Kirsten Snowbound!

Written by Valerie Tripp, illustrated by Renee Graef and Kim Lewis

Plot

One April day when Lars is driving Kirsten's mother and aunt Inger to the store (and her father and uncle are still in the logging camp), a sudden blizzard blows in. Kirsten, Peter, Lisbeth, Anna, and Britta are safe in the cabin, but Kirsten's worried about her older brother, mother, and aunt. It's a fierce storm, and even opening the door for a moment to let the dog in results in snow blowing in to the extent that that they have to shovel it out of the way to close the door again. The house is so cold that they all decide to just go to bed early, with the bed shoved near the fireplace and piled high with blankets, and wearing their winter clothes.

The next morning, the sun is shining. But where's Britta? Kirsten is terrified that she might have frozen if she's been out from under the covers for too long. A frantic search ensues, and much to Kirsten's relief, the baby is sleeping soundly under the bed, with the dog curled up next to her, keeping her warm. The older children set about building up the fire, deciding what furniture might need to be burned if circumstances warrant it, and digging a path to the barn to tend the animals. In the middle of the last chore, they're delight to see Lars returning with the women, and supplies from the store. They've all made it through the blizzard safe!

Looking Back

The section this time details the blizzard of 1888. It's laid out like a newspaper with short articles about a vicious blizzard that sneaked up on an unseasonably warm day, causing a lot of death and destruction.

Misc

It amuses me to no end that this story has snowbound with an exclamation mark and the seventh Baby-sitters Club super special is titled Snowbound! 

Kirsten and the Chippewa

Written by Valerie Tripp, illustrations by Renee Graef and Kim Lewis

Plot

Kirsten and her siblings and cousins are busy with chores when some Native Americans show up. They come inside and Aunt Inger, who knows the man in charge as Five Swans, makes a deal with them: her fresh-baked pies for their gamebirds. The children are nervous (the men aren't from Singing Bird's tribe). One of the younger men mocks how Kirsten washes the dishes and calls her a raccoon. Embarrassed, she shoots back that he's an ugly muskrat. She instantly regrets it, but it's too late to take it back.

The next day, Kirsten and Caro the dog go to fetch water. Caro ends up falling through the ice into the cold water, clinging desperately to the ice with only his front paws. Before Kirsten can come up with a plan, the same men arrive on the scene. The one who had poked fun at Kirsten removes his moccasins without hesitation and wades into the water and ice and grabs Caro, saving him. Kirsten is overcome with gratitude, and tells him to come back the house to warm up. He declines, showing her how warm his fur-lined clothes are. He calls her Raccoon again, but this time Kirsten doesn't mind; it seems affectionate instead of mocking. A short time later, she decides on an affectionate nickname for him (Three Hawks on One Branch, referring to the three ways she sees him: an eager boy, a brave warrior, and a generous, kind man) and looks forward to seeing him again so she can tell him.

Looking Back

This time the section is about the Ojibwa. Like the Sioux, they were nomadic, hunting, gathering, and planting as the seasons and terrain allowed. Today (or at least when this was written sometimes in the mid-1990s) they mostly live on reservations.

Misc

There's a sort of disclaimer at the beginning of the book that Chippewa is a misinterpretation of Ojibwa. The book goes with Chippewa because that's the name Kirsten would have known as correct.

Changes for Kirsten

Written by Janet Beeler Shaw; illustrated by Renee Graef

Published in 1987

Plot

It's January again (not sure if it's 1854 or 1855). Kirsten's father and uncle are away at a logging camp. Kirsten accompanies her older brother Lars and his friend John to see what their traps have caught. There's enough meat for dinner and then some. The last trap contains a baby raccoon, just barely caught by its tails. Kirsten decides to nurse it back to health and then release it into the wild. Not even twenty-four hours later, the raccoon gets loose in the house (it had been in the barn, but Kirsten thought it was too cold) and knocks over a kerosene lamp, starting a fire. The fire spreads quickly, and their home is lost. Kirsten was able to grab some precious mementos and save them in the family's trunk, but that doesn't solve the problem of their home being destroyed.

Kirsten, her mother, and her siblings move in with her cousins and aunt. It's cramped, but it's secure against the winter. Another family is going to move to Oregon later in the year. Their house would be perfect, except that they want to sell it for five times as much as Kirsten's father will make logging. So Kirsten and Lars check their traps even more diligently, in hopes of getting enough furs to sell to help raise money. One day, they get lost and end up at an old fur trapper's home, deep in the woods. Needing shelter, they go in only to find the man dead, presumably of old age. The man, almost a legend in the area, had no family or next-of-kin. Kirsten and Lars decide that once the ground thaws, they can give the man a proper burial, and that since no one exists to claim the vast piles of high-quality furs in his house, they can have them to sell (the book makes that point more convincingly than I just did).

The furs bring in enough money that the Larsons can afford the new house, which is much fancier than their old log cabin: glass windows, plastered walls, and from the picture, an upstairs. The family moving to Oregon even leaves their furniture behind for them.

Looking Back

The Looking Back segment also looks a little forward of the time frame of the book, talking about the progress that came with new technology. Trains brought more goods from the bigger cities in the east, and new farm equipment gave rise to the larger type of farm we see today. Technology like sewing machines and more efficient stoves, and later electricity made housework easier to manage and safer: an electric lightbulb is far less likely to start a fire than a candle.

Misc

Same dedication and autograph as in the other main six. Check your books before you sell them online!

Baby Britta is crawling now, and eating some food (oatmeal is mentioned). She's almost eight months old now.

I'm very happy that when Kirsten's brother carefully pronounces Oregon it's spelled out "Ore-gon" with just two syllables. I live three hours north of the Oregon-Washington border, and sometimes I'll hear "Or-eh-gone." Or worse: "Worsh-in-tun." Oregon is two syllables; Washington has no R.

Kirsten's Promise

Written by Valerie Tripp, illustrated by Renee Graef and Kim Lewis

Plot

Kirsten happens upon a boy a bit younger than she named Ezra, who is oddly defensive of his overturned wagon. He curtly tells Kirsten that he and his mother are heading to California to meet up with his father, and to go away. Kirsten offers her father's services to fix the broken parts of the wagon, but Ezra remains obstinate. He makes Kirsten promise not to tell anyone that he's there.

But Kirsten isn't sure about keeping his story a secret. She talks to her brother Lars about secrets and promises, and he makes the point that "a person is more important than a promise," meaning that promising to keep a secret that could get someone hurt or killed is unwise. Kirsten heads back Ezra's way the next day hoping to learn that the wagon is fixed and he and his mother have left, but he's still there, alone with his dog. In talking to him, Kirsten learns that when the wagon crashed, Ezra's mother's chest was crushed. Before she died, she begged Ezra not to leave. Ezra buried his mother and is now sticking to his last words to his mother.

Kirsten knows this is bigger than she can handle, and tells her father. He's able to convince Ezra that his mother meant not to leave her alone, but now that she's dead all that's left to do is make a marker for the grave. He helps Ezra with this, and he and Kirsten take Ezra and his dog back to their house for a good meal before taking him to a nearby town to meet up with his mother's friends on a wagon train.

Looking Back

This time the section is about wagon trains. The most popular route west was the Oregon Trail, a 2000 mile long trek that took six months. Most children seemed to have happy memories of games and adventures along the way. But it wasn't all fun: disease and accidents were common. One-fifth of the people who set out on the journey died before reaching the coast.

Misc

I like the way another mom I know puts it: keep surprises, not secrets.

Kirsten Saves the Day

Written by Janet Beeler Shaw; illustrated by Renee Graef

Published in 1987

Plot

June continues, the days lengthening into summer as July comes. While out fishing with her brother Peter, Kirsten finds a bee tree full of honey. Imagining all the wonderful things they could trade the honey for, Kirsten decides to bring it back on her own as a surprise for the family. Unfortunately, a bear seems to be scoping out the tree as well. Despite Peter's insistence that they should just tell their parents, Kirsten barges ahead. Predictably, a bear cub shows up while they're trying to get the honey, and Peter's dog Caro harasses it, bringing its mother out of the brush. The dog is knocked aside, and Kirsten and Peter quickly scale a tree. Fortunately for them, the bears quickly retreat, and the dog alerts their father to their predicament. He comes with his gun in case the bears are still around, and chastises Kirsten for putting herself and her brother in danger, not only from the bear--which she knew was around--but also from bee stings. Instead of just taking the honey, he starts his own beehive back at the farm.

Even with keeping some honey for their own use, the family has enough to sell when they go into town on Independence Day that they have money left over after getting necessities. Without the honey, Kirsten's parents say they might not have been able to get the necessities (they also traded jam, chickens, and other things). As a thank you for finding the bee tree, Kirsten is allowed to pick one thing for herself, and Peter is too. Kirsten gets a more sensible hat (a straw bonnet, as her cotton one was too hot for summer), and Peter a jackknife so he can learn to carve like his big brother and sell the carvings like Lars does.

Looking Back

This time, the focus is on the difficulty of eking out a living on the frontier. The forest often stood in the way of crops, and wild animals were always around. But the forest and animals also provided food. The children often foraged for berries and mushrooms and nuts, and older boys and men could hunt. And it wasn't hard work all day long: children could pause along the way and play in the forest or streams.

Misc

Again this book is dedicated to Nadina Fowler and autographed.

The book puts July 4 on a Tuesday, as it was in 1854.

The new baby has a name now: Britta.

Happy Birthday, Kirsten!

Written by Janet Beeler Shaw; illustrated by Renee Graef

Published in 1987

Plot

It's now May, but still 1854. Kirsten will be turning ten (again?) on June 8--the same birthday as one of my nephews! Late spring also brings the threat of tornadoes, the excitement of a barn raising, and a new baby for Kirsten's family. Among all the activity, Kirsten, Anna, and Lisbeth find time here and there to learn to sew quilt squares with the girls at school. Kirsten suggests maybe they should make a quilt for Miss Winston to remember them all by, just like the quilt Miss Winston brought with her from her home in Maine.

While they sew, some of the girls talk about the women and babies they've known who died in childbirth or shortly after. Kirsten starts to worry about her mother, especially when she has to rush to find her father and aunt when the labor starts earlier than anticipated. But her worries are soon assuaged: her new baby sister is tiny but healthy, and her mother made it through labor and delivery fine.

Kirsten works hard helping her mother out after the birth. When her birthday comes two weeks later, her mother is strong enough to take over her own chores again, and has Kirsten invite her friends over from school so Kirsten can have a much-deserved day off. Her friends surprise her with a gift of the quilt they've worked on while she was busy helping her mother. That night at a barn-raising dance, Kirsten finds that one of the newborn kittens has been abandoned, and takes it back to the house to care for it. That night, while she's up feeding the kitten some milk and her mother is up with the new baby, the share a nice mother-daughter bonding time. Kirsten decides to keep working on the quilt square she never finished, and make some more to eventually sew a quilt for her sister.

Looking Back

This historical segment is about how dangerous it could be for infants and young children in pioneer days. It also mentions how children were expected to do a lot of the work around the house, and considered adults at a younger age than they usually are today, around 16. Once grown, their options were limited, especially for women and the poor. Women would typically either marry or stay with their parents, and men generally did whatever their fathers had, which in the case of poor families was subsistence farming.

Misc

Oh, Kirsten. On sewing diapers: "Why did a baby need so many diapers? Surely three or four would be enough." If only.

Another one dedicated to Nadina Fowler, and autographed, too. 

Trivia: Kirsten's favorite color is pink.

Kirsten and the New Girl

Written by Valerie Tripp, illustrations by Renee Graef and Kim Lewis

Plot

Kirsten's been sick with measles, but is finally well enough to go back to school. She catches up to her cousins and overhears them talking about the new girl at school who's doing so well despite having just moved to Minnesota. Kirsten assumes they're talking about her, but after she surprises them with her return, she quickly realizes, much to her embarrassment, that there's a newer girl, Nora. She's just come from Norway. This initial embarrassment probably contributes to Kirsten's dislike of Nora. Well, not really of Nora herself, but of being displaced. Kirsten was expecting her friends to be excited about her being back, but they're busy with the novelty of Nora.

The next day, Kirsten walks slowly to school, partially because she's still weak from her illness, but more because she's not looking forward to everyone fawning over Nora. Because she's walking slower, Kristen happens upon Nora hiding in the brush. It turns out that Nora is very shy, and overwhelmed with all the attention she's been getting. She also suspects it's not sincere; that the students are being nice because the teacher told them to be. She wants to go home to Norway. Kirsten remembers how difficult it was for her at first, and reassures Nora. The two bond quickly, and continue to the schoolhouse. And we never hear about Nora again.

Looking Back

In the mid-1800s, it was common for friends to exchange small gifts. For young girls on the edge of the frontier, these were often small handmade tokens. They ranged from tiny bouquets of wildflowers to delicate shapes cut out of paper to elaborate gifts like friendship quilts. 

Misc

Nora from Norway. Funny.

Measles and cholera: two diseases featured in Kirsten stories that are far less prevalent today than in the past. Definitely something to be happy about.

Kirsten on the Trail

Written by Valerie Tripp, illustrations by Renee Graef and Kim Lewis

Plot

Kirsten is thrilled to find a gift from Singing Bird when she goes to get water. Her secret friend is back! Her tribe's attempt to find better hunting grounds was in vain; Singing Bird looks very thin. The girls arrange a time to meet again. But Peter also saw Singing Bird, and Kirsten isn't sure she can trust him with the secret. Sure enough, he blurts it out within minutes of arriving home. Kirsten is forbidden to see Singing Bird again, because while the two girls might be friendly with each other, Kirsten's parents are worried that other Native Americans might be violent. Kirsten yells at Peter for spoiling her secret, and Peter runs away.

Kirsten has to fetch more water, conveniently at the same time she and Singing Bird had arranged to meet. Singing Bird is able to follow Peter's tracks and find him, scared and tired but safe. The girls take Peter back to the Larsons', where Kirsten introduces Singing Bird to her parents and tells them how she saved Peter. Her parents see that at least some Native Americans are trustworthy, and everyone sits down to eat.

Looking Back

This section is about the Sioux. I didn't know that they were nomadic, moving around different locations depending on the season to hunt meat, make maple sugar, and plant crops. It also talks about the artistry with which the women decorated things with dyed porcupine quills. Another few paragraphs get a little "noble savage" but on the whole it's an interesting read.

Misc

Oh, nice! I was wondering what tribe Singing Bird belonged to. According to the Looking Back section, she's Sioux, specifically of the Dakota portion.

When Kirsten's parents suggest that Peter might be kidnapped by the Sioux or Ojibwa, Kirsten thinks to herself that they're too smart to want him. That's such a ten-year-old sister thing to think.

Kirsten's Surprise

Written by Janet Beeler Shaw; illustrated by Renee Graef

Published in 1986

Plot

Christmas is fast approaching, and Kirsten is growing more impatient for the things in their trunk, still stored ten miles away in Maryville. She's missing the family left behind in Sweden, and longs for the things they made, to help her feel close to the people she'll never see again. She tells her cousins about the Swedish tradition of St. Lucia Day, and the girls all want to participate in the tradition...but the things for are in the Larsons' trunk. Everyone's too busy preparing the farm for winter to get the trunk. Hopeful that the trunk will be fetched in time, Kirsten and her cousins go ahead with what preparations they can: a woven wreath of grapevines and evergreens for a crown, with some candles borrowed from Miss Winston.

The day before St. Lucia Day, Kirsten's father is able to fetch the trunk! Kirsten comes with him. She turns out to be invaluable when a blizzard hits as they head back to the farm. The horse needs to be lead through the snow drifts, and Kirsten has to take on that duty after her father falls and twists his knee badly. As you'd expect in a blizzard, the swirling wind and snow disorient them, and soon they're off track. But Kirsten quickly realizes that they've come to area where Singing Bird used to live. She remembers a nearby cave, and they wait out the storm inside it. It's a short storm, and the sky is clear that night. 

They arrive home about four in the morning, the time that St. Lucia Day festivities are supposed to start. Kirsten, Anna, and Lisbeth quickly get Kirsten ready to play the part of St. Lucia while Miss Winston distracts the others. Everyone is thrilled with the surprise.

Looking Back

This time, the historical supplement is about the various Christmas traditions that immigrants brought to the United States, like Christmas trees from Germany and candles in the windows, a Swedish tradition. The traditions had to be adapted to the New World. For example, there would be turkey to eat in North America.

I'm surprised it doesn't mention that Christmas wasn't a federal holiday until 1870, and not a day off for federal employees outside of the nation's capitol until 1885, although some states had it as an official holiday. (For those curious about church and state issues: Christmas had already had a long history as a secular holiday in both America and Europe; many Protestant churches didn't even recognize it as a religious observance in the 19th century. Catholics started celebrating it as a big deal around the fourth century to emphasis the human nature of Jesus.)

Misc:

Again, dedicated to Nadina Fowler, and autographed.

I was surprised at first that Kirsten and her father would attempt to go home through a snowstorm (it's not a blizzard as they leave, but trending that way). I was thinking of The Long Winter by Laura Ingalls Wilder, and how people would shelter in place. But the Ingalls had been through a rough winter already; this is the Larsons' first winter in Minnesota.

Kirsten thinks to herself that it must be late if the moon has set. The moon doesn't always rise at night and set in the morning. A full moon is opposite the sun (rising as the sun sets and vice versa), but a new moon will rise and set with the sun. As the moons move through its phases it rises and sets at various times of the day or night.

And after reading the Looking Back section, I want eggnog. Good thing I have some in the fridge.

Kirsten Learns a Lesson

Written by Janet Beeler Shaw; illustrated by Renee Graef

Published in 1986

Plot

It's now November 1854, and Kirsten is on her way to her first day of school at Powderkeg School. Even with her cousins to reassure her and tell her what to expect, Kirsten is nervous because she doesn't know English very well. The new teacher, Miss Winston, is strict and intimidates Kirsten. Miss Winston expects a lot of Kirsten, which Kirsten finds intimidating but also a challenge to rise to. Kirsten is especially worried about the assignment to memorize and recite a poem in front of the class.

While decompressing after school one day, Kirsten happens upon a Native American girl. Their initial meeting is brief, as both are nervous of each other. But they start leaving each other little gifts: a bead, a decorated doll cake made of mud (Kirsten and her cousins "feed" their dolls; Kirsten has a temporary replacement for Sari who's still in storage), a feather, a button, and other little treasures. After several days, Kirsten waits for the girl to appear, hoping to get to know her a little. Her patience pays off, and even though they don't speak the same language, they are able to communicate for a bit before both have to head home. They make a habit of meeting in the evening, and learn a bit of each other's languages. The girl is named Singing Bird, and calls Kirsten Yellow Hair (Kirsten has stereotypically blonde Scandinavian hair). Kirsten shows Singing Bird the secret fort, and Singing Bird invites Kirsten to visit her at her home. Knowing that most white people around her distrust the Native Americans, Kirsten keeps her friendship with Singing Bird a secret.

Kirsten is able to sneak away one morning before school and meet Singing Bird's friends and family, including her father Brave Elk, who speaks English. Talking with him makes Kirsten realize that she's learning more English than she thought: she never even attempted to speak Swedish to Singing Bird. 

Seeing how Singing Bird lives makes Kirsten want to have the freedoms her friend does, especially when Miss Winston comes to live with her cousins. Kirsten is upset that she'll have to speak English more at home now, too, and worried that she'll be embarrassed if Miss Winston reveals to her parents how much trouble she's having memorizing her poem. But her fears are quickly allayed when Miss Winston shows them all a model of her father's ship, and Kirsten is distracted enough to relax and talk about her journey to Minnesota. Miss Winston gives her a new poem about sailing, and Kirsten finds it much easier to memorize and recite.

But then, the next time she's able to meet with Singing Bird, Kristen learns that her friend is about to leave. Hunting is poor in the area, and Singing Bird and her tribe need food. Singing Bird wants Kirsten to come to, even calling her "Sister." Kirsten is torn, but can't leave her own family. Singing Bird agrees to search for Kirsten if she returns to the area.

Looking Back

The historical supplement talks about one-room schoolhouses and traveling pioneer teachers. If you've read the Little House books by Laura Ingalls Wilder, it's basically that information (Wilder was born in the 1860s). If you haven't, you should consider doing so.

Misc.

Like the first of the main six, this book is dedicated to the author's mother, Nadina Fowler. And autographed!

The Runaway Friend

Written by Kathleen Ernst; illustrated by Jean-Paul Tibbles

Published in 2008

Plot

Kirsten and her family get a brief respite from the hard work of harvesting the wheat crop to be interviewed by a woman from Sweden, who's writing about immigrating to the New World. Kirsten feels important to have a part in people deciding whether to immigrate. But her excitement is short-lived: the next day, a sheriff arrives to repossess the team of oxen her father and uncle have been using to harvest the wheat. Kirsten's uncle Olav and a neighbor, Erik, had bought the team together and were making payments, but it seems that Erik's payment have fallen delinquent. Furthermore, Erik has disappeared. The adults think he skipped town to avoid facing the debt, but Kirsten isn't convinced.

Kirsten wants to prove Erik's innocence, and get him help if he's in trouble, but she's busy trying to help with the wheat harvest. Plus, the amber heart necklace her grandmother gave her before she left Sweden is suddenly missing! She's able to confirm her suspicions about Erik soon: she has to find a cow that's wandered off into the woods, conveniently near Erik's shanty. His pouch of marbles, a keepsake from his late father, is still there. Kirsten is convinced he wouldn't leave them behind, so he's either coming back or was forced to leave. In the shanty, Kirsten also happens upon a hidden compartment which contains a photograph of a beautiful woman. There's also a newspaper with a corner of the front page torn off. Kirsten knows that another family who was interviewed that first night got a copy. If she can find an untorn newspaper, maybe she can figure out where Erik is.

The second copy of the paper turns out to belong to the Greens, another immigrant family, far more well-off than Kirsten's family. They're also sort of odd, very reserved, and the mother and daughter are often worried. The mother seems to have some sort of anxiety disorder, rarely leaving the house even for necessary farm chores but neglecting the chores inside, leaving the daughter to do much of the work. She is also worried about theft, but while some neighbors' small things have gone missing (like the necklace), nothing has been stolen from them. Kirsten also notices that they cellar door has a lock on the inside. Why would they want to be able to lock themselves in rather than keep animals out?

Soon Kirsten has more questions, when an envelope arrives addressed to Erik, containing only a fancy button. Then she happens upon a little treasure box in the Greens' cellar...full of the stolen items. Among them is another envelope for Erik, containing a marble like the ones his father made him. Kirsten now thinks she knows why Erik left so suddenly: the torn part of the newspaper referenced a woman who had abandoned her husband, and Kirsten is sure the woman is Erik's sister. The button and the marble were meant to be clues for Erik.

Before she can test her theory, Kirsten solves a different mystery. She initially thinks that the Greens' daughter had stolen the items, but it turns out to be the mother. After the death of her older daughter and moving to America, Mrs. Green's nerves are frayed beyond the breaking point. She's convinced that people, especially Native Americans, will steal any and everything, so she hides them to keep them safe. The lock on the cellar door is so that she can lock herself inside when her fears completely overwhelm her. Just as Kirsten's learning this, Erik shows up, and confirms what Kirsten thought about his sister leaving her implied-to-be-abusive husband.

The story ends with the team of oxen restored to Olav, most of the wheat saved, the Greens deciding to move back to Sweden (and leave their horse with the Larsons!), and Erik's sister free of her abusive husband.

Looking Back

The historical section gives information about the hardships and opportunities that immigrants faced. The very end of it also has the translation of a few Swedish words from the story. Included is "mormor" which means "maternal grandmother" (literally "mother's mother"). It specifies that mormor is solely for the maternal grandmother but neglects to inform the reader of the name for a paternal grandmother, which is "formor" ("father's mother"). I only know because my best friend's recently deceased grandmother, RIP, was Mormor to her and her sister and Formor to the other grandchildren, through her son.

Misc

The book is dedicated to the Writer Chicks "with thanks for everything."

In Meet Kirsten, the Swedish word for "thank you" is spelled "tak" while in this book it's spelled "tack." Looks like the latter is accurate.

Kirsten's father is more harsh with her in this book than in the main six, but he's facing considerable stress so it's not totally out of character.

Meet Kirsten

Written by Janet Beeler Shaw; illustrated by Renee Graef

Published in 1986

Plot

The book opens on a ship crossing the Atlantic to America in July 1854. It's been more than two months since they left Europe, and land is finally in sight. Kirsten Larson, a nine-year-old Swedish girl, is anxious to set feet on dry land and to enjoy fresh food, new sights, and solid ground. Twenty other families are on the boat, including her mother and father, her older brother Lars (Lars Larson!) and younger brother Peter, and her best friend Marta and Marta's parents. They soon land in New York, and after a brief but terrifying moment when Kirsten--who speaks no English--gets separated from her family in the city, they head out for Minnesota, where Kirsten uncle Olav, aunt Inger, and cousins Anna and Lisbeth live.

Kirsten and Marta are separated as their families continue their journeys, but are hopeful they will meet again as Marta's family is also heading to Minnesota. The girls are thrilled to end up at the same boarding house in Chicago, and even happier that they'll be on the same riverboat to traverse the Mississippi River. But Marta contracts cholera, and the awful, dignity-robbing disease kills her in under forty-eight hours.

Shortly after Marta's death, the Larsons depart the boat in Maryville, MN, near Olav and Inger's farm. It's a grey, rainy day, and Kirsten is still grieving the loss of her friend. The family has only enough money to store their things, not enough to rent a horse and wagon. So they have to leave most of their wordly belongings in Maryville and walk almost all day to Olav and Inger's. Kirsten has to leave her rag doll Sari, who has been a security item of sorts during the journey. Since Kirsten and Marta played together with their dolls on the trip, Kirsten's probably very sentimental about Sari too. The Larsons trudge along Minnesota, carrying what they can. Finally, they see the farm, and the cousins come running to greet them. Kirsten is shy at first, but quickly feels welcomed. The book ends the next morning, with Anna and Lisbeth showing Kirsten their special hidden fort in the woods behind the farm.

Looking Back

The historical supplement gives information about the waves of immigrants that came to the United States from Europe in the mid-1800s, looking for a new and better life. Many of them were poor, and the farmland often couldn't grow enough to support their families (like with the Irish Potato Famine). They usually crossed the Atlantic not on passenger boats, but ships that happened to be crossing with other supplies. People were crammed into the extra space. Crossing would take at least six weeks, in a time before refrigeration and plumbing. Once off the boat, the immigrants would hope to find an honest travel agent to help them navigate the new country. But they were willing to risk the dangers for the promise the New World held.

Misc

I bought the set of Kirsten books used off eBay or Craigslist, and this one is autographed by the author!

Marta's death still makes me choke up. I am so grateful that we live in a time of vaccines, antibiotics and antivirals, IVs, and proper plumbing. While cholera still exists, especially in areas where clean water is difficult to find, it's not at the epidemic levels it was around the time of this book. And other diseases are on their way out: there are now fewer than three hundred reported cases of polio each year, and smallpox is extinct in the wild (a few samples remain to help create vaccines just in case).

The book is dedicated to the author's mother, Nadina Fowler.

American Girl

Starting this month, I'll be reviewing the American Girl books. Each character has six main books and some have extras: short stories, mysteries, and the "Best Friend" books. I own a few of the mysteries and should be able to get the others from my library (the King County Library System in Washington is among the best in the nation). I'm going to try to place the extras chronologically relative to the main six, so you might see some posts between Meet X and X Learns a Lesson, for example.

I'll be reviewing one character a month in order of their releases:

November - Kirsten
December - Samantha
January - Molly
February - Felicity
March - Addy
April - Josefina
May - Kit
June - Kaya
July - Julie
August - Rebecca
September - Marie-Grace and Cécile
October - Caroline
November - American Girl History Mysteries and Girls of Many Lands
December - Girl of the Year

Meet Kirsten will be posted on Monday, with the rest following every other day. I hope you enjoy them!