Meet Felicity (The American Girls Collection, Book 1)

by Valerie Tripp

Other authorsDan Andreasen (Illustrator)
Paperback, 1991

Status

Available

Publication

American Girl (1991), Edition: 1st, 88 pages

Description

In Williamsburg in 1774, nine-year-old Felicity rescues a beautiful horse who is being beaten and starved by her cruel owner.

User reviews

LibraryThing member Hamburgerclan
Felicity is the Revolutionary War-era American Girl, living with her family in colonial Williamsburg. She's an energetic little thing, having difficulty being calm and ladylike. She has quite an affection for horses and becomes concerned about a horse that has been recently obtained by the
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neighborhood tanner, one Jiggy Nye. Jiggy's a nasty old bird who oughtn't be allowed to deal with any horse that isn't already dead. But somehow the good Lord allowed Jiggy to have this beautiful animal. How can Felicity stand by while Mr. Nye mistreats the poor thing? Well, if you want, you can read the book and find out. The tale itself is rather pedestrian--pure waiting room material. But even kids need some lightweight reading from time to time, and I think Meet Felicity will serve that role just fine.
--J.
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LibraryThing member t1bclasslibrary
Felicity is my favorite American Girl. Felicity is a spunky and spirited girl growing up in colonial Williamsburg in 1774, just prior to the revolutionary war. She hates anything that involves sitting still and loves horses. In this story she befriends and saves a horse, Penny, owned by the cruel
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Jiggy Nye. “A Peek Into the Past.”
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LibraryThing member the1butterfly
This is a double of a book in my classroom library. Felicity is my favorite American Girl. Felicity is a spunky and spirited girl growing up in colonial Williamsburg in 1774, just prior to the revolutionary war. She hates anything that involves sitting still and loves horses. In this story she
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befriends and saves a horse, Penny, owned by the cruel Jiggy Nye. “A Peek Into the Past.”
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LibraryThing member ashleylegan
This novel is fabulous for elementary school children (about second grade and up). Despite the typical view that it is only for girls because of the famous doll collection, this novel is appealing to both genders. It is a very entertaining look into history. Unlike the text books, The American
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Girls collection gives our students an insightful understanding of what it was like in a day in the life of a child about their age but of a different time. In this case, this book is about Felicity, a girl who grew up during the American Revolution. She had to abide by unfair gender roles, but was adventurous and wanted something more. Her father owns one of the town’s general stores and her mother takes care of the family…the typical family roles. Felicity, however, decides to step out of the box.
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LibraryThing member mistywood
Meet Felicity An American Girl,is a story about a young girl growing up in Williamsburg, right before the American Revolution in 1774. Felicity is an adventurous girl who would rather be outside riding horses instead of being inside practicing how to sew the perfect stitch. Felicity soon discovers
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a new horse has arrived in town, and feels she must save the doomed horse from a cruel master, and she knows just how to do it.

I enjoyed reading about Felicity. There are illustrations throughout the story. Some of the pictures show actions scenes that are happening in the story, and some of the pictures show everyday objects that were used during the time of the story. I think all the American Girl books give a peek into the past and is appropriate for children to read to learn about how people lived long ago.

Extension Activity:
*Field Trip to a history museum
*Have students write their own adventure story (individual or group).
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LibraryThing member sarah.cline
The first book in a series about Felicity, a “spunky, spirited” American Girl coming of age during the Revolutionary War. She navigates the requirements of becoming a lady (tea party, anyone?) while still maintaining her love for horses (and wearing boy’s breeches to sneak out at night to
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ride them). This was one of those books that really jump-started my love for reading.
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LibraryThing member khallbee
This book hits on many of the topics adored by girls 9-13: taking initiative without parental consent, overcoming obstacles set by an unreasonable adult, and, above all, horses. Meet Felicity introduces us to nine-year-old Felicity Merriman, a shopkeeper's daughter in colonial Williamsburg. She's a
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tomboy at heart, and hates being forced to sew and wear confining dresses like her sister. Just to remind us that this is a real American origin story, she uses the word "independence" a lot. The gist of the plot involves mean old Jiggy Nye and his beautiful, mistreated mare, but these elements seem more like a frame constructed to allow Felicity to demonstrate her general spunkyness and depth of heart, thus making her eligible to join the official American Girl club. The story is wholesome as apple pie and educational to boot, but I couldn't help feel manipulated at the end. The whole thing felt as though it was constructed in some lab like Frankenstein's monster in order to hit just the right notes for just the right girls to make them want to buy a Felicity doll for themselves. While I wouldn't recommend this book, it is appropriate for ages 8-12.
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LibraryThing member krystalramirez
Summary: A young girl in 1774 who lives with her parents, brother and sister finds out that a man in town has received a new horse. Everyone in town knows the man will mistreat the horse and neglect the horse. Felicity gets up early every morning and takes the horse an apple and works with the
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horse until she trusts her enough to let Felicity ride her. Felicity heard the mean man say if anyone could ride the horse that they could have the horse. When Felicity is able to ride the horse she rides her home one morning expecting to keep the horse but her parents and the owner of the horse do not allow her to keep the horse.

Personal Reaction: Very good book, but also sad. This can teach children how we cannot always have what we want. Also teaches children that sometimes when we love something we have to set it free so that it can have a better life than the one it is living.

Classroom Extensions:
1.) Have a discussion about something the kids may have felt so strongly about or an animal they have taken care of.

2.) Use pop-sickle sticks to make a horse and use yarn for the mane.
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LibraryThing member chelseannorman
Summary:
Felicity is an animal lover and when she hears there is a new horse in town that is right up her alley. Not only did she find out there was a new horse in town but she knew the guy that got the new horse would not take care of it. Felicity worried sick would wake up every morning really
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early before the guy was up and take the horse an apple. One day she over heard the guy say that if someone could ride this horse they could have it. Felicity continued bringing the horse an apple every day and finally the horse began to like her. Just like any other animal knows who takes care of them. So one day she road it home and unfortunately her parents would not let her keep it.

Personal Reaction:
I love the American Girl books! I loved them as a kid and still to this day think they have great morals. I think this group of books would be great to read like once a month to a class.

Classroom Extension:
1. I would have the kids make up their own plan on how they would save the horse and what they would do to do it without getting caught.

2. I would also have the kids write a letter to their parents trying to convince them that they can keep the horse and how they will take care of it. I would maybe pull a responsibility moral out of the story.
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LibraryThing member LDobson
Felicity Merriman is a character from the American Girls Collection and her story takes place in 1774. The entire book gives the reader incite into the lives of those who lived in that time period. Join Felicity as she finds adventure in meeting the cruel Jiggy Nye and his wonderful horse.
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Appropriate for 5th grade and up.
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LibraryThing member adscrim
All of the American Girl series books are wonderful to teach younger kids about different historical periods. Each series, based on each Girl, is set in a different time period when life was very different for girls. It shows the struggles and the interests of girls in the past, and also acquaints
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readers with the dialect of the time. Felicity is a very strong-willed girl who is willing to risk a lot for what she believes is right. She never backs down from a challenge, and every American Girl can be an example of how to achieve your dreams and goals
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LibraryThing member StephanieWeiner
I loved reading this book many years ago and I loved reading it again today. I still enjoy reading this book for many reasons, one of which is how strong a character Felicity is. She is a young girl that is taught to sit still and stitch but that does not stop her from using her imagination and her
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love of riding horses. Another reason I enjoy this book is the friendship between Felicity and Ben. He let’s her use his pants to horseback ride which obviously would be frowned upon back in the colonial times because it does not follow obvious gender roles.
I think the big idea is to follow your heart. Felicity knows what she likes and she goes and does it. She enters the race to win the horse, although she doesn’t succeed.
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LibraryThing member Marse
Felicity Merriman, the heroine of the American Girls collection set in 1774, is a feisty young girl who loves horses. She is not interested in the things girls are educated in such as sewing and domestic arts. When an unpleasant neighbor obtains a horse and mistreats it because it will not be
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tamed, Felicity manages to both tame and free the horse. This book has interesting characters and an engaging plot. Illustrations are beautiful and detailed. Recommended reading age: 7-10
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Language

Original language

English

Original publication date

1991

Physical description

8.25 inches

ISBN

1562470043 / 9781562470043

UPC

723232070046

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