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A review by panda_incognito
Nellie's Promise by Valerie Tripp
4.0
I only read this once as a child, but it made a significant impression on me. I enjoyed reading it again last night, and with my grown-up understanding of trauma and the class differences of that time period, I was very impressed with the convincing portrayal of Nellie's fears and struggles to adjust to life in Uncle Gard and Aunt Cornelia's household. As a child, it made me sad that the happy ending couldn't be as happy as I wanted, but this book is extremely realistic, provides a natural continuation to the previous story, and is very moving.
The other books released in conjunction with American Girl movies range from subpar to abysmal, so I wasn't sure what to expect from rereading this, but it seems like a perfectly natural part of the series to me, not a later add-on. I'm glad that this was so well-written, enjoyed a story from Nellie's perspective, and like the part about the immigrant settlement house even more than as I did as a child, since I now have experience volunteering with a refugee ministry. It was interesting to see how things have changed over time and what is still the same.
I also appreciate the historical notes and photo reproductions about adoption in the early 1900s, the plight of orphans during that time period, the difficulties that immigrants faced, and the challenges of adjusting to life in a blended family. In terms of story and history, this book is just as good as the average classic American Girl book, and is even better than some of them. I'm glad that I now have this in my personal library.
The other books released in conjunction with American Girl movies range from subpar to abysmal, so I wasn't sure what to expect from rereading this, but it seems like a perfectly natural part of the series to me, not a later add-on. I'm glad that this was so well-written, enjoyed a story from Nellie's perspective, and like the part about the immigrant settlement house even more than as I did as a child, since I now have experience volunteering with a refugee ministry. It was interesting to see how things have changed over time and what is still the same.
I also appreciate the historical notes and photo reproductions about adoption in the early 1900s, the plight of orphans during that time period, the difficulties that immigrants faced, and the challenges of adjusting to life in a blended family. In terms of story and history, this book is just as good as the average classic American Girl book, and is even better than some of them. I'm glad that I now have this in my personal library.