill off the ONLY interesting charecter. (I'm not goining to identify who, though actually mabye I should give it away just to prvent people from tourtering themselves with this book.) Aparently this is supposed to add to the "drama" Actally, it just seems to make the book boringer then this book already is. The president of the United States could be attacked by a herd of raging bunny rabbits and this book stil wouln't be any more interesting. Why couldn't the author kill off Teresa? Belive me, the world would be a much better place without her. Or, better yet, the author could maybe kill off the 20,000 charecrers he never
identifies. Maybe then we might actually learn who they are! Now grantend, I never actually finished this book. I've tried many times, but I just end up getting frustrated and giving up in discut. I usually end up watching Barney or somthing. You know, a show with plot. Maybe at the end somthing interesing happens (though actally the only good thing that can happen to this book is Teresa falling off a stgecoach and dying or somthing.) To put it lightly, this book SUCKS. I don't mean to critcze the people who read this book and enjoyed, but sonmthing must be wrong if you liked it. I mean,I'm sure your very nice normal people in real life, but you must have really bad judgemnt in books. And the editor who let this be published must as well.

Excellent and Adeventurous
I haven't a book this whole year until my eye caught this book that I have had but never had time to read. Since its summer I decided to try it and I couldn't put it down and sat in my room for 4 hours and finished it! It was a perfect book filled with everything readers look for and not a page of boredom. The diary format makes it even more interesting and I wish it never would have ended! Now I am looking foward to reading another Dear America book.

This has REAL history in it!
This book is very exciting! I live near the place where the ACTUAL Willam (Willie) Kiel was burried! Teresa Angelino is a fictional charter but Willam Kiel and his wagon train ARE real!
Teresa and her family are going to go west with the Kiel wagon train, then a week before they leave Willam Keil dies at the early age 18! So Willie K. 's dad turns the head wagon into a herst put Willam in a coffin (with whisky in it so he won't rot)and off they go. Soon enough the Indians hear that a "Dead man" is leading this wagon train! The Indians not only left them alone they HELPED them! Unlike in the book they say that Indians stole some of their stock, that is not true. Not ONE person died in that wagon train all the way here, Menlo,Washington. Willam Kiel is buried up a hill in a nice little grave yard (there is a mushroom carved in his head stone) srouned by larg