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Happy Birthday, Kit!: A Springtime Story (American Girl: Kit #4) by Valerie Tripp

 

Summary (from the publisher): As her tenth birthday approaches, Kit knows that there won't be a party since her father doesn't have a job and money is tight, but when her Aunt Millie comes to visit, her thriftiness and good ideas make for an excellent birthday celebration! 

Review: The Great Depression rages on and things are finances are still tight in Kit's family and she's sad knowing they won't be able to afford the tenth birthday part of her dreams. But Kit is thrilled when her Aunt Millie, the woman who raised her father, arrives for a visit. Aunt Millie is the queen of thriftiness and soon takes over the household with her enterprising and thrifty ways. 

Aunt Millie was such an interesting character! I would love to learn more about how she came to raise Kit's father. I loved all of her penny-pinching methods on ways to make do around the house. Aunt Millie has the household cutting sheets in half and flipping them around when the middles get worn, planting a garden, and purchases chickens and sending Kit and Stirling door to door to sell eggs. While Kit's mother is clearly annoyed to have her taking over the household and how it is run, I love that Kit is very into it (until it comes to her birthday party) and happily embraces Aunt Millie's role in the household and even sharing her attic room with her. 

I did think the plot wasn't as fully developed as some of the other American Girl books. There wasn't as much tension in this. Basically, Kit ends up hurting Aunt Millie's feelings and then asking forgiveness. Which is great! I was glad to see her making mistakes and then working to correct them, which is a great life lesson. But I just wanted something more from the plot. I wish we had gotten more backstory on Aunt Millie including her past, the job she lost, and her history with the family. 

Stars: 4

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