Special Collections
American Girl (Historical Fiction)
- Table View
- List View
Meet Molly
by Valerie TrippFrom the book: "It's 1944 and the world is at war. For Molly McIntire, life seems full of change. Her father is far away caring for wounded soldiers. Her mother is busy working for the Red Cross. Mrs. Gilford, the strict housekeeper, makes her eat terrible things like turnips from the Victory garden.
And everyone in America is so serious and practical that glamorous Halloween costumes are hard to get. Molly's special hula skirt is a huge success-until Ricky, her pesty big brother, plays a mean trick. Molly and her friends are determined to get back at him. One mean trick leads to another until the fighting goes too far.
Meet Samantha
by Susan S. Adler and Jeanne ThiemeSamantha Parkington is an orphan who lives with her rich grandmother in 1904. There are many servants in Grandmary's house, but no one for Samantha to play with.
That's why she's so excited when Nellie moves in next door. Nellie has come to work so that she can send money back to her family in the city. Even though their lives are different, the two girls become friends.
One day Samantha discovers that Jessie, the seamstress, is leaving. No one will tell her why. So she and Nellie plan a secret midnight adventure to find out!
Samantha's Special Talent
by Sarah Masters BuckeySamantha organizes a talent show to raise money to fix the library's leaky roof. Although she doesn't perform in the show, when the curtains close, she realizes just what her special talent is.
Julie's Journey
by Megan McdonaldJULIE is joining her cousins on an old-fashioned wagon train to celebrate the Bicentennial. She can't wait to try pioneer life, especially riding a horse. But her cousin's horse turns out to be a handful, and Julie is afraid to ride him again. When cousin April laughs at her, Julie stops talking to April-not so easy to do while living in a covered wagon! As the journey grows harder, Julie wonders why she ever wanted to come. Then she makes a remarkable discovery that could bring something of real historic value to the wagon train. But there's only one way to get it-on horseback.
Josefina's Surprise
by Valerie TrippThe second Christmas after their mother has died, Josefina and her three sisters find that participating in the traditions of Las Posadas helps keep memories of Mamá alive. Can the Montoya girls overcome their loss and move on together to honor their Mamá's memory?
Meet Rebecca
by Jacqueline Dembar GreeneRebecca Rubin, a brand-new American Girl, is a nine-year-old Jewish girl growing up in 1914 New York, with aspirations to become an actress.
When Rebecca learns of her relatives' struggle to gain passage to America from Russia, she wants to help and, after secretly earning some money, she is faced with a difficult moral choice.
American Girl fans should find Rebecca's story compelling and will enjoy the glimpse they're given into this chapter of immigration history. A concluding section provides additional historical information as well as a glossary including some Yiddish, Hebrew and other terms. Ages 8up.(May) Copyright Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
Meet Kaya
by Janet ShawFrom the book: For a long time, Kaya has dreamed of racing her beloved Appaloosa mare. It's exciting for Kaya to think of galloping flat out, her horse's long strides so smooth it would seem as if she were gliding on air. Kaya knows that Steps High is fast, but she also knows her horse is young and untried.
When a bothersome boy insults Steps High, Kaya accepts his challenge to race. Kaya is thrilled when she finds herself in the lead, until Steps High bucks and nearly throws Kaya off her back. Kaya's defeat isn't nearly as bad as losing sight of her little twin brothers, who wandered away while Kaya raced. Her carelessness earns her a terrible nickname that her friends won't let her forget. Can she ever lose it?
Other books in this series are available from Bookshare.
Again Josefina
by Valerie TrippAny child who has taken piano lessons will get a kick out of this book. Josefina finds unique ways to "practice," and even baby Antonio gets into the act of encouraging her to practice more. Humor, warmth, and lots of repetition lead Josefina to become a player of songs. Other books about Josefina are also available from Bookshare. In order for this file to make an excellent embossed braille copy, attention must be paid to the words written in Spanish.
Josefina's Song
by Valerie TrippWhen Josefina and her father visit their shepherd, Santiago, they learn that Santiago is blind. He and his grandson, Angelito, care for the sheep. Even though Papa is very fond of Santiago, he is hesitant to have a blind man and a nine-year-old boy in charge of his sheep. It takes an accident to change his mind. Other books about Josefina are also available from Bookshare. Because of the words written in Spanish, this file will need some extra attention in order for it to make an excellent embossed braille copy.
Meet Kit
by Valerie TrippGrowing up during the Great Depression of the 1930s, nine-year-old Kit Kittredge longs for a big story for her daily newspaper for Dad--that is, until she's faced with really bad news. When Mother's friends lose their home and come to stay with her family, it's nothing but trouble for Kit. Part of the "American Girls" series.
Meet Josefina
by Valerie TrippJosefina is a girl of heart and hope growing up in New Mexico in 1824 -- a place of big skies and hard work, danger and dreams. Josefina's stories tell how she and her family watch their old ways cross paths with the new. Josefina is lucky to have her family and faith to help guide her through all the changes in her life! Josefina and her sisters are struggling after Mama's death. But a surprise from Mexico lightens their hearts and brightens their future.
Kit's Home Run
by Valerie TrippKit Kittridge loves Baseball just about as much as anything else in the world! But with the Great deprssion she has to settle for playing it rather than watching it. One day after playing a game with some of her friends she learns something about one of the borders in her home that she never knew before.
Meet Julie
by Megan McdonaldMoving is no fun, even just a few miles away. Julie Albright, a nine-year-old girl growing up in 1974 learns that life can be unfair when she has to move across town and attend a new school - one different than her best friend Ivy. Julie has other dreams too - like playing basketball. She is excited when she learns that her new school has a real basketball team. But soon, Julie finds herself facing a change she never expected.
Brave Emily
by Valerie TrippEmily Bennett, a young English girl, has come to stay with Molly's family to escape the bombing of London. Molly tries hard to make sweet, shy Emily feel at home, and Emily is grateful for Molly's friendship. Emily is delighted that she can help Molly with math and pleased and proud when she impresses Molly. But, it is mot until Emily makes a BIG mistake and has to rely on Molly for help that Emily shows how truly brave she is-and both girls learn what friendship really means.
Molly Marches On Collection
by Valerie TrippMolly is disappointed. The hike is nothing like she imagined. The girls sound like a herd of elephants, the trail is marked, and even the leader blows a bugle to get their attention. Nothing is being done the way Sacagawea would have done it.
When Molly's team comes to a split in the trail, she breaks the rules of hiking and sets out on her own.
This file should make an excellent embossed braille copy.
The Tangled Web
by Kathryn ReissJulie really likes the new girl in her class. Still, there's something odd about Carla Warner. The things Carla says don't quite add up, and she seems to avoid answering certain questions. As Carla's stories become more outlandish, Julie can't escape a disturbing fact: either her new friend is lying -- or she's in real danger!
Changes for Molly
by Valerie TrippFrom the book: "Dad is coming home! Molly can hardly wait to see him. She's especially excited because he'll arrive in time to see her dance the part of Miss Victory in the big Red Cross show. Molly isn't worried about her tap dancing because she's the best in Miss LaVonda's dance class. But she wants to look sophisticated so Dad will know how much she's grown up while he's been away at war. Unfortunately, Molly's hair is all wrong. When Jill finally finds a way to give Molly glorious curls, everything seems to be perfect. Then Molly gets sick. Things couldn't be worse-until the doctor comes just in time."
The Light in the Cellar
by Sarah Masters BuckeyMolly wishes that she and her English friend, Emily, had exciting volunteer jobs that would help win World War II. Instead, they're magazine delivery girls at Oak Knoll Hospital, and soon discover that something very unpatriotic is going on at Oak Knoll -- and their snooping leads them into deep trouble!
The Stolen Sapphire
by Sarah Masters BuckeySamantha and Nellie set sail for Europe. Also aboard the ship is a world-famous archaeologist and the legendary sapphire that he is carrying to a London museum.
When his priceless jewel disappears, Samantha relizes that every one of the passengers is a suspect - and one of them must be the thief!
A Thief In The Theater
by Sarah Masters BuckeyIn 1935, while preparing to write a newspaper story about a theater production of Macbeth in her hometown of Cincinnati, twelve-year-old Kit discovers that a thief is stealing from the box office.
Happy New Year, Julie
by Megan McdonaldJulie knows the holidays will be difficult this year, but when her sister, Tracy, refuses to go to Dad's house for Christmas, Julie feels as if her family is falling apart. Over the holidays Julie finds comfort spending time with her best friend, Ivy Ling.
The Lings are getting ready for Chinese New Year, and helping with their preparations distracts Julie from her sadness about her own family. Then she learns that her whole family is invited to the Lings's New Year banquet. Julie tries to share Ivy's excitement, but her heart sinks-with Mom, Dad, and Tracy there, how will they all get along?
Changes for Julie
by Megan Mcdonald[Back Cover] Julie is in fifth grade-and in trouble! She was only helping her friend Joy, who is deaf, but her teacher doesn't care. After serving time in detention, Julie sets out to change the system. To do that, she'll have to win the election for student body president, running against the most popular boy in the school. As the election heats up, Julie tries to get the kids to listen to her ideas. When she realizes that the other kids don't like Joy, her choice for vice president, she considers dropping out of the race. But the last thing she wants is to hurt Joy's feelings-or lose her as a friend.
Julie and the Eagles
by Megan McdonaldJulie and Ivy are eating snow cones in Golden Gate Park when they hear an odd sound. It's a baby owl-and it needs help. At a wildlife rescue center, Julie meets Shasta and Sierra, two bald eagles. Shasta's wing is injured, and Julie hopes he'll be able to fly again-but that can happen only if the rescue center raises enough money to release the eagles back into the wild. Julie feels sure that if people knew about the eagles, they'd want to help. For Earth Day, Julie thinks of a unique way to tell the public of the eagles' plight. But money isn't exactly pouring in ... and time is running out.
Julie Tells Her Story
by Megan McdonaldJulie is enjoying working on her school project, "The Story of My Life," until she comes to the part about "The Worst Thing That Ever Happened." That would be her parents' divorce, and she doesn't want to tell her class about that. Julie tries to find a different "Worst Thing" to tell about-and after her big basketball game, she thinks maybe she's found the solution to her problem. But as her parents and sister rally around her, Julie finds herself thinking about her family in a new, and more hopeful, way.
Message in a Bottle
by Kathryn ReissWhen Julie visits Gold Moon Ranch, a farming commune in California's gold rush country, the back-to-the-land lifestyle seems idyllic at first. But peculiar problems keep cropping up - almost as if someone was trying to shut down the commune! Then, on a secret trip to an abandoned gold mine, Julie stumbles on a mysterious message that hints at long-lost treasure. Julie is desperate to find it - before danger closes in on Gold Moon Ranch.