AG Marisol vs Alphabet City Ballet Marisol

[JuliaAM]

I finished AG's Marisol book so now I can compare the two Marisol books: American Girl's <u>Marisol</u> and <u>Alphabet City Ballet</u> by Erika Tamar.

Personally, I liked Tamar's Marisol much better. But that's a personal preference. Tamar's book was written for 10 and up, so the characters and topics were more advanced. Soto's book had to be appropriate for 8 year olds so there weren't as many pages and issues were kept light making Marisol seem immature at times.

I read Alphabet City Ballet a month before I got my doll. So the first Marisol I met was not the AG version. I was completely endeared to Tamar's Marisol and I haven't been able to forget her character. So my doll will probably always have a large portion of Tamar's Marisol. Tamar's Marisol focused on traditional ballet, not folklorico so the fact that the AG doll doesn't have folklorico skirts further strengthens the connection between my doll and Tamar's Marisol.

Has anyone else read both books? What do you think of the two stories?

Julia

[Jane Hart]

Wow, how weird! I read what was offered through Amazon and like you said, it seemed more advanced and gave more charecter depth. I have never heard of them before you mentioning it.

[Shawniec]

Julia,
I have not read either book, but I wanted to thank you for mentioning the Alphabet City one. I am saving my pennies (literally!) for Marisol, and I will be sure to get this book when I can. I have high hopes that one of my DDs will do at least a few years of dance, and I want to be able to have Marisol in reserve for this. I figure I will keep her for myself it neither of my girls keeps up the lessons!

[Sail-Away]

I am wondering how much farther advanced is the Alphabet City book?

Marina has a pretty advanced reading level and I wonder if it is one she would be more interested in reading....hmmm....which would you recommend her reading first? I figure if she is reading the HArry Potter series on her own will she be able to handle reading at this level of book too? Just wondering if it is more advanced thatn that I guess......

[JuliaAM]

If Marina is reading Harry Potter then she'll find Alphabet City Ballet easy. The maturity in ACB is more in content than language. In ACB Marisol's brother falls in with a bad crowd that sells drugs although he doesn't use or sell drugs himself. The word drug isn't mentioned often but implied. Then there's a near-riot near the end of the story that may be fairly intense to young readers. But I really like how everything is handled and Marisol's caring heart is evident. The book was well written and I was able to connect with Marisol with all her setbacks and determination.

Julia