Thursday, June 13, 2019

Learn About New Orleans With Cécile and Marie-Grace Dolls

American Girl Books by Denise Lewis Patrick
       Cécile Rey is from a rich African American family that originated from New Orleans, Louisiana. She loves listening to her grandfather's tales about the sea. She meets Marie-Grace during one of her singing lessons. At first, she is not fond of her because she is white, but eventually warms up to her and becomes her best friend. When Yellow Fever strikes her brother, she decides to use her gifts to help him and others. Themes include the loss of family and caring for others in need, and volunteering. Cecile speaks French and her French words are described in the glossary in the back of her book. Though Cécile Rey and Marie-Grace are best friends, they shared the same level of importance and a few items in their collection as well as a book, unlike other Best Friend characters. Cecile was also the second African American character made by American Girl. The first being Addy and the third being Melody. Cecile was archived with Marie-Grace, Ivy, and Ruthie in 2014 to make room for BeForever and the return of Samantha.
       Marie-Grace Gardner is a girl from New Orleans. Similar to Josefina, her mother died before the events of the series. She makes a friend with Cécile Rey in her first days in New Orleans, although the latter was not interested at first. However, changes are in the air. Soon, Marie-Grace's singing teacher is found sick with yellow fever. Her father, who is a doctor, saves not only the teacher, but others in his aid. She also rescues a baby and forms a close bond with other children. 
New Orleans in 1853:
    Yellow Fever Epidemic:
    Orphans In America, 1853:
    Mardi Gras for Kids:
    Fan Videos for Cécile Rey and Marie-Grace Gardner:
    • Meet Marie Grace
    • Meet Cecile
    • Marie-Grace and the Orphans
    • Troubles for Cecile
    • Mare-Grace Makes a Difference
    • The Hidden Gold
    • The Cameo Necklace
    • The Haunted Opera
    Advanced Reading: Historical Fiction
    • Look to the Hills: The Diary of Lozette Moreau, a French slave Girl by Patricia C. McKissack 
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    Tuesday, June 4, 2019

    Learning Native Culture, Lifestyle, and History With Kaya

    Some of Beforever books about Kaya.
           "Kaya is a young girl from the Nimiipuu or Nez Perce tribe living in the pre-contact Northwest. Themes in her core series focus on leadership, compassion, courage, and attachment. Chronologically, Kaya's adventures are the earliest of the historical characters. Kaya is depicted as brave and outgoing, but careless and thoughtless, and wants to be a leader of her people. Her role model is a female warrior named Swan Circling. Created in collaboration with a consultation team that included representatives from the Nez Perce tribe, Kaya is the only Native American doll made by American Girl to date. Kaya is the only doll in the series not to show teeth, per tribal custom. Kaya is also the first doll in the series to not follow the book naming customs established by previously-released characters – the second book in the series is titled Kaya's Escape instead of Kaya Learns a Lesson." Wikipedia
    Online Research for Themes Found in Kaya's Books:
    Our Artifacts for Kaya's Stories and Native Culture, History, Arts:
    More Links to Kaya Related Learning and Lapbooks:
    Poetry About Native Americans: Culture, Legends, Language and Folklore
    Native American Girls Share Online:
    National Parks, Libraries & Museums Lessons In Native Crafts:
    Video & Articles for Kaya Doll Related Fan Culture:
    Advanced Reading: Historical Fiction About The Indigenous People/Native American Women of North America:
    • The Girl Who Chased Away Sorrow: The Diary of Sarah Nita, a Navajo Girl, New Mexico, 1864 by Ann Turner 
    • My Heart Is on the Ground: The Diary of Nannie Little Rose, a Sioux Girl, Carlisle Indian School, Pennsylvania, 1880 by Ann Rinaldi
    • The Birchbark House: by Louise Erdrich - "Omakayas, a seven-year-old Native American girl of the Ojibwa tribe, lives through the joys of summer and the perils of winter on an island in Lake Superior in 1847."
    Kaya's facial details reflect Nez Perce Reviews.

    More Native American Doll Characters with Books:
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    Learn About Hawaii with Kanani Akina and Nanea Mitchell

    Meet Nanea Michell and the author of her books!

            Kanani is the ninth Girl of the Year character; she and her collection were released in 2011. Kanani is the second multiracial character, following Jess McConnell. Her father is of Japanese and Hawaiian descent, and her mother is French and German. Hailing from Kaua'i, she helps her family run a shave ice shop and is passionate about helping people by sharing the aloha spirit and protecting Hawaiian wildlife.
           The Kanani doll has medium skin, hazel eyes, and long thigh-length light brown hair. She comes with a kukui nut necklace, a pink flower in her hair, and a light-blue floral print dress.
           Nanea Mitchell is the sixteenth historical character and the 3rd BeForever exclusive. She is from Honolulu growing up in the early 1940's representing the bombings at Pearl Harbor that ushered the U.S. out of The Great Depression and into World War II. She may be the youngest in her Ohana (family), but she still wants to be useful and help. But before she can prove that she is ready for more responsibility, Japan attacks the military base in Pearl Harbor where her father works.  
    Our Artifacts for Hawaii Themed Projects, Lapbooks, and Journals:
     Online Research Into Hawaiian Culture:
     Hawaiian Native Tongue:
     Hawaiian Island Environmental Resources:
     Polynesia Culture:
     The Attack at Pearl Harbor:
      Kanani Akina doll Fan Videos and Collections:
     Books About American Girl, Kanani Akina:
    1. Aloham Kanani
    2. Good Job Kanani 
    Nanea Mitchell doll Fan Videos, Articles and Collections:
     Books About American Girl, Nanea Michell:
    • Growing Up with Aloha
    • Hula for the Home Front
    • The Legend of the Shark Goddess
    • Prints in the Sand: My Journey with Nanea
    • Real Stories From My Time: Pearl Harbor
    More Reading: Historical Fiction
    • Early Sunday Morning: the Pearl Harbor of Amber Billows by Barry Denenberg - diary about the Pearl Harbor Attack in 1941 from the perspective of a 12 year-old girl
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    Monday, May 27, 2019

    Learning History With Melody

    "No Ordinary Sound" cover.
           "Melody Ellison is a nine-year-old girl living with her family in Detroit, Michigan, during the civil rights movement in the early 1960s. Her parents are Will, who works in an auto assembly line, and Frances. Frances' parents (Melody's grandparents) are Frank Porter, a florist; and "Big Momma" Porter, who teaches piano and voice. Melody's older brother, Dwayne, wants to be a Motown singer; her oldest sister, Yvonne, is a student at Tuskegee University; her sister, Lila, is in middle school and lives at home.
           In her character's first book, No Ordinary Sound, Melody's cousins move to Detroit from Alabama; this is when Melody learns more of racial prejudice. When the 16th Street Baptist Church bombing occurs, Melody becomes fearful of going into her church, because the four little girls were in their church when they died. In time, Melody overcomes her fear.
           The first book was released in January 2016, although the doll wasn't released until summer 2016; a preview of the Melody doll was aired in CBS News in February 2016. The book's advisory board included: JoAnn Watson, NAACP executive committee member; Gloria House, professor of African American Studies at the University of Michigan, Dearborn; Thomas Sugrue, professor of history at New York University; and the late Julian Bond, former NAACP chairman.
           A live-action web special based on her stories entitled Melody, 1963: Love Has to Win, an American Girl Story was released by Amazon Studios, starring Marsai Martin as the title character. Melody is the third African American character made by American Girl, the first being Addy and the second being Cecile." Wikipedia
    Themes or Topics Covered in American Girl Melody's Books:
    The Music That Inspired Melody Ellison:
    Motown Records is an American record label owned by Universal Music Group. It was originally founded by Berry Gordy Jr. as Tamla Records on January 12, 1959, and was incorporated as Motown Record Corporation on April 14, 1960. Its name, a portmanteau of motor and town, has become a nickname for Detroit, where the label was originally headquartered. Read more...
    Motown Hits from The 1960s: The Ladies
    Motown Hits from The 1960s: The Gents:
    American Girl, Melody Ellison's Fan Videos:
    List of Melody's Books:
    1. No Ordinary Sound
    2. Never Stop Singing
    3. The Lady's Slipper
    4. Music in My Heart: My Journey With Melody
    5. Real Stories From My Time: March On Washington
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    Learning History With Molly

    An American Girl on the
    Home Front film.
           "Molly McIntire is a young girl living in a fictional city named Jefferson, Illinois during the later years of World War II. Her father is stationed in England as a doctor caring for wounded soldiers, and her mother works at the Red Cross. She, her 15-year-old sister, Jill, her 13-year-old brother, Ricky and her 6-year-old brother, Brad, are all cared for by their housekeeper, Mrs. Gilford, and she must cope with the many changes that the war has brought. Molly also realizes that she, too, has a part of helping soldiers. Despite those changes, Molly has some leisure activities as well, such as skating, tap-dancing, movies and summer camp. Molly's series focuses on patriotism and the changes that come with wartime. 
           Molly was one of the original three dolls offered by Pleasant Company and is the only doll to be sold with eyeglasses. In early July 2013, American Girl announced plans to archive Molly and Emily. Both were archived on December 31, 2013, though Molly's mini doll and books were re-released in February 2018 as part of the BeForever line."  Wikipedia
           Emily Bennett is a British girl who is sent to America by her family to protect her from the intensity of the English battlefront during World War II. Originally a minor character temporarily residing with the McIntires in the book Happy Birthday, Molly!, Emily's character was expanded in a book by Valerie Tripp called Brave Emily for her debut as the third doll in the Best Friends collection on September 5, 2006. Emily's debut coincided with the premiere of the Molly made-for-TV movie. Since Emily is a minor character and not Molly's best friend, she was marketed instead as "Molly's English friend". As Emily is a part of Molly's collection, she was archived along with Molly.
    Original Molly doll
    by Pleasant Company
    and costume.

    Our Artifacts for American Girl, Molly McIntire and WWII:
    Online Learning About English Children During WWII, and for Emily Bennett:
    More Craft Projects for Molly McIntire Fans:
    Online Learning About Themes in Molly's Books:
     WWII Movies, Documentaries, Tributes:
    Popular Music in Molly's World:
    American Girl Doll, Molly McIntire's Fan Videos:
    Advanced Reading: Historical Fiction about young women during WWII:
    • My Secret War: The World War II Diary of Madeline Beck, Long Island, New York, 1941 by Mary Pope Osborne 
    • Early Sunday Morning: The Pearl Harbor Diary of Amber Billows, Hawaii, 1941 by Barry Denenberg 
    • The Diary of a Young Girl, also known as The Diary of Anne Frank, is a book of the writings from the Dutch language diary kept by Anne Frank while she was in hiding for two years with her family during the Nazi occupation of the Netherlands. The family was apprehended in 1944, and Anne Frank died of typhus in the Bergen-Belsen concentration camp in 1945. The diary was retrieved by Miep Gies, who gave it to Anne's father, Otto Frank, the family's only known survivor, just after the war was over. The diary has since been published in more than 60 languages.
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    War Ration Books from WWII

           These war rations books were issued to two of my family members, while they were children growing up during The Great Depression.
    United States of America
    War Ration Book One
    Warning
    1. Punishments ranging as high as Ten Years' Imprisonment or $10,000 Fine, or Both, may be imposed under United States Statues for violations thereof arising out of infractions of Rationing Orders and Regulations.
    2. This book must not be transferred. It must be held and used only by or on behalf of the person to whom it has been issued, and anyone presenting it thereby represents to the Office of Price Administration, an agency of the United States Government, that it is being held and so used. For any misuse of this book it may be taken from the holder by the Office of Price Administration.
    3. In the event either of the departure from the United States of the person to whom this book is issued, or his or her death, the book must be surrendered in accordance with the Regulations.
    4. Any person finding a lost book must deliver it promptly to the nearest Ration Board.
    World War II Rationing Books
    War Rationing Books for The U.S. Homefront

    My father and his sister used these rations to purchase their shoes
    so that they would each have a pair to wear to school.

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    Friday, May 24, 2019

    Arundel Oaks

    Arundel Oaks
    by Lupton Allemong Wilkinson

    Not even the redolent pines that on some hill 
    Carpet the earth with silken texture sweet
    Can temper the vagaries of the human will
    As do these live oaks, gracious and complete,
    Monarch of all arboreal empiry,
    Crowned with a changeless youth and high serene,
    Breathing the essence of grave surety
    Over the fragile sword of Time's demesus.

    Men, feverish, make religion of turmoil;
    Furor and striving do away with thought;
    We lose the secret that through centuries wrought
    This giant, slow flowering from the friendly soil.
    Who knows fulfillment more than steadfast trees
    Or happier lot than to be loved by these?
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    Learning History With Kit Kittredge

    Pop-Up book about Kit's World. The tree house plus paper dolls:
     Kit and Ruthie are shown on the right.

           "Kit Kittredge is a fictional character in the American Girl series of books, written by Valerie Tripp. Kit serves as a protagonist and central character to her story arc, set during the Great Depression, beginning with the year 1934. Kit's core series of books was written by Valerie Tripp and illustrated by Walter Rane. 
           Kit was born as Margaret Mildred Kittredge on May 19, 1923 in Cincinnati, Ohio to a well-to-do family, and was named after her mother and her Aunt Millie. She, however, prefers to go by a nickname given to her by her family, which was taken from both her surname and the song Pack Up Your Troubles in Your Old Kit-Bag. Kit's father, Jack, owned a car dealership business in Cincinnati and was a World War I veteran. Her father's business still seemed to do well during the onset of the Great Depression, but was eventually forced to close when Jack used up his savings to pay his employees, sending the Kittredges into poverty." Wikipedia
           Ruthie Smithens is Kit Kittredge's best friend. The only daughter of a banker, Ruthie (and her family) is not financially affected by the Depression. Although they did at times offer help to the Kittredges, it was mostly in ways that would not hurt their pride. She is depicted to have an affinity for princesses and fairy tales, most especially Andrew Lang's Fairy Books and Grimms' Fairy Tales, in contrast to Kit's more tomboyish personality. Despite their major differences, Ruthie is a loyal and courageous friend who will go to great lengths to help Kit. 
    Artifacts at Our Blog for The Kit Kittredge Doll:  More Links to Kit Kittredge Related Learning:
    Popular Music in Kit's World:
    Craft Links for Kit Kittredge Play and Adventure:
    Video for Kit Kittredge Doll Fan Culture:
    Advanced Reading: Historical Fiction that takes place during The Great Depression:
    • Mirror, Mirror on the Wall: The Diary of Bess Brennan, Perkins School for the Blind, 1932 by Barry Denenberg
    • Survival in the Storm: The Dust Bowl Diary of Grace Edwards, Dalhart, Texas, 1935 by Katelan Janke
    • Christmas After All: The Great Depression Diary of Minnie Swift, Indianapolis, Indiana, 1932 by Kathryn Lasky
    • Survival in the Storm: The Dust Bowl Diary of Grace Edwards, Dalhart, Texas, 1935 by Katelan Janke 
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