Kirsten's Boxed Set

American Girl: Kirsten #1-6

by Janet Beeler Shaw

Kirsten Larson and her family arrive in America in 1854, after a long sea voyage. Everything looks so different from the life Kirsten knew back in Sweden--the ways people talk and dress seem strange! Getting lost in a big city and parting with her best friend only add to Kirsten’s worry. Will she ever feel at home here? It is only when the Larsons arrive at a tiny farm on the edge of the frontier that Kirsten believes Papa’s promise--America will be a land filled with opportunity for them all.

6 book boxed set featuring 1854 Kirsten, An American Girl.

Genres: Historical Fiction, Childrens, Fiction, Historical, Middle Grade, Young Adult, Juvenile

400 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1990

Reviews

[Miranda Reads · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a collection of the main Kirsten books - really love the storyline along with the historical sections that provide additional context for the various events, activities and traditions for that era.

Meet Kirsten: An American Girl - ★★★★☆

"Home -- that's a place where you're happy, a place where you belong."

It's 1854 and the time for new beginnings - but beginnings are often quite scary. Kirsten doesn't know the customs, or the language, or anyone who lives in America. But, at least she has her family.

Most of the book focused on the rough journey that her family went through. Kirsten is likeable and relatable main character - I enjoyed watching her interact with the other characters and really felt for her given that ending. All in all, a fairly good start to the series!

Kirsten Learns a Lesson: A School Story - ★★★★☆

"But I can't do what you do. I only speak a little bit of English, and I can't read a word of it. I won't fit in at all."

Kirsten, along with her family, voyaged over the ocean and across America...but now she has her greatest challenge yet: School. And it's so much worse than she imagined - but at least she has her cousins to keep her company and her secret friend, Singing Bird.

This one was a really solid follow up to Meet Kirsten - I feel like we were able to see a lot of character development for Kirsten. My heart ached for her when she spoke of having to memorize the poem and then the anxiety she felt over speaking English in front of the other school children.

Kirsten's Surprise: A Christmas Story - ★★★★★

"People are more important than things."

Kirsten knows this is true...but she can't stop thinking of her family's trunk only a few miles away from their new home. It has all of the family's winter clothes along with precious keepsakes and Kirsten's most treasured item: a little doll named Sari. How can Kirsten convince her papa that she needs those trunks? And what would happen to the family traditions if she can't get them?

This series is so gosh-darn well-written - Kirsten's struggle to find her place in the new world felt so heart-achingly real. The world building and character development is impressive considering how short this book is. I won't spoil it but wow. The ending really got to me. There's something about fathers and daughters struggling against the world that really gets my tears flowing.

Happy Birthday Kirsten!: A Springtime Story - ★★★★☆

"Why did a baby need so many diapers? Surely three or four would be enough."

There's so much happening and Kirsten doesn't know how to feel. Her Mama is expecting a baby, Papa's building a new barn, and one of the cats had kittens and Kirsten is so worried about the tiniest kitten. Kirsten knows she should focus on the big things: Mama, Papa, the kittens...and yet, a small, secret part of her heart wants a nice birthday party - or any birthday celebration at all.

This was a wonderful addition to Kirsten's story. I was impressed by how the author was able to bring such tension to the story - Kirsten's worry about her Mama was so relatable, especially when given the context from other characters regarding childbirth in that time period. I also really appreciated the connection to the past - we learn about the importance of quilting to girls of that era and the friendship bonds that can develop from shared activities.

Kirsten Saves the Day: A Summer Story - ★★★★☆

"And in the distance, Kirsten heard a faint hum, like a cat purring or Papa's snore or maybe -- bees."

Adjusting to America has been a bit of a bumpy road for Kirsten but Kirsten finally feels settled. Mostly. Only one problem: money. But Kirsten has an idea when she and her brother find a bee tree in the middle of the woods. She will be the one to get the honey for the family - and so begins the scheming.

I thought this was a pretty good addition to the Kirsten lore. Without giving too much away, I did think it was realistic for her to act a bit reckless given the situation and I appreciated the way her parents stepped in when needed.

Changes for Kirsten: A Winter Story - ★★★☆☆

"Kirsten thought it was awful to have Papa gone. But she knew there was no other way her family could save money for a farm of their own."

Kirsten, Lars, and John (a friend) trapped animals all winter, with hopes of selling their furs to earn a little extra cash. But then she takes in a young raccoon in for just one night, just to let it recover...but then the worst thing possible happens when the little raccoon is brought into her family's one-room cabin for the night.

Wow. Janet Beeler Shaw certainly didn't pull any punches for the last book of the series. We went from serious to *serious* almost immediately. I thought the plot of this one felt a bit similar to the last one (both involving needing money but in different quantitates). That being said, the actual ending of this book completely left me flabbergasted.

Overall thoughts on the series

These books really went above and beyond my expectations. I truly went into them expecting a cheap cash grab for the doll company, and yet they have such strong plots, great character development and fantastic story arcs.

I do feel that the first four books seem to be the main story arc - Kirsten comes to America, learns English, feels at home with her family, then feels at home with her community - and then the last two books are about earning money. The last two didn't really feel like the fit as well in her arc but ah well.

Overall, this series was really good and you should definitely pick it up if you want a peek into the pioneering past.

[Emily · Rating 4 out of 5]

reasons why this book was awesome:
-for some reason as a child I had a thing for plots that involved deadly fevers.
-kirsten is a cool name.
-one room school houses
-swedes!
-santa lucia
-braid loops

[Cori · Rating 4 out of 5]

Oh my gosh. I loved these books when I was little. I was actually in a Kirsten play. She's mah gurl.

[Melody Schwarting · Rating 4 out of 5]

Of all the American Girl stories, Kirsten's have got to be the most dramatic. Cholera! Blizzard! Tornado! Bears! Fire! I mean, the girl can't catch a break. Though maybe she should know better than to bring a raccoon into the house. Honestly. I, too, find them insanely adorable but they are also trash pandas/agents of chaos.

Kirsten was my doll growing up, and my grandmother gave her to me just months before I moved cross-country, to the Midwest, no less. I was just old enough to read the books on my own and related to her story of immigration, feeling out of place, making new friends, experiencing the extremes of Midwestern weather, and choosing to call this place home.

Say what you will about this brand and capitalism--and I could say plenty--but at the end of the day, the books are solid. They're not just marketing. They hold up. And they're one of the reasons why I became a historian. All due to a little doll with long braids and a gap in her teeth. Representation matters.

[Alice4170 🌙 · Rating 5 out of 5]

5/5 ⭐

[Laura Robinson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not as strong as the Addy books but still solid kids' lit.

[Bailey Crisci · Rating 5 out of 5]

can i be a kirsten girl at 26 now that i’ve finally read these books?

[Melissa Lawyer · Rating 4 out of 5]

I don’t remember much of Kirsten’s story from when I was younger but I read these books to my kids and we loved them. My one very sad complaint is the writer killing off Marta in the first book. I just about threw the book across the room! 😭😭😭😭😭😭

[Rosemarie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Kirsten's stories are straight out of Little House on the Prairie. There is a blizzard, a tornado, going to town, a barn raising and even a fire that burns her log cabin down to the ground.

I loved the Little House books as a child, and wanted to love these stories too, however, what kept getting in the way of that was Kirsten herself - making some very poor decisions! Sadly, I came away from this anthology thinking that Kirsten Larson is the dumbest of the American Girls - at least the ones that I have read. :(

That fire that burned her log cabin down? It started because she brought a baby raccoon into the house, ignoring her mother's warnings that raccoons are dangerous mischief makers. I guess that's a mistake that a lot of 10 year olds might make, but I guess I expect more from the American Girls. They are usually much more mature for their age. The weird thing about the fire story is that no mention was ever made of what happened when Mama found out what caused the fire. Could it be she never asked? There had to be some repercussions, but it was just completely ignored.

Even worse, though, is the story where Kirsten finds a bee tree and decides to surprise Mama and Papa by collecting the honey herself! There are just SO many things wrong with this. I was horrified she would either get attacked by a bear, get stung by a swarm of bees...or both! Why wouldn't she just tell a grown up what she had found? She would still get credit for finding it - as she eventually did. Kirsten might be new to this country, but it still seemed hard to believe that she didn't realize the dangers here.

Speaking of new to this country, the first story was probably my favorite. Being with Kirsten and her family as they travel by boat to the U.S. from Sweden was very well done and I enjoyed that perspective.

Finally, I have to say that the blizzard story was a little far fetched as well. This time it was not Kirsten's bad judgement, but her father's that really annoyed me. It specifically says that as they left for town, it was beginning to snow. So, you live in Minnesota and you are expecting a bad winter - much worse than winters in Sweden, I was surprised to learn. Why do you start out on a long journey when it's already snowing?!? I mean, I would not do that nowadays! So, I guess Kirsten's bad judgement runs in the family.

I did enjoy Kirsten's friendship with the native girl, Singing Bird, and the barn raising/birthday celebration was also fun. Perhaps the intent was to have girls learn from Kirsten's mistakes, but I was still way more disappointed in her than I usually am with the American Girls.

[Amanda · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow, the nostalgia!

As I continue to re-read the American Girl series alongside @americangirlspodcast, I was met with a tidal wave of emotion while devouring Kirsten's stories. Kirsten was my first American Girl doll —in classic childhood logic, I chose her because she looked the most like me. Soon, I was wearing "Kirsten hair" (looped braids) to first grade and pretending to brave a Minnesotan prairie blizzard in my suburban back yard. Between ages 6 and 12, I probably read Kirsten's books a dozen times. So my memory was quickly jogged while reading her books as an adult.

Kirsten's books are both sweet and dark. Kirsten and her family brave the long journey from Sweden to Minnesota in 1854, leaving everything they know behind in hopes of a better life. Amidst death (RIP Marta, you're the realest!), tornadoes, blizzards, fires, uncertainty, the challenges of learning English, and poverty, Kirsten and her family manage to build a life for themselves in America while holding on to their Swedish roots.

As a child, I adored Kirsten's relationship with her "Indian friend," Singing Bird. Now, I see how problematic and othering the depiction of Indigenous people was. While there is a brief mention of the white settlers pushing Natives off of their land, there is no real reckoning of the Larson's role in colonization.

Kirsten's stories brought me back to a simpler time where I'd live in her stories — her bravery a reminder that I too could persevere.

[Eva Chaves · Rating 3 out of 5]

caroline got me this box set for my birthday that i hadn’t read since childhood - kirstin was my very first american girl doll. it was honestly delightful reading this as an adult - the stories are well written and it gave me a cozy nostalgia. i’m inspired to read other american girl books again since i had so much fun with this series. i love kirstin forever ❤️ my swedish princess

[Indigo the great Bacon Hinton ward · Rating 3 out of 5]

I read it because my mom wanted me to 😞
It wasn't bad, but wasn't great. I like how they take a historical event and make it into a fun and entertaining story for kids though, even if no one dies a gory death haha.
It was a cute story, and I didn't ever...dread..reading it so....good job writing it I guess? Definitely for a younger reading level, but ya

[Kirstin Rogers · Rating 5 out of 5]

A solid five ⭐ for my namesake. Between my love of these and Little House on the Prairie, it's clear I have a type. Unlike my review for Molly, there's no simple, mundane stories of a highly relatable childhood here - drama and adventure on the frontier.
The series opens and closes with deaths, one of which includes an illustration of a dead guy, so they clearly went all in on this series!

Reenie's Review: 5⭐

"Kirsten is very brave. She got her Papa out of a snow storm, she fought a bear and she went into a cave with Lars to sell animal skins. She was also kind and ladylike and celebrates with great joy!"

[Shirley · Rating 4 out of 5]

We listened to this set. I hadn't read the books before. I really liked the story! Great narrator. First book had some good descriptions of immigrating and of Minnesota that tied in well with our US geography class.

[Mimsy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Did no one ever ask how the house fire got started? I feel like the fact it was by a raccoon she brought inside after specifically being told not to is relevant??

[Megan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Read these books with my girls. We all enjoyed the series. Definitely recommend to read with the your kids. A slice of history with a lot of fun.

[Pamela · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rereading the American Girl collection is the best. From Kirsten, one learns to have heart and be brave. Kirsten is an immigrant and a pioneer, so we get two viewpoints in her books. (I always loved Kirsten, especially because of my mother's Swedish background.) I continue to hope that the current generation will find and love these books as much as I do.

[DW · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sometimes adult literature is just depressing (most "serious" adult literature) or nauseatingly fluffy (chick lit) or immediately forgettable (action thrillers) or boring (poorly-written non-fiction). On the other hand, there is a fair amount of children's literature that is uplifting and, dare I say, wholesome. So sue me for perusing the children's section at the library after having a bad week.

I had probably read all of these books as a child, but I didn't remember most of them. I was struck by the hardships of the Larsons crossing from Sweden and then traveling by train, riverboat, and walking to Minnesota. Somehow, when the whole family died in the old computer game Oregon Trail, we third graders never thought about children and parents *dying*. We were just disappointed we didn't win the game. I was also struck by Kirsten having to leave behind her doll for months. It's such a small object, with such a high emotional value, and all the children I know (including myself when I grew up) had more toys than we knew what to do with. Also the idea of Kirsten staying home from school (did she never go to school in Sweden? She didn't seem to know how to write when she was nine already) to help her mother cook and clean and tend the baby. Laura Ingalls' family always prioritized school when there was one available as far as I remember. They even studied at home. (Of course, as I learned recently, the Little House books were fictionalized, so perhaps that detail was altered.) I was also interested that Kirsten didn't feel any sympathy for the deer and rabbits her family killed and ate ... I suppose that makes complete sense, it's just a bit surprising to read in modern book. And spending the night in a cave with a corpse, yikes.

[Rachel · Rating 5 out of 5]

Kirsten's stories were the most "scary" to me, as she lived in a rational poverty, as an outsider to a fledging, wild nation, that I had never known. I cried at her best friend's death of cholera along the way to the midwest. I scorned strict Miss Winston, who had no feeling for Kirsten's struggles with a new home. I was thrilled that she befriended Singing Bird, and that we got to take a glimpse into native american culture as well. In adulthood, as I come closer to my own ethnicity and immigrant roots, I appreciate Kirsten's story more than I did as a child. They are definitely worth a re-read.

[Cheryl Gatling]

I downloaded the Kirsten stories on Audible some years ago when my daughter was into the American Girl dolls in a big way. But we never listened to them. She always did prefer the contemporary Girl of the Year stories to the historical books, anyway. So I listened to them myself.

If you like Laura Ingalls Wilder, you will like Kirsten. The era of sunbonnets and homesteading and one-room schoolhouses is the same. Kirsten immigrated from Sweden with her family, and settled on a farm in Minnesota. It was a time of both hardship and promise.

The family had suffered hunger on the worn-out land in Sweden. They heard that the soil was rich and fertile in Minnesota, and it was. But life was still hard. A childhood friend could die of cholera, people could freeze to death in a blizzard (something that threatened Kirsten and her father, although they did not die), a woman could die in childbirth (Kirsten worried about her pregnant mother, although she also did not die). All the children needed to contribute on the farm, and Kirsten was proud and eager to think she might help bring extra money to her family (as when she thought she could bring home honey from a bee tree). Kirsten knew there was little left for extras, and she should not even ask for special things for herself.

A few years ago people started saying that we should make America great again. Which led some other people to ask, when, exactly had America been great? The thing about American greatness is that America has never been great for all of the people at the same time. I think there was something great about a time when a person could step off the boat with nothing, and get a parcel of rich, good land just for the promise of working it, and, through working really hard, get out of poverty.

The problem was that that good fortune came at someone else’s expense. And the books address that. Kirsten befriends an Indian girl. They play together, and give each other little gifts, and Kirsten visits the girl’s camp. But Singing Bird comes to tell Kirsten she is going away. They are all going away, because now that the white farmers have moved in, the Indians have no game to hunt.

While American Girl’s primary goal is to build girls up, by showing them to be capable and strong, having fun, and learning lessons, and loving their families, AG also tries to present history with some complexity (as in the Samantha books, Samantha learns sympathy for child laborers in factories). And I appreciate that. In American history there are both good things and bad things, and that is appropriate for children to know.

[Samantha Bartley · Rating 5 out of 5]

Kirsten was my very first American Girl doll, and is still my absolute favorite. Her stories were so special to me when I was little, and getting the chance to reread them brought back special memories and a genuine love for the series that I nearly forgot I had.

Meet Kirsten
I remember getting this book while at the American Girl Store in Chicago when I was probably eight, and I read the entire book in the first hour of the drive home. I have always adored sweet and simple pioneer stories, and this is of course no exception. It has some sad moments and some happy ones as well. The author doesn't shy away from the tragedy that often came when making dangerous journeys like the one the Larson family takes.
4/5 Stars

Kirsten Learns a Lesson
Miss Winston is the coolest character! I would love to read where she is the main character. Singing Bird was also a nice character addition in this book, although I felt her storyline was a little far fetched. I think it would have been more believable if the two only communicated silently instead of assuming that both picked up English as quickly as they did. But I love this one so much. It gives me happy autumn vibes.
5/5 Stars

Kirsten's Surprise
This book always makes me so emotional. Kirsten wanted to surprise her family with a Saint Lucia celebration. This always reminds me of that Christmas my mom surprised me by getting me Kirsten's Saint Lucia gown and crown. I was so surprised. It is still my favorite outfit of hers that I own. I also think this is my favorite holiday book in the American Girl series.
5/5 Stars

Happy Birthday Kirsten!
Ahh this one always makes me teary too. The idea of a friendship quilt is so sweet. I wish this was still something people did. I also love the idea of a big barn raising party. I need friends with barns that need raising so I can come! They sound like so much fun! Also the scene with Kirsten and her Mama talking about the day she was born is such a well written scene. What am I saying, this entire series is so well written.
5/5 Stars

Kirsten Saves the Day
This was a cute read. Probably my least favorite in the series, although it was still pretty good. Most of the summer stories involve more suspenseful storylines, and I felt like this one was pretty minor.
3/5 Stars

Changes for Kirsten
The winter stories are always so good! I had actually forgotten about this one. It was a really good conclusion to the series. I wish this book series went on longer. They are just all so good.
5/5 Stars

Final Rating: 5/5 Stars

[Katie Young · Rating 4 out of 5]

There's so much to love about Kirsten, even when all her stories aren't collected into one pretty volume with gilded edges. I think my favorite of her books will always be Meet Kirsten. The dangers of immigration are so pronounced, but Kirsten is resourceful and excited about her new life. Kirsten Learns a lesson does brilliant work with second language acquisition, 19th century pedagogy, and some beautiful and progressive intercultural moments. There are tastes of Maryellen's scheming without fully understanding the consequences in Surprise, Changes, and Saves the Day, which was stressful. St. Lucia Day coupled with some patience and bravery saves Surpirse. Saves the Day is way stressful like the whole time. Changes feels less coherent than it actually is, but it is really nice to see the Larsons settled in a big, beautiful farmhouse by the end of the series. The height of Kirsten's character comes in Happy Birthday where quilting is cool, yo! I was also struck by the thorough portrayal of eeking survival out of the land and the forest. Every book features real dangers and opportunities that were believable and convincing. All in all, a fantastic run, most of which I remembered with a few surprises along the way.

[Emily]

General: Currently reading through the American Girl series with my 5 year old daughter. ‘Kirsten’ was our third series: the story of a Swedish family immigrating to Minnesota, to join their extended family in establishing a farm. We read about their travels, the difficulties of settling a new place & learning the language, the challenges of Minnesota winters, etc.

Content: During their travels, Kirsten’s young friend, Marta, dies of cholera. I did abridge some of this content for my five year old (particularly because I remember being terrified of catching cholera when I read this same series as a child!). Later in the series, Kirsten befriends a Native American girl her age & the historical realities of settlers in America and the land they overtook is presented as well.

[Megan Beech · Rating 5 out of 5]

The American Girl doll books were a few of my favorite books growing up and Kirsten was definitely up there in my ranking scale of classic OG American Girl dolls!

Kirsten and her family are immigrants from Sweden who want the American dream and settle in Minnesota during the 1800's. This series in particular reminds me so much of the Little House on the Prairie books and that was another series I held near and dear to my heart as a young girl.

Now that I'm grown and have a daughter of my own, I would love to find these books in a box set like I had back then but wowsers are super expensive since they're out of print, which is an absolute shame.

I highly recommend these books to any young readers who has a sense of adventure and loves history as much as I do!

[Leah · Rating 3 out of 5]

As with the other American Girl books, this was an engaging series about a pioneer girl growing up and learning life lessons on the frontier in the 1850s. Though not as in-depth as Little House, they offer a good overview of what life was like, and a unique perspective on an immigrant's experience. I noticed a difference in the writing quality, these being by a different author than most of the other American Girl books, but it was still decent. As always, I enjoyed the illustrations and "Looking Back" section to learn more about life back then, with a focus on the immigrant experience.

[BooktothePointe · Rating 4 out of 5]

American Girl again tells the story of a large movement of people in a way easily followed/understood by early elementary kids. I appreciated the inclusion of a Native American as helpful with the commentary that fear of the unknown is what creates fear of a whole people group. That said, this was written in the 1980s so it uses the slang “Indians” as well as the same narratives presented in books like Little House on the Prairie.
Still it’s an enjoyable series that presents real history in a way that’s easier for kids to grasp

[Rdschislergmail.com · Rating 3 out of 5]

Meh. Books 1-2 are fine but her personality seems to change drastically in the last two books. She goes from being quietly observant to actively annoying. Maybe it’s meant to depict her shift into adolescence. Also, the repetition of the cave in snowstorm thing in both Book 3 and 6 seems like lazy writing. Plus, all of Book 6 seems problematic. Would the death of Old Jack really have gone uninvestigated…especially after they helped themselves to all his pelts? I’m sure such things happened, but was it really okay? Glosses over some serious ethical questions.

[Brittney · Rating 3 out of 5]

I like all the historical characters I read about in childhood. I bought the Samantha doll but later decided I liked Addy’s story more.

I enjoyed rereading Kirsten’s story. I especially liked the Christmas story when she must weather a winter storm. The school story was a little boring, like the whole conflict is she had to recite a poem? And I was annoyed with her in Changes for Kirsten because she caused a dangerous situation for the second story in a row and caused problems for her family.

[Heather Mahoney · Rating 4 out of 5]

I finished rereading her entire collection and these stories are so good. There’s a reason I was so obsessed as a kid and still am.

Kirsten goes through a bit more trauma than I remembered including her cabin burning down, finding a dead man, and climbing up a tree to avoid a bear! She also develops beautiful friendships and learns how to be more thoughtful and find a way to belong in a new country. These books started my love of history and they stand the test of time ♥️

[Molly Grimmius · Rating 5 out of 5]

Finished reading this series with Anne. I’m not sure how many times I read it... I know at least once with my mom and then a few times by myself as a girl. I absolutely believe that American Girl stories really put me down the path of living historical fiction. These are such a great stories... beautiful pictures, great stories, great length and great lessons! It was a delight to read with Anne.