AG for younger girls

[Skittl1321]

One of my co-workers has a daughter who is about 5 1/2 who has just discovered the AG catalog. She wants Felicity.

My coworker is hesitant to buy her such an expensive doll because her current "favorite" doll has no arms, and most of the others have some major disability due to her daughters carelessness (and the 5 year old is the oldest in the house).

I told her that I would recommend she not let her daughter get a doll until she can read the books on her own. That way she is a little older, and also has to "earn" it.

The girl loves to have stories read to her so I offered to lend the co-worker a few of the books.

Now heres the pickle- which books would you give to young children? The mom didn't think she could handle the concept of death of a friend (so no Meet Kirsten), that slavery was too much (so no Meet Addy).

I was thinking Meet Felicity, Meet Kit, and Meet Molly. What do you think? Should I give them a book other than the Meet book? It seems weird to not start at the beginning.

(And have you ever though about the themes of these books. No wonder they have them marked 8+, every girl has something that might disturb a younger child somewhere in their series)

[thepidget]

For younger readers, I think it would be okay to start out with the Molly series. The themes in her book are less "scary" than the others, but I'm sure the child will be asking questions about war and why people must leave to serve their country. You could also get the kid a mini-doll. [img]smile.gif[/img] Also, I think the historical characters' short stories might be okay, but the parent should read them over first just to be sure.

Edit: I forgot to mention...I don't know how sensitive this child is. Meet Felicity might be good to read as well, but I don't know if the animal abuse in the story might scare her. I don't know if this would be a huge deal, but you should ask the parent first.

Hope this helps!

<font color="#33CCCC" size="1">[ May 14, 2006 04:45 PM: Message edited by: thepidget ]</font>

[Skittl1321]

Originally posted by thepidget:
Also, I think the historical characters' short stories might be okay, but the parent should read them over first just to be sure.

Edit: I forgot to mention...I don't know how sensitive this child is. Meet Felicity might be good to read as well, but I don't know if the animal abuse in the story might scare her. I don't know if this would be a huge deal, but you should ask the parent first.

Hope this helps!

<font color="#33CCCC"><font size="1">[ May 14, 2006 04:45 PM: Message edited by: thepidget ]</font></font>

<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">Well, I'm giving the books to her Mom- I hope she would have the good sense to read them before reading them to an almost 6 year old.

I forgot about the animal abuse. I couldn't think of a big negative for Meet Felicity (just her mother almost dying) but man... these are some severe topics.

I like the mini doll suggestion. I'll mention that to my coworker.

[PrincessRuthie]

What about suggesting that the girl get a Bitty or the twins? The HHS dolls and books are good ideas, too, especially since Gwen and Hallie are on sale.

[navymom02navy]

My daughter is 5 and has both Marisol and Jess. While she's not old enough to read the books herself, she loves her dolls and cares for them like they are real.

We read Josefina and Felicity's stories a little each night before bed and she loves hearing about their families and adventures.

Based on the description of your friends daughters current doll, I would probably also be very hesitant to recommend her having an AG doll just yet though.

[american_girl_forever]

Not for ntohing, Meet Felicity may scare her as well.

I mean, even I'm afarid of Jiggy Nye. Those pictures are creepy, and to have a 5 year old reading about some creepy guy with drinking problems beating a horse to death!?

If I had a five year old, I'd probably get her Meet Molly or Meet Kit.

[dalmatian101]

I read DD the Molly books when she was 6 and she was upset that the dad was gone from the family and she really had an issue with that for a while. I would start with the Hopscotch Hill for that age.

[MollyGirl]

BITTY BABY

BITTY BABY

I just ordered a Bitty Baby for a 2 year old. I figure let them drag, spill stuff on, feed real bottles to, throw, drop, step on, and love to death. I told her Mother, the head comes off and the body can be washed. Let the girl enjoy the most wonderful doll for her age. (I think Bitties are wonderful for our younger doll lovers.) She can wait on the 18" dolls until the sweet child is old enough to understand about taking care of a doll. I think that is why the Bitty's were introduced.

[img]graemlins/smarty.gif[/img] [img]graemlins/smarty.gif[/img] (Molly agrees)

[cowgirlsue]

Perhaps my experience might help. My DD became entranced with the AG dolls when she was 4. I read the Kaya series aloud to her--but heavily edited. We got a mini Kaya & a mini-world set. For Christmas that year, she got what we jokingly referred to as her "trainer" doll: a Laura Ashley 18 inch whom she named Mary. Mary became big sister to DD's other 18 inch doll, Laura. That's right, the Ingalls girls, LOL. I got some relatively inexpensive period clothing from EBAY & she read Little House chapter books & acted out the stories. Thus, we created our own history dolls. This worked well for us on many levels. The stories were suited to where she was developmentally -- nothing too complex. Then, Mary's leg fell off when Laura & Mary were being chased by a wolf(!). The cost of a repair was more than the doll itself, so we got an identical LA doll to replace her. Lame Mary was rechristened "Ana," and a used AG wheelchair was purchased for her. I can just imagine how frustrated we would have been over this ordeal, had this been an expensive AG doll!

DD was an independent reader by 5, but not ready yet for some of the themes in the AG books. I did let her read the Meet books for Kirsten, Josephina, and Felicity then. Aside from the unfortunate leg incident, she took good care of her "trainer" dolls, so this past summer we made a birthday pilgrimage to AGNY where she chose Felicity. Elizabeth came at Christmas & she saved up money for Jess, who arrived recently. DD is now nearly 7 and has read Jess & all of the Felicity, Addy, Kirsten, Molly, & Kit books. Some of the issues mentioned, such as animal abuse & parental loss (she avoids the Samantha or Josephina series because of the latter)are indeed troubling to her at this age, but we talk through those issues and I've read all of the books along with her. My DD is very precocious, but she just loves her "girls." Addy or Molly are next on her list to acquire!

[QNPoohBear]

You could lend her some of the short stories.