Felicity Saves the Day: A Summer Story (American Girl: Felicity #5) by Valerie Tripp

 

Summary (from the publisher): During a visit to her grandfather's plantation in Virginia during the summer of 1775, Felicity's loyalty is torn between her father and Ben, her father's apprentice who needs her help as he runs away to join George Washington's army of Patriots.

Review: Felicity has traveled to her grandfather's Virginia plantation for a long summer visit in 1775. During her visit, her loyalty between her father and her friend Ben, her father's apprentice, is torn. Ben is desperate to join George Washington's army but as an apprentice is still committed to serve the Merriman family for several more years. So, he has decided to run away to enlist. Along the way, he is injured and seeks Felicity's help, as she once sought his. 

I enjoyed getting to see Felicity in a different setting and one she loves. Felicity is an outside girl and relishes spending the summer outdoors on horseback on her grandfather's plantation.  I read this with my daughters, and they were both absolutely thrilled that Felicity's mother is expecting a baby in this novel. I love that Felicity is high spirited and questions authority and also acts on her own conscious rather than blindly following what her parents or grandfather tell her. 

In some ways, rereading these as an adult, I'm surprised by how much of the plot focuses on political unrest in the colonies. While I think a young girl would be aware of this occurring in her larger world, I think a girl like Felicity would not be very personally involved in Loyalist versus Patriot activity like she is portrayed. The novel largely skirts around the issue of the plantation being one that is powered by slaves, but it does provide an overview of life for enslaved individuals on plantations in the looking back section after the conclusion of the novel. It would have been nice if they could have been highlighted in the plot or at least acknowledged by Felicity as people and thus who endure great hardship to support the lifestyle her family enjoys. I do think if this were written today, it probably would have a very different focus. 

Stars: 4

Related Titles: 

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular Posts