annalovesbooks (USA: IL) (2008/08/07): ISBN 0590437879 – As a newly converted fan of the American Girls books, Meet Kirsten was a pleasant read for me. I do have some problems with it, but I’ll save those for last.
Kirsten and her family arrive in America from Sweden in 1854. On the ship, she’s made a great friend in fellow traveler Marta, but they are separated in New York when Kirsten’s family goes on a day before Marta’s. New York is loud, dirty and crowded with people who speak languages Kirsten doesn’t recognize – a problem when she becomes separated from her father. Traveling by train, steamboat and even on foot, the family faces challenges all the way to Minnesota, where they join Uncle Olav and his family.
***SPOILER ALERT*** I was very curious about how realistic the story could be without a death aboard the crowded ship. When the family disembarked and everyone was still alive, I was disappointed (for the lack of reality) and relieved (because it is a childrens’ book). Reality returned with a death (I won’t say who) along the way across the country and I was rather surprised that they handled it well. If your child is apt to be upset by the death of a character that they identify with, please read the book before handing it over. The illustrations are average and rather bland, with one exception being the burial. The informative pages at the back, filled with historical facts, keep the book from being too much of a sell-the-dolls tool.
