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American Girl: Samantha #1
Meet Samantha: An American Girl
In 1904, nine-year-old Samantha, an orphan living with her wealthy grandmother, and her servant friend Nellie have a midnight adventure when they try to find out what has happened to the seamstress who suddenly left her job.
64 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 1986
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 534 reviews
November 29, 2025
"The leaves of the quiet old oak tree suddenly rustled and dropped a squirming bundle of arms and legs. Samantha Parkington tumbled out of the tree."Samantha is nine years old and living in 1904 - it is the time of grand inventions. Motorcars, factories, phones. So many wild and wonderful things.
.And yet...things are also not quite as bright and beautiful beneath the surface.
"Samantha could hardly contain her excitement as the shiny black car jerked and sputtered to a stop in front of the house."
Nellie moves in next door and at first Samantha is so excited but when she realizes that Nellie is a servant girl (despite being the same age), Samantha begins to learn just how cruel the world can be.
And there's Jessie - a seamstress who Samantha's grandmother (Grandmary) employs. One day Jessie was patching up Samantha, helping her hide an adventure, and the next day Jessie is gone.
"Nellie didn't look at Samantha when she answered. 'My father works in a factory in the city, and my mother does washing. But there's three of us children, you see, and it's not enough.' "
Where could she be? Why won't anyone tell her? And what can Samantha do to fix this?
" 'Jessie's gone away,' she said.
'Yes dear, I know....Now, now, love. You must not fret about it.' "
Okay, just right off the top - THIS is the same company that sells dolls? Right? The ones with the fancy clothes and the expensive accessories?
I had a few people recommend the American Girl Books over time to me and I've always been a bit ambivalent. I've dismissed them because of my own bias towards the company - I truly did not expect the books to be this good.
And yet, we have such a strong story. Samantha is a little rich girl living in the 1900s and initially, I thought she would come off as spoiled or vain but the author did an amazing job of bringing her to life.
Yes, Samantha is sheltered and privileged but she's also empathetic, stubborn, and honest - she wasn't aware of the intricacies and consequences of segregation, child labor, etc. But once she learns, she does what she can to help those who she loves.
I also adore Grandmary in this story. She's such a wonderful character - she's the one in charge and there's no ifs, ands or buts about it!
Overall, I was rather impressed by this book - both by the solid writing and the powerful story.
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February 17, 2025the protagonist serves c*nt in a way u would not believe
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May 15, 2024Samantha and Eddie choose violence every single time they set eyes on each other and personally I love it
November 17, 2025
The Pleasant Company has done a great job through all of its American Girl stories and products in helping to make history interesting for kids in a variety of different ways, while making it a priority to address their contemporary concerns as well. All of the American Girl dolls have a finely tuned background, family history and unique niche in the timeline of our nation's past, and the books about them marvelously capture what makes everything about their historical narratives so special.
Samantha has always been one of my favorites, and this story was the first to bring her to life as a living, breathing literary character. Living with her wealthy, stern grandmother in 1904, Samantha leads a privileged existence that is starkly different from the experiences of most other Americans of the time. Samantha isn't expected to do chores or help around the house, or even to prepare to one day get a job and earn her own income. Such things were not expected of girls in those days, especially of one born into affluence. When a girl her age named Nellie moves next door, however, Samantha begins to really see for the first time that this world she inhabits is not all like her own. Nellie is only nine years old, yet she has been hired out alone from her family as a servant girl for the people living in the mansion next to Samantha's, where Nellie now works valiantly to earn her dollar-a-week salary.
Their class differences mean nothing to Samantha and Nellie, though, and the girls quickly form a close friendship. When Samantha wonders why Jessie—the serving woman who had been a fixture in her grandmother's house for many years—abruptly leaves, she and Nellie even sneak out one night to locate Jessie's house and find out the real story behind the mystery. Such clandestine activity with a good-hearted motive serves to strengthen the bond shared by the two girls.
As the book moves along, Samantha begins to see past the wall that her family's wealth has inevitably erected between themselves and much of the world. She sees that what really matters to a compassionate girl like herself is to be kind to others, to treat them with the respect they deserve, and to be able to reach out to make friends with a kind girl like Nellie. When Samantha hears the sad news that Nellie will be leaving to go back with her own family, she gathers the courage to show one last act of uncommon generosity toward her departing friend, and it becomes clear that Samantha has learned well what it takes to be a real friend.
Some of the old-fashioned rules in this book about how kids are supposed to behave can be hard to understand. Why weren't they permitted to initiate questions to the adults around them, or to speak their mind without first being directly addressed by an adult? This was the world in which Samantha and Nellie lived and grew, though, a real world of disparity and sometimes frequent unfairness, and the inclusion of such details helps to give us a clear window into what life was like for everyone involved. So often history is presented mainly as the big things that are done by adults, but this story makes it very accessible to kids by showing that history really is comprised just as much by the everyday lives of kids like Samantha and Nellie as it is by anything else. Samantha's story will warm hearts and inspire, and I think that it will do much to cultivate a keen interest in history in the minds of many early readers.
Samantha has always been one of my favorites, and this story was the first to bring her to life as a living, breathing literary character. Living with her wealthy, stern grandmother in 1904, Samantha leads a privileged existence that is starkly different from the experiences of most other Americans of the time. Samantha isn't expected to do chores or help around the house, or even to prepare to one day get a job and earn her own income. Such things were not expected of girls in those days, especially of one born into affluence. When a girl her age named Nellie moves next door, however, Samantha begins to really see for the first time that this world she inhabits is not all like her own. Nellie is only nine years old, yet she has been hired out alone from her family as a servant girl for the people living in the mansion next to Samantha's, where Nellie now works valiantly to earn her dollar-a-week salary.
Their class differences mean nothing to Samantha and Nellie, though, and the girls quickly form a close friendship. When Samantha wonders why Jessie—the serving woman who had been a fixture in her grandmother's house for many years—abruptly leaves, she and Nellie even sneak out one night to locate Jessie's house and find out the real story behind the mystery. Such clandestine activity with a good-hearted motive serves to strengthen the bond shared by the two girls.
As the book moves along, Samantha begins to see past the wall that her family's wealth has inevitably erected between themselves and much of the world. She sees that what really matters to a compassionate girl like herself is to be kind to others, to treat them with the respect they deserve, and to be able to reach out to make friends with a kind girl like Nellie. When Samantha hears the sad news that Nellie will be leaving to go back with her own family, she gathers the courage to show one last act of uncommon generosity toward her departing friend, and it becomes clear that Samantha has learned well what it takes to be a real friend.
Some of the old-fashioned rules in this book about how kids are supposed to behave can be hard to understand. Why weren't they permitted to initiate questions to the adults around them, or to speak their mind without first being directly addressed by an adult? This was the world in which Samantha and Nellie lived and grew, though, a real world of disparity and sometimes frequent unfairness, and the inclusion of such details helps to give us a clear window into what life was like for everyone involved. So often history is presented mainly as the big things that are done by adults, but this story makes it very accessible to kids by showing that history really is comprised just as much by the everyday lives of kids like Samantha and Nellie as it is by anything else. Samantha's story will warm hearts and inspire, and I think that it will do much to cultivate a keen interest in history in the minds of many early readers.
January 4, 2020
I loved these books as a girl, and they are still good rereading them as an adult. The story is simple and sweet, with vivid characters and funny dialogue. I especially love Samantha’s character and how curious and brave she is.
The main reason I’m enjoying rereading them as an adult is the strong nostalgia and memories. I’m not sure that an adult reader would enjoy these books if they had not already read them as a child.
The main reason I’m enjoying rereading them as an adult is the strong nostalgia and memories. I’m not sure that an adult reader would enjoy these books if they had not already read them as a child.
January 24, 2023
Re-reading these an adult is already so much fun. I feel like they genuinely gave me such good values, and this was such a good reintroduction into Samantha’s story!
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September 30, 2012The last time I read this, I was unable to see the subtleties of the characters. I was unable to read between the lines.
Now I am a dignified woman of eighteen and the atrocities contained within this book are extremely alarming to me.
The story begins with Samantha falling out of a tree, the little uncoordinated waif that she is. Little does the reader know that Samantha ends up to be a crack whore in the last book. She is always falling out of trees, out of relationships, out of addiction. This foreshadowing happens in the first page of the first book.
At witnessing this extreme example of Samantha's clumsiness, her neighbor Eddie Ryland calls her "dumb". He says she's "so dumb [she] doesn't even know how to climb a tree". A few pages later, Eddie tells her that she lacks beauty and implies that she would scare many a woodland creature with her facial features.
On the second page, we are shown that Eddie Ryland fails at elementary level mathematics, unable to perform a simple mathematical action like 3x4. But unlike Samantha, Eddie doesn't fall out of trees or relationships or addictions. He applies himself and later becomes a successful and wealthy banker, owner of Eddie Ryland Enterprises Corporation Incorporated.
Whenever he walks down the street named after himself, Samantha is working the corner, and offers her services to him. He throws the same line back at her. "Samantha, you're really dumb." He gives her a look, then pauses. "You're so dumb you don't even know how to put on makeup properly. Also, you're so ugly you would scare a moose."
Now I am a dignified woman of eighteen and the atrocities contained within this book are extremely alarming to me.
The story begins with Samantha falling out of a tree, the little uncoordinated waif that she is. Little does the reader know that Samantha ends up to be a crack whore in the last book. She is always falling out of trees, out of relationships, out of addiction. This foreshadowing happens in the first page of the first book.
At witnessing this extreme example of Samantha's clumsiness, her neighbor Eddie Ryland calls her "dumb". He says she's "so dumb [she] doesn't even know how to climb a tree". A few pages later, Eddie tells her that she lacks beauty and implies that she would scare many a woodland creature with her facial features.
On the second page, we are shown that Eddie Ryland fails at elementary level mathematics, unable to perform a simple mathematical action like 3x4. But unlike Samantha, Eddie doesn't fall out of trees or relationships or addictions. He applies himself and later becomes a successful and wealthy banker, owner of Eddie Ryland Enterprises Corporation Incorporated.
Whenever he walks down the street named after himself, Samantha is working the corner, and offers her services to him. He throws the same line back at her. "Samantha, you're really dumb." He gives her a look, then pauses. "You're so dumb you don't even know how to put on makeup properly. Also, you're so ugly you would scare a moose."
November 3, 2011
Meet Samantha is one book in the Americal Girls series. The book is targeted towards intermediate children. The book takes you essentially through Samantha's life. It begins when she was just a little girl. She was raised by her elder grandmother as her guardian. She lived in a time, 1904, where being a "lady" was a very valued concept. For example, one day while playing outside, Samantha was teased and bullied by a little boy. She ran home to tell her housekeeper and the house keeper simply said, "Here you are, nine years old, almost a lady, and still getting into mischief like a ragmuffin." She was forced to grow up rather quickly. Throughout the book and her life, Samantha goes through many trials and tribulations while just trying to find herself. I rated this book with 5 stars because while I am never interested in anything historical, the book was well written, had great illustrations and included additional information about the times in addition to photographs of the time period. By reading the book you get a true feel for what she went through. I think this book would be appealing to the majority of students mostly being girls. I could use this book while discussing women in history.
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August 8, 2022i just read this whole series so i think i should be allowed to log it on here. not a lot of depth to these stories—samantha apparently can’t do anything wrong and doesn’t show any significant character growth. also, they’ll skip over major events like weddings and instead just mention them in passing in the following book. i think the movie did a much better job of streamlining the plot and actually developing the characters. but it’s really not that deep, these are more about the childhood nostalgia for me than anything else!
June 3, 2021
Enjoyed reading this aloud to my daughter on our way home from vacation. I liked how it made history accessable to a younger audience. My daughter enjoyed the part about the ants and the friendship between Samantha and Nellie.
December 21, 2024
We are introduced to sweet girl, Samantha, and her lifestyle in 1901 with her Grandmary, the bully boy next door, and a new friend that comes to town.
A lovely start to the story in book one of the six book series.
A lovely start to the story in book one of the six book series.
September 23, 2022
As a little girl. I was opposed with American Girl. I still really enjoy the stories. American Girl really got me into reading. I started American Girl when I was 9. I loved them ever since.
October 10, 2022
A girl who knows what’s up, that’s Samantha.
5⭐️ my inner child is squealing
5⭐️ my inner child is squealing
June 1, 2024
Re-reading as an adult, here's what I notice about this childhood fave:
- Samantha is bright, curious, brave, and has a huge heart.
- She's also pretty sheltered, but that's very useful to the story. Young readers don't understand how her world works either. (Or at least I certainly didn't - I vividly remember a conversation at age six or seven, with my mom in which she realized that I didn't understand the difference between servants and slaves. I had asked her who came first, Samantha or President Lincoln. #whiteprivilege)
- She's quick to use her privilege to help others - Nellie in particular, but she's also incensed on Jessie's behalf when she thinks Jessie has been sent away.
- The ants in the sewing room give me the creeping horrors. Samantha clearly has no fear of bugs, though, since she's threatened to put Eddie Ryland's beetles in the collection plate, which is a delightful image and I'm a little sorry she doesn't do it, much as it would impede her progress as a proper young lady.
- I remember Grandmary being stern and kind of scary, which probably just tells you how easily I was intimidated as a child. She clearly is The Lady In Charge and someone Not To Be Crossed, but she also clearly has a soft heart.
- Samantha seems lonely. We meet other friends in subsequent books, but this one very much revolves around Grandmary's house and the people in it.
More Samantha babble:
Meet Samantha | Samantha Learns a Lesson | Samantha's Surprise | Happy Birthday, Samantha | Samantha Saves the Day | Changes for Samantha
Nellie's Promise
Samantha's Winter Party | Samantha and the Missing Pearls | Samantha Saves the Wedding | Samantha's Blue Bicycle | Samantha's Special Talent | Samantha's Short Story Collection
The Curse of Ravenscourt | The Stolen Sapphire | The Cry of the Loon | Clue in the Castle Tower
The Lilac Tunnel: My Journey with Samantha
- Samantha is bright, curious, brave, and has a huge heart.
- She's also pretty sheltered, but that's very useful to the story. Young readers don't understand how her world works either. (Or at least I certainly didn't - I vividly remember a conversation at age six or seven, with my mom in which she realized that I didn't understand the difference between servants and slaves. I had asked her who came first, Samantha or President Lincoln. #whiteprivilege)
- She's quick to use her privilege to help others - Nellie in particular, but she's also incensed on Jessie's behalf when she thinks Jessie has been sent away.
- The ants in the sewing room give me the creeping horrors. Samantha clearly has no fear of bugs, though, since she's threatened to put Eddie Ryland's beetles in the collection plate, which is a delightful image and I'm a little sorry she doesn't do it, much as it would impede her progress as a proper young lady.
- I remember Grandmary being stern and kind of scary, which probably just tells you how easily I was intimidated as a child. She clearly is The Lady In Charge and someone Not To Be Crossed, but she also clearly has a soft heart.
- Samantha seems lonely. We meet other friends in subsequent books, but this one very much revolves around Grandmary's house and the people in it.
More Samantha babble:
Meet Samantha | Samantha Learns a Lesson | Samantha's Surprise | Happy Birthday, Samantha | Samantha Saves the Day | Changes for Samantha
Nellie's Promise
Samantha's Winter Party | Samantha and the Missing Pearls | Samantha Saves the Wedding | Samantha's Blue Bicycle | Samantha's Special Talent | Samantha's Short Story Collection
The Curse of Ravenscourt | The Stolen Sapphire | The Cry of the Loon | Clue in the Castle Tower
The Lilac Tunnel: My Journey with Samantha
July 3, 2015
Samantha is the only authentic American Girl doll I own. I bought glasses for her and relate more to Molly, so you get the idea. Samantha is not my favorite after having read all character series. She was my favorite at the time I got the doll.
Going back and rereading the first book made me view Samantha as a brat. I know there are plot devices that need to be used to not make the young girls reading these books feel dumb for not knowing what a historical word means. But I feel like it was too much Samantha asking Nellie what was going on and then feeling sorry for Nellie, not really being her friend as she invited her over and waved her richer lifestyle in Nellie's face. Also, there's a difference between plot device and stupidity/cluelessness.
Going back and rereading the first book made me view Samantha as a brat. I know there are plot devices that need to be used to not make the young girls reading these books feel dumb for not knowing what a historical word means. But I feel like it was too much Samantha asking Nellie what was going on and then feeling sorry for Nellie, not really being her friend as she invited her over and waved her richer lifestyle in Nellie's face. Also, there's a difference between plot device and stupidity/cluelessness.
October 30, 2012
Samantha, while not my favorite, was interesting. She is also the wealthiest of all the AG, which gives her a very different outlook and lifestyle. While Josefina, Caroline and Kaya work hard to help their families survive day-to-day, and Felicity and Kit help their families and pursue their interests, Samantha has a very different way of learning. She has lots of personality, but less personal integrity and concern with living a worthy life than many of the other girls. Very much so a product of her age and upbringing. The suffrage movement, Tee-total, orphanages and the child labor in factories, influx of immigrants, etc. are all issues and events touched upon.
April 29, 2016
Bro, I swear I think this is one of the books, I've been dying to find. Because I remember reading them in elementary. Even my oldest brother knows what I'm talking about because he read the exact books. Every time we had library class, I'll go to the book section where these books were located at and checked them out. This use to be one of my favorite books when I was a kid. These the books that made me get into reading besides Junie B Jones books. Up to me I'll buy the full collection swear lol.
September 26, 2014
Really excellent with a very socially conscious plot dealing with poverty, child labour, racial segregation and the women suffrage campaign. The illustrations are beautiful too and I love the ethos behind American Girl, 'American Girl celebrates a girl's inner star - that little whisper that encourages her to stand tall, reach high and dream big. We take pride and care in helping girls become their very best today, so they'll grow up to be the women who make a difference tomorrow.'
January 22, 2023
This series is always close to my heart. It brings me right back to being a little girl, reading the books with my Samantha doll. It also serves as a wonderful introduction to some incredibly important social justice issues for its younger readers. I can’t wait to relive how these issues are further developed as Samantha learns about the world around her in the next books.
July 10, 2017
These books make me so happy. Ugh.
November 11, 2022
Don’t judge my comfort book
January 12, 2024
Samantha discovers what life is like for those around her due to the machinations of capitalism. 4/5
April 23, 2024
As a child I wanted to be Samantha.. I still want to be Samantha she’s iconic with her Victorian house, her bow in hair
I also absolutely love Nellie, she’s an angel
And Cornelia is so wonderful
I also absolutely love Nellie, she’s an angel
And Cornelia is so wonderful
December 22, 2025
I’ve been meaning to re-read the Samantha books forever because they were always my favourites and I found this one today in Ben’s attic so I figured it was a sign! The picture painted of everyday life just feels so close to my childhood at Strawbery Banke. I too was not very good at my sampler! Some things never change!
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November 25, 2025Reliving my childhood
October 12, 2025
I LOVE SAMANTHA SO MUCH SHE IS LITERALLY A QUEEN <3 live laugh love samantha. cornelia is also a girlboss, SCREW EDDIE RYLAND, and we love nellie <3
August 24, 2015
It would mess up my rating algorithm to add books I read more than half a lifetime ago, but this one holds a special place in my life. American Girl got me into Dear America three years later, which subsequently led me to Anastasia: The Last Grand Duchess, Russia, 1914 which, along withThe Black Circle began my interest in Russian history and brought me to the place I am right now. It's hard to imagine my life if I hadn't read this series. I know it sounds weird.
December 17, 2024
"You're so dumb, you probably think three times four is twelve."
"Eddie. Three times four IS twelve."
"She was about to say she wouldn't tease Eddie Ryland, but she knew there were some promises she just couldn't keep."
I forgot Samantha was such a scamp. 😂😂
I love Samantha and her heart so much! She's so strong and good at standing up for others. Also good at giving Eddie Ryland a heart attack. 😂😂
"Eddie. Three times four IS twelve."
"She was about to say she wouldn't tease Eddie Ryland, but she knew there were some promises she just couldn't keep."
I forgot Samantha was such a scamp. 😂😂
I love Samantha and her heart so much! She's so strong and good at standing up for others. Also good at giving Eddie Ryland a heart attack. 😂😂
April 7, 2017
My favorite American Girl when I was little and the only American Girl doll I had :) I loved her books and stories- particularly the era she was in. I recommend this for young girls that are just starting to get into chapter books.
November 22, 2019
I read this to my five year old for the first time, and it brought back so many memories from childhood. This series helped me fall in love with reading, so it will always have a special place in my heart. And my daughter loved it!
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