Molly Marches On

American Girl: Short Stories #18

by Valerie Tripp, Nick Backes (Illustrator), Susan McAliley (Illustrator)

Molly wants to be the first to find a surprise at the end of the nature hike at her camp. When she ventures off the trail, she finds a secret surprise of her own.

Genres: Historical Fiction, Childrens, Fiction, Middle Grade, Historical, Short Stories, Juvenile

40 pages, Hardcover

First published March 1, 2001

About the author

Valerie Tripp is a children's book author, best known for her work with the American Girl series.

She grew up in Mount Kisco, New York with three sisters and one brother. A member of the first co-educated class at Yale University, Tripp also has a M.Ed. from Harvard. Since 1985 she has lived in Silver Spring, Maryland. Her husband teaches history at Montgomery College.

Right out of college, Tripp started writing songs, stories, and nonfiction for The Superkids Reading Program, working with Pleasant Rowland, the founder of American Girl. For that series, Tripp wrote all the books about Felicity, Josefina, Kit, Molly, and Maryellen and many of the books about Samantha. She also wrote the "Best Friends" character stories to date, plays, mysteries, and short stories about all her characters.. Film dramatizations of the lives of Samantha, Felicity, Molly, and Kit have been based on her stories. Currently, Tripp is writing a STEM series for National Geographic and adapting Greek Myths for Starry Forest Publishing. A frequent speaker at schools and libraries, Tripp has also spoken at the Library of Congress, the Smithsonian, The New York Historical Society, and Williamsburg.

Reviews

[Miranda Reads · Rating 4 out of 5]

"I can't wait!" exclaimed Molly. Ever since she arrived at Camp Gonwonagin one week ago, the old campers had been telling her about the overnight nature hike.

Molly and her two best friends, Linda and Susan, are first-time campers and there's talk all around camp about a mysterious hike that ends in a grand surprise.

Molly is so excited to travel through the woods like Sacagawea - strong, silent, and surefooted. But the reality is much different.

"Ever since they'd left camp at sunrise that morning, all the other hikers had been yowling stupid songs at the top of their lungs. ... Everyone, including her own friends Linda and Susan, was ruining the nature hike."

Molly's dreams of the hike are decidedly dashed when everyone is more focused on having fun with each other rather than enjoying nature.

Even Miss Butternut, the camp counselor, is joining in on the ruckus in between shouting out rules on trail markers and hiking.

Then Miss Butternut splits the girls into two groups and tells them the three rules of hiking: always have a buddy, stay on the trail, and keep your water close. The girls are told to follow the trail and find the surprise at the end.

BUT at the first fork of the road, Molly decides she'd rather go the opposite way to the rest of the girls and off she sets...into the woods...alone. What could possibly go wrong?

Now, if you are curious, this book is set in the middle of Molly Saves the Day, and is one of the various camp adventures that Molly goes on before the color war.

One thing that really stood out to me is how the camp rules have changed from the 1940s. I was a camp counselor for several years, and let me tell you, we would NEVER let a group of girls loose in the forest on their own.

There was always at least two counselors (one at the front, one bringing up the rear) to prevent the girls from getting lost. Even for the hiking trails where the campers were 'in charge' the counselors would just linger at the back because we didn't want to LOSE OUR CAMPERS IN THE FOREST.

And guess what Miss Butternut manages to do? Immediately splits the group, doesn't supervise and one of the campers runs off into the woods. JEEZ lady. No wonder the rules have changed.

Anyway, I thought this one was pretty good. This was another STUBBORN Molly moment - but honestly, I kind of like her like this.

Yes, she's digging in her heels and quite pigheaded about the situation, but it also gives her character flaws and a level of realism that some of the other American Girls don't have.

I like that she feels the consequences and realizes when she messes up.

A Peek into the Past

Like all of the main and mini Molly McIntire books, this one has a mini historical section at the back called a Peek into the Past.

In this Peek into the Past, we learn about Sacagawea and her impact on the Lewis and Clark expedition. Sacagawea was a Shoshone Indian who was captured by the Hidatsa tribe when she ws 12. She was subsequently sold to her 'husband' at sixteen and later hired by Lewis and Clark to be their guide because she knew several languages AND if L&C traveled with a woman and a baby, they wouldn't be seen as a warring faction by other tribes. It was fascinating to learn about her past and her impact on the great expedition.

And finally, there's an activity at the back to teach us how to make a trail and use trail signs to keep track of it. There's plenty of signs you can make with pebbles, leaves, and twigs to signal to yourself (and other hikers) to stay on the trail and what to expect as you are hiking.

[Lydia Therese · Rating 3 out of 5]

Yes, I did read this in 10 minutes just to complete my 2021 reading challenge <3 It was cute!

[Sharon · Rating 5 out of 5]

Molly, along with Linda and Susan, are having a blast at Camp Gowonagin. During a morning hike, they disagree on the hike path. Defiant Molly decides to follow her path thus separating her from the group. She is convinced that the other campers are on the wrong trail. Then she begins to question her decision. A Peak Into The Past details an excellent biography of Sacagawea.

[Rubi · Rating 3 out of 5]

I love the references to Sacagawea! But Molly takes herself too seriously and wanted too much to BE Sacagawea that she got herself in trouble lol
In the end even the readers don't get to know what the campers' surprise was thanks to Molly 😒😂

[Meghan · Rating 2 out of 5]

Molly was annoying in this story.

[Kelly · Rating 2 out of 5]

I don't like this story. But I do like the ending location.

[Alex · Rating 3 out of 5]

Molly was fairly annoying in this one, but I loved the information given on Sacajawea.

[Carey Williams · Rating 5 out of 5]

Awesome book!

[Little Seal]

This one frustrated me, lol! But very on point to what I think a 9/10 year old would do, especially knowing Molly's personality.

[Gwen · Rating 3 out of 5]

I dislike Molly, and I guess she deserves to not know the surprise. I like the section at the end about trail markers.

[Svetlana · Rating 4 out of 5]

I liked the story but what was the surprise?

[Bulk Reviews · Rating 2 out of 5]

Molly is at her most annoying whenever she’s at this camp, apparently. She has all of a sudden decided she wants to be like Sacajawea and that her fellow campers are ruining her vision, so she breaks the rules of hiking and gets herself into trouble (of course.)

I read this story when I was little at my grandma’s house one night. I think it was the first AG short story I read, or at least the first Molly short story (because I remember being like, what is this??? A tiny American Girl book???) And I distinctly remember that the end DROVE ME BONKERS. All that hype and we never find out what the surprise is?! My younger brain eventually decided that it was a waterpark. Because that totally makes sense. I suppose that the story should get some points for making me wonder about it for so many years.

[Katt Hansen · Rating 2 out of 5]

Molly is off to summer camp but things aren't going quite the way she thinks they should. Her group is being sent off on a hike, and she wants to play Sacajawea, getting herself, and one of her friends in serious trouble.

At least it should be serious trouble. For the first time I was seriously irritated with Molly. She disregarded rules and safety, set off on her own, got no punishment, in fact had a kind of reward. And we never did find out what the surprise was.

This book was a disappointment. If you're a Molly fan, then I'd include it on your reading list, otherwise, it's one I wouldn't necessarily bother with.

[James Crawford · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is another in the American Girls Short Stories books. Molly and some other girls on going on a special nature hike. The hike leader tells them about various hiking rules, but Molly soon ignores them and sets off on her own.

Another girl joins her and they both end up lost, but are found by the other hikers.

A lot of the book deals with the story of Sacagwea, since Molly admires her. Much of the historical section of the book also deals with Sacagwea.

[Miri · Rating 3 out of 5]

Molly, Linda and Susan are at camp Gowonagin and are preparing for their special hike. Molly is excited, she daydreams that she is just like Sacajawea, but Molly soon makes several foolish decisions in the woods that lead her and Susan into danger. Can Molly be truly brave like Sacajawea and help her friend and herself?

[Mike Gray · Rating 4 out of 5]

My first grader really enjoyed the whole Molly series. The content really kick started some good discussions about life during WWII. The historical aspects definitely help expose children to some additional perspectives on life in different generations.

[Marya · Rating 3 out of 5]

A funny way to introduce Sacagewa, but it is in a way the audience of this book should be to understand.

[Bailey Marissa · Rating 3 out of 5]

This wasn't necessary, but I'm not going to complain about it because I've wanted books like this for other series I like.

[Stephanie · Rating 2 out of 5]

Molly is both dull and reckless in this short story. The Nostalgia doesn't make up for it.

[Erin Becker · Rating 2 out of 5]

Really weird book about Molly being a jerk to her friends and idolizing Sacajawea.

[Rose]

Age: 4 - 8