As American Girl books go, this was a really good "Meet" story. In it we meet Rebecca Rubin and her family. They are Jewish and have immigrated from Russia. We see that three generations live in their home and how they live, work, and worship together. Well, we don't see them at synagogue, but we get to see how they start celebrating Sabbath and some of their traditions.We get an idea of the struggles the family went through to get to the United States and how much they are worried about the family still in Russia. They are not wealthy and need $175 to get their family here. [Doesn't sound like much, but that's like $4,087 now. Still doesn't sound like a lot? It translates to 37 American Girl dolls (no outfits or accessories).] Rebecca, the youngest daughter (but not the youngest child), comes up with an idea to raise money so she can purchase something for herself and decides the proceeds would be better used by her family. [It was very interesting since I just read how a little girl is selling her Saige doll to help raise money to send care packages to service men and women overseas.] While the glimpses we get are not all that deep, they set the foundation for the rest of her story and we get a clear idea what our ancestors may have gone through to get here.The installment made me think of the movie/play Fiddler on the Roof.In the back of the book is a "Looking Back" section that gives even more information about New York City and those emigrating from Europe. I wanted to read an American Girl Book to see what all the fuss was about. I have two boys, so we have not come across this series in our family readings. I grabbed one for our book talk on historical fiction. Overall, it was about what I expected. It wasn't amazing - it wasn't horrible. The main character, Rebecca, is a young Jewish girl in new york in the early 20th century. She wants to be older then she is, and she longs for attention. When she saves money for something she really wants, she realizes that there is a far better use for these funds - her cousin needs money to escape from Russia and come to America.The story is simple, but the lessons are good ones. The language isn't what I would call "time appropriate," but the situations are relevant to era. I understand that the books are linked to the American Girl dolls, and marketing is the driving force behind these books. Having said this, I think it's a good series for 2nd/3rd grade girls. They aren't too advanced, and they do promote an interest in a time other than now.
What do You think about Meet Rebecca (2009)?
I thought this was nice little read. An original story, in my opinion. I liked it. :)
—ChickLet
I love American girl doll books they get me moving
—Oshan
