Our new Book Club on Facebook invites parents, grandparents, and trusted adults to join an online community of readers dedicated to exploring and celebrating American Girl’s classic historical and contemporary fiction.
Be a part of American Girl’s Facebook Book Club! Each month, we will choose a book from AG’s extensive library of great books for all members of the group to read and discuss. Encourage your girl to read the selected title and spend some quality time talking about it with her. Then share your progress, favorite moments, photos, and quotes; participate in polls and quizzes; look for special Facebook Live features and interviews; and connect with other parents and adults who are sharing these same titles with their girls!
Whether the month’s selection is a well-loved classic or a brand-new story, journey along with our characters as they use their smarts, self-confidence, and inner strength to grow and achieve their dreams.
We hope you’ll join us to discover—or rediscover—the kinds of characters and stories that have inspired and delighted fans for over 30 years.
Please note:
The Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act of 1998 (COPPA) regulates the collection of information from children under 13 for privacy and safety reasons. Most social media sites, including Facebook, are prohibited from registering children under the age of 13 to use their sites.
We’re eager for you to share YOUR perspectives and stories about this reading journey, but in the interest of her privacy and safety, and in accordance with the law, we cannot invite your girl’s direct participation in the online group.
AG Book Club Selection for March:
Manners and Mischief: A Samantha Classic
Manners and Mischief: A Samantha Classic introduces readers to nine-year-old Samantha Parkington, an orphan who lives with her wealthy grandmother and a house full of servants in 1904. Grandmary is caring but stern and expects Samantha to behave like a proper young lady. Samantha longs for a friend her own age.
Samantha’s wish comes true when Nellie, a poor girl, starts working as a servant next door. Eventually the neighbors hire Nellie’s parents, and Nellie begins attending public school; Samantha attends Miss Crampton’s Academy, a private school for well-to-do girls. Samantha is excited about an upcoming speaking contest on the topic of progress, but Nellie is sad because she is behind in school and her classmates call her “dummy.” Samantha tutors Nellie so that she can move up a grade. And Nellie teaches Samantha about “real life” things that contribute to Samantha’s gold-medal speech.
When the holidays arrive, Samantha looks forward to all of her favorite Christmas traditions. But nothing goes as planned once Uncle Gard announces that he is bringing his sweetheart, a modern young woman named Cornelia, home for the holidays. Samantha blames Cornelia for ruining her holiday plans, but on Christmas morning there are surprises for Samantha—including the discovery that Cornelia, like Nellie, is a true friend who broadens her view of the world.
Club Tip: Before you share this book with your girl, take some time to explore the world of 1904, when Samantha’s story is set. “Inside Samantha’s World,” included near the back of the book, is a great place to begin. Then print and make this Mischief and Manners bookmark, which includes a collection of themes to consider and discuss as your girl reads the story. Most of all, enjoy!
Keep your place and have food for thought with this Samantha Book Club bookmark! By including a gentle reminder of some of the story’s central themes, we hope to encourage girls to be careful readers without jeopardizing the pleasure they gain from reading. So print, trim, tie, and enjoy!
Instructions:
Print this sheet on a paper weight of your choice—though card stock or other heavier-weight paper will work best.
Cut around the dotted lines, punch a hole in the center of the top, and tie a pretty ribbon through the opening.
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