American Girls

Years and years ago, when I worked at another library, a patron was complaining loudly about the new-at-the-time American Girl, Julie because Julie came from a family in which her father and mother had been divorced.  It was quite a sad scene.  In the room at the time there were two moms who had been divorced and they looked very sad.  The woman said, "How awful that girls have to be exposed to such a thing."

Yes.  Because Addy Walker had such a grand life.   Really?  Really?  Clearly this woman was not thinking at all.  Or perhaps she was just a royal jerk.  Or both.
The first book in this series, and the best of the American Girl books I have read so far.  It is an important story.  One that every American girl:  white, black, purple, green, should read.  While Addy's story is harsh, I am sure it isn't harsh at all compared to the suffering that was endured from the evils of slavery, yet it is a good introduction into this part of American history that must be retold.
I read this book while preparing for a program about Addy at work and while preparing, I came across this article from The Journal of Sport History.   A very interesting article and it gives credence to my belief that what Addy underwent in this first of the Addy Walker books was tame in comparison to what others experienced.
I am looking forward to reading the rest of the books in the series.

Another New Orleans Tale

Meet Marie-Grace is the third book I have read in the past few weeks.  Of course they were all very different!  But it is just funny that three were about the Big Easy:  Sarny and  Out of the Easy and this girl in the American Girl series.  I didn't like the last American Girl book I read too much.  This one wasn't that much better, but it was better.  I really want to read Meet Cecile next even though I found out that she is going to be retired.

Meet Rebecca, not Rachel!

For some reason I always refer to Rebecca Rubin as Rachel Rubin!  I have no idea why!  But this American Girl is featured in the first American Girl book that I have read all the way through!  So now I think I will always remember her name!  Meet Rebecca takes us back to New York City in 1911.  One can learn a lot from this book about what life was like for one Jewish Russian immigrant family.  This is an interesting site that I found that gives a little more information into what NYC was like for the immigrants and also why each group came to America at that time.  Here is some more information about the pogroms in Russia that would have brought families like the Rubins to a new country.
One of the comments on goodreads said that All-of-a-Kind Family is a better book that deals with the same time period.  I am listening to it now!  It is very good!  While Meet Rebecca isn't great, it isn't bad.  And if you already are used to the typical American Girl book, then it won't be a disappointment.