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American Girl: Molly #3
Molly's Surprise: A Christmas Story
Molly is a lively, lovable schemer and dreamer growing up in 1944. Her stories describe her life on the home front during World War Two. Molly doesn't like many of the changes the war has brought, and she especially misses her father, who is away caring for wounded soldiers. But Molly learns the importance of getting along and pulling together -- just as her country has to do to win the war!As the McIntires face a cheerless holiday, Molly decides to make some merriment of her own -- complete with unexpected surprises.
64 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1986
19 people are currently reading
686 people want to read
About the author
Valerie Tripp
273 books448 followersValerie 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.
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.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 175 reviews
January 20, 2026
"The black sky seemed to push up against her widow. There were no stars to pin it back."Molly's missing her father so much more as Christmas approaches. But he's overseas, working as a doctor for the war effort. Molly knows that this is a very, very important job but she also wishes he was with her for Christmas.
Molly wants the grand, happy and exciting Christmases of the past but her older sister, Jill, keeps talking about how things have to be 'realistic' this year.
Molly knows that things are changing beyond her power - but how can she balance the new with the old? Is it even possible to have a good Christmas without her father?
"Being realistic meant expecting things to be ordinary and dull. Molly did not want to feel that way about Christmas."
Alright, alright finally getting am upward swing on the Molly books.
she closed her eyes and made her wish deep inside herself. "I hope Dad's presents come. I hope there will be lots of wonderful surprises this Christmas."
What I really liked about this book was that it focused on Molly working with her family. Book 1 was Molly vs her brother, then Book 2 was Molly vs the whole class, and in this one, we have Molly (AND her family) vs the world.
I loved watching the McIntires roll with the punches. Like how the grandparents were unable to bring the Christmas tree this year, so Molly and her siblings find a way to buy their own tree and set it up to surprise their mom.
I also really liked the bonding of Jill and Molly in this book - I think it showed really nice character development and I'm a sucker for sisters sticking up for and helping each other.
That being said, I realllllly don't know the purpose of five-year-old Brad in these stories. Ricky is the teasing/mean sibling, Jill is the sophisticated teenager, and Brad...is just kind of there? Sometimes. I don't really think he contributes much in any of the three stories so far and I forget that he exists half the time.
Also, despite reading three books so far - Linda and Susan (Molly's best friends) feel soooo interchangeable to me. No matter how hard I try, I can't remember them as individuals. I don't know if Susan is supposed to be the sassy one and Linda the quiet one (or vice versa) - they are just too similar.
(Miranda from the future here: I just finished book 6, and I'm entirely convinced that Linda and Susan could have been just one character. Still can't tell them apart.).
December 18, 2019
I pulled this one out for nostalgic reasons and we're coming down to the wire for the arbitrary Goodreads challenge. Still great with accessible historical elements for younger readers. Highly recommend American Girls books to get your youngster into reading and chapter books.
Jenny in 2019 commenting on above review written in 2017: Still true.
Jenny in 2019 commenting on above review written in 2017: Still true.
November 14, 2024
The holidays are approaching and it won’t be the same without Molly’s Dad who is serving in WWII.
Not only does this book feel oh so warm and nostalgic with the slice of their life, there are so many lessons learned by the characters in the book.
And good reminders for us!
I adore how Santa Claus is a sweet tradition, with emphasis on the reason for the season - displayed as Molly’s fam attends a church service and what is heard and seen there… scripture, the Christmas story, etc
PRECIOUS!
I was very impressed with this one.
As always, I'll have a more in-depth review [where I usually read a snippet & go deep with thoughts] on my YT channel. 💙☕📚
Not only does this book feel oh so warm and nostalgic with the slice of their life, there are so many lessons learned by the characters in the book.
And good reminders for us!
I adore how Santa Claus is a sweet tradition, with emphasis on the reason for the season - displayed as Molly’s fam attends a church service and what is heard and seen there… scripture, the Christmas story, etc
PRECIOUS!
I was very impressed with this one.
As always, I'll have a more in-depth review [where I usually read a snippet & go deep with thoughts] on my YT channel. 💙☕📚
December 25, 2024
2024 family read of THE Christmas classic complete. Cried more than ever!
November 14, 2024
Wonderfully sweet Christmas story!
June 3, 2023
this book confirmed that molly is a small town illinois gal like me, love to see it. also the end of this was so sweet!
November 30, 2024
Love this Christmas/holiday Molly story in the American Girl universe. Molly's character is so fun and I love the time period she exists within.
December 17, 2022
Poor Molly. Nothing seems to be going right, and to top it off, her older sister is being a killjoy. But everything starts to turn around when Molly and her sister discover a box from their father and suddenly have their own Christmas surprise for the rest of the family.
Molly's still a schemer (and dreamer), but I like her better here than the first two installments. She and Jill share some really sweet, honest sister moments, and their choice to hide the box pays off beautifully in the last scene.
Logistically, I have Questions:
- Exactly how was it that no one noticed when the box was delivered in the first place? This is a large and busy household.
- If it was so unlikely that Brad would get a helmet and canteen because soldiers need them, how did Dad secure ones that he could send across the Atlantic to his five-year-old son? Are they defective?
- Was Christmas1944 1943 really that much more war-focused and ration-limited in the U.S. than Christmas 1943 1942? (Despite the cover year being 1944, the timeline only makes sense if the first three books actually take place in 1943. This is both a revelation - props to American Girl Podcast for pointing it out - and also I hate it. If Molly needed to start in 1943, then just put Kirsten and Samantha in 1853 and 1903, nothing in their stories would change and you'd still have a pattern.)
- Jill preens about how her new skating hat is "Much nicer than Dolores'" - YOU'RE MAKING DOLORES' HAT, WHAT DOES THAT SAY ABOUT YOU?
- Is Molly just more likeable without Linda and Susan around?
Molly's still a schemer (and dreamer), but I like her better here than the first two installments. She and Jill share some really sweet, honest sister moments, and their choice to hide the box pays off beautifully in the last scene.
Logistically, I have Questions:
- Exactly how was it that no one noticed when the box was delivered in the first place? This is a large and busy household.
- If it was so unlikely that Brad would get a helmet and canteen because soldiers need them, how did Dad secure ones that he could send across the Atlantic to his five-year-old son? Are they defective?
- Was Christmas
- Jill preens about how her new skating hat is "Much nicer than Dolores'" - YOU'RE MAKING DOLORES' HAT, WHAT DOES THAT SAY ABOUT YOU?
- Is Molly just more likeable without Linda and Susan around?
December 20, 2022
I didn't expect to "reread" this book this Christmas, but when a podcast I subscribe to put out an episode reading Molly's Surprise like an audiobook, why wouldn't I revisit it? (Yes, yes, I know that this podcast episode is probably a copyright violation, don't blame me if the link eventually stops working.)
Set on the home front during WWII, Molly's Surprise has strong Little Women vibes, as the four McIntyre children struggle to have a happy Christmas with their father away at war, and with the prospect of only dull "practical" presents under the tree.
The problem is that I found stubborn, optimistic, 9-year-old Molly far less compelling than her 14-year-old sister, Jill. Both girls are worried about their dad, but Molly's worry is pretty straightforward, while Jill affects a jaded cynicism to cover up her secret fears and vulnerability. I don't think this bothered me when I read Molly's Surprise as a kid, but as an adult who loves complex, "unlikable" female characters, I wish Jill had been the focus!
Set on the home front during WWII, Molly's Surprise has strong Little Women vibes, as the four McIntyre children struggle to have a happy Christmas with their father away at war, and with the prospect of only dull "practical" presents under the tree.
The problem is that I found stubborn, optimistic, 9-year-old Molly far less compelling than her 14-year-old sister, Jill. Both girls are worried about their dad, but Molly's worry is pretty straightforward, while Jill affects a jaded cynicism to cover up her secret fears and vulnerability. I don't think this bothered me when I read Molly's Surprise as a kid, but as an adult who loves complex, "unlikable" female characters, I wish Jill had been the focus!
December 13, 2017
My daughter and I have been reading the American Girl Christmas books, she loves them. This one made me cry.
February 17, 2025
I held back tears when Molly’s mom saw the Christmas package - it sure hits differently reading these as a wife and mother. One of my favorite books from this series.
December 28, 2021
This one always makes me cry and appreciate the small things.
October 21, 2021
This review is from the perspective of a mother. I am reading the books to decided when they are age appropriate for my daughter.
This is one of my favorite Molly books - Molly decides that keeping the Christmas spirit alive, even during wartime, is worthwhile. There are a few setbacks, and maybe it isn't exactly like previous Christmases, but Molly's persistence wins over the rest of the family, with a nice surprise at the end for everyone.
The Looking Back section focuses on Christmas during wartime, the kind of toys available, and how people celebrated.
This is one of my favorite Molly books - Molly decides that keeping the Christmas spirit alive, even during wartime, is worthwhile. There are a few setbacks, and maybe it isn't exactly like previous Christmases, but Molly's persistence wins over the rest of the family, with a nice surprise at the end for everyone.
The Looking Back section focuses on Christmas during wartime, the kind of toys available, and how people celebrated.
December 24, 2024
Beautiful, heartwarming, and christmasy. The only thing different to me, is as a wife now, I understand the stress her mother felt, and would have wanted to know sooner that he was alright, however it still brings the warm feelings as it ever did.
May 25, 2024
Cute book! Molly was more pleasant in this story. I like how much they push that Molly wants a doll to go on adventures with so much in this book… it’s similar to the pushing of the dolls in Kirsten’s and Samantha’s. Makes sense as a marketing tactic for the original 3 pleasant company dolls. I keep noting that Molly’s family seems to have no financial trouble… this is in stark contrast to what Kit’s books focused on. I’m still kinda stuck in the 30s so I’m curious how Molly’s family is so well off. I understand though that the writers of Molly’s stories wouldn’t have been thinking about continuity with Kit’s books.
August 14, 2023
I grew up reading the “Molly,” “Kirstin,” and “Samantha” books, so this was very nostalgic to reread.
I liked Molly and her family. Jill was a bit annoying at first, but then you saw how she was also struggling and hurting, and I liked how she and Molly worked together. Ricky could be both annoying and manly. The ending was sweet and happy.
While not a Christian book, there is mention of the first Christmas and several Christmas carols.
(This version has updated illustrations and I didn't like them as well as what I grew up with.)
I liked Molly and her family. Jill was a bit annoying at first, but then you saw how she was also struggling and hurting, and I liked how she and Molly worked together. Ricky could be both annoying and manly. The ending was sweet and happy.
While not a Christian book, there is mention of the first Christmas and several Christmas carols.
(This version has updated illustrations and I didn't like them as well as what I grew up with.)
July 3, 2019
I re-read this and a Felicity book, both of which I have had since Elementary school but have not read since then.
This book is classic Americana Christmas sap. I cried like embarrassingly cried. It was so cheesy, but I straight Sarah McLaclan cried over this Lifetime movie special of a Christmas book.
One complaint, I mean I get it, but still, is that the gift that Molly is longing for is clearly an American girl doll. Eye roll.
Unlike Felicity, and the slave characters that are ridiculously misnomered as maidservants, this book is America at it’s best.
This book is classic Americana Christmas sap. I cried like embarrassingly cried. It was so cheesy, but I straight Sarah McLaclan cried over this Lifetime movie special of a Christmas book.
One complaint, I mean I get it, but still, is that the gift that Molly is longing for is clearly an American girl doll. Eye roll.
Unlike Felicity, and the slave characters that are ridiculously misnomered as maidservants, this book is America at it’s best.
June 12, 2018
While this third book in the series proves to be a much more whimsical tale, the Molly series still fails to give us a character of any substance and the plot is conventional.
December 22, 2018
Loved to see how christmas was back during world war 2. Great story for girls!
December 13, 2021
Thoroughly enjoyed this book. Molly's older sister perfectly represents a teen girl that wants to embody a grown up and is still very much a kid at heart. The American Girls series also seem to age very well with how they handle all sorts of topics. Specifically in this one they address the The United States patriotism during World War Two, while also not perpetuating unnecessary U.S focus throughout the whole story. They say things such as: 'people in many countries were dying during the war', rather than 'many U.S soldiers were dying during the war'. It's subtle, but I think many adults would pick up on their tact with dealing with heady topics. Once again the "Look Back in Time" section at the end is informative, relevant, and concise.
Oh, and it's totally a cute Christmas story!
Oh, and it's totally a cute Christmas story!
July 29, 2022
The Christmas books are always the best ones! Such a good, accessible look at what Christmas in America looked like during WWII.
November 4, 2024
pulled up one star for Jill. i really liked her in this book. i love you american girl older sisters
October 1, 2020
I love the Molly books, and this one is so special and sweet while Molly waits to receive Christmas gifts in the mail from her father overseas. Beautiful and heart-warming!
December 5, 2023
I liked seeing Molly getting along with her sibling and finding ways to deal with her dad not being home on Christmas. A very cute story.
May 11, 2025
I actually did like this volume, probably because even though it starts out depressing with Molly's siblings telling her Christmas will be bad, everyone eventually gets in the spirit.
June 9, 2018
Even though he is away serving in an English hospital during World War II, Molly's father finds a way to make the family Christmas very special.
July 17, 2021
July's reading challenge: Christmas in July 🎄
Out of all the AG Christmas books (and I read them again every Christmas), I do believe that Molly's is the absolute tops. I like how it deals with a holiday that's going to be different. I like how she hates the word 'realistic', because at nine, you still desperately want there to be Christmas magic unsoiled by life. I love the patriotism and the endeavor to still keep the war effort going, even at Christmas time (wouldn't happen in today's world). And, the illustrations. COLORED. PENCIL. Illustrations. I get swoony just staring. This is my favorite.
Out of all the AG Christmas books (and I read them again every Christmas), I do believe that Molly's is the absolute tops. I like how it deals with a holiday that's going to be different. I like how she hates the word 'realistic', because at nine, you still desperately want there to be Christmas magic unsoiled by life. I love the patriotism and the endeavor to still keep the war effort going, even at Christmas time (wouldn't happen in today's world). And, the illustrations. COLORED. PENCIL. Illustrations. I get swoony just staring. This is my favorite.
October 6, 2007
When I was kid, I didn't particularly like the moral to this one, mostly because Molly has to learn not to be so sentimental about her Christmas traditions and I was fiercely sentimental about Christmas. Today of course, I think it is an important lesson for children to learn. I like the fact that all the American Girl holiday stories are about learning to give up something to help the entire family enjoy themselves, when of course every kid has extremely high expectations right before Christmas.
February 16, 2022
This was probably my favorite in the Molly series when I was a kid. Re-reading it as an adult, I see that while it has a rather simplistic plot, it still manages to capture the mystery and longing of Christmas. I wanted to find out whether a Christmas box would arrive and what would be in it, but by the end realized that the most important thing wasn't the contents, but the fact that Molly's family was able to feel connected with their father even when he was far away serving in the war.
March 7, 2025
July 7, 2023 – 3 stars:
I too enjoy making my Christmas tree into war propaganda
March 7, 2025 – 4 stars: I don't care how unrealistic it is, Christmas magic always exists, even in wartime. I'm with Molly on this one.
March 7, 2025 – 4 stars: I don't care how unrealistic it is, Christmas magic always exists, even in wartime. I'm with Molly on this one.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 175 reviews