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Meet Samantha (American Girl: Samantha #1) by Susan S. Adler

 

Summary (from the publisher): Samantha Parkington is an orphan who lives with her rich grandmother in 1904. There are many servants in Grandmary's busy, bustling household, but there is no one for Samantha to play with. That's why she's so excited when Nellie moves in next door. Nellie has come to work so that she can send money back to her family in the city. Even though their lives are different, the two girls become good friends. One day Samantha discovers that Jessie, the seamstress, is leaving. No one will tell her why. So she and Nellie plan a secret midnight adventure to find out.

Review: In this book we meet Samantha, who is a nine-year-old living in a wealthy neighborhood in 1904. Her parents died in a tragic accident, so Samantha is being raised by her grandmother, with frequent visits by her uncle. Despite her wealthy upbringing that includes a full house of servants, lessons in proper comportment, expensive China dolls, and a private girls' school, Samantha is still fully of empathy when she meets the little girl brought out of a factory to work next door. And she fills profound curiosity and injustice that her grandmother's seamstress Jessie has left employment in the household very abruptly. She enlists her new friend Nellie from next door to go find seamstress Jessie and find out the truth. 

I have been slowly reading through the American Girl books with my daughters aged 8 and 6. Since we were starting a new series, we decided to try including my four-year-old son. But I did feel badly because, in comparison to some of the other American Girls, Samantha's story is just not as thrilling! While Kirsten is crossing the ocean, Felicity is stealing horses from mean drunks, and Addy is escaping from slavery, Samantha is doing her cross stitch and disagreeing with the unpleasant boy that lives next door. The one thrilling bit of this novel is when she sneaks out after dark to try to find Jessie and find out why she no longer works in the household. But it still just felt like much lower stakes than the other girls' stories. This isn't all bad and I do think this book is historically accurate and really captures daily life for a girl of Samantha's class during the time period. But it is a less riveting read. 

I do love Samantha's heart. Many girls raised in such a privileged and exclusive household would snub Nellie next door for her impoverished background, role as a servant, and lack of education. But Samantha is excited to befriend her and instantly starts looking out for Nellie and worries about her and her family back home. Samantha also seems so lonely! Her grandmother is her only family, and while she obviously cares for Samantha, she is very formal and distant with her. Thank goodness for the kindly household staff that make up the rest of Samantha's found family. 

Stars: 4

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