The Boston Tea Party (American Girl: Real Stories From My Time)

American Girl: Real Stories From My Time

by Rebecca Paley, Kelley McMorris (Illustrator)

Explore real stories and facts about the Boston Tea Party with American Girl BeForever character Felicity! Discover the stories of the real people and events that shaped American history in the Real Stories From My Time series. Perfect for book reports with full-page illustrations throughout, these nonfiction chapter books also include historical photos, maps, a timeline, a glossary, and a bibliography at the back. Plus, in each book, an American Girl historical character shares a bit of her own fictional story. The Boston Tea Party recounts life in early colonial America leading up to the famous tea tax protest that pushed the American Patriots and the British closer to war. American Girl Felicity Merriman shares how she found herself caught in between the two sides of the American Revolution.

Genres: History, Historical, Childrens, Nonfiction, American Revolution, American History, Middle Grade

112 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2018

Reviews

[Jennifer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Enjoyed this book, another one completed for Middle Grade March.

[Miranda Reads · Rating 4 out of 5]

"Grandfather loves and respects the king, and I love and respect Grandfather - but I am not sure I can agree with him. Still, I believe that we can be on different sides of the matter, and still love each other."

This dual narrative story focuses on the nonfiction events leading up to and during the Boston Tea Party and pairs it with chapters detailing the fictional account of Felicity Merriman as she witnesses the events and even participates in the rebellion.

On the one hand, I do really like what the author did for nonfiction sections. We learn all about the New World and the various freedoms (and restrictions) that accompanied that time in history.

There's information about what "Taxation without Representation" meant to the people and a detailed account leading up to and during the Boston Tea Party.

I felt like I came away from this book learning quite a bit about the events - which is always a rather pleasant surprise.

That being said, Felicity's narrative was a bit rough. Now this is written by a new author, and her chapters are set up like journal entries (aka written first-person) - so right off the bat, "Felicity" felt rather different than the main series version.

In her chapters, we learn that she has family in Boston (Uncle George, Aunt Charlotte, and a 16-year-old cousin, Charles). The family is never mentioned in the main series and appear to be made up for this side story.

Additionally, for those who want to place this in the overall Felicity arc, this book is technically a prequel (set before the main series, when Felicity was eight). Which made statements like this feel a little ridiculous.

Charles whispered to me, "I'm going to help toss that tea off those ships tonight."
"I am, too," I told him. He started to protest, but I said, "I may be just a child, but I'm going, and that's that."

I mean really...she's eight and there's no "I'm going, and that's that" when you are an eight year old wanting to join in on a revolutionary act. It just felt like a bit toooo far of a stretch for me. Especially given the nonfiction sections of book that showed how Patriots had already been killed for rebellion by then.

Granted, her main job was sweeping the tea off the decks but really? No one recognized that there was a teeny-tiny child swept up in the crowd? (We later find out that her father did recognize her but chose not to do anything...which also didn't really match his character).

Annnnyway, at the end of the day, this book was pretty darn interesting and I didn't mind (too much) the lore inconsistencies that accompanied Felicity's narrative.

[Jessica Gutierrez · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 really. A very informative quick read. I enjoyed reading all the history packed into this little book. I had thought it was going to be more of a fictional story set during that time, and although it had the American girl Felicity in it, there were only about 5 diary entries from her. The majority of the book was like (a much more interesting) text book. Definitely presented the facts in a non-boring way. But yeah basically it’s a short history book.

[Joey Susan · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’ve been really enjoying this historical book series American Girl have been making. They are are so detailed in the facts but tell you about them in a much more interesting way plus having the character from the original book lines be included makes them that much better.

This book was set during Felicity’s time and had her sharing her story of being in Boston and taking part in the Boston Tea Party. I loved that the book went back in time to actually explain the events leading up to it, so not only getting the story on the Boston Tea Party but the story of the colonists before everything happened and the taxes King George was putting on everything, leading to them becoming angered and fed up of paying so much and the injustice he was putting them through. So they fought back.

It’s so well written and makes it so much easier to understand everything, I hadn’t overly known a lot about the Boston Tea Party, I knew about the patriots and the war but not a lot about the events that unfolded previously to that, so reading it was really fun and educational.

I hope that American Girl will continue to make more books in this series catering to many other historical events in time that the original characters would have been around for, they are always so interesting to read.

[Meghan · Rating 3 out of 5]

It gave a decent overview of the American Revolution, but the connection to Felicity did not mesh well with her central books. There were also a couple noticeable typos, like with another book in this series.

[Stasia · Rating 5 out of 5]

I wish these books had existed when I was a kid!! I have always LOVED history, and I would have been all over this!!

Given that the quality of AG books has hit a decline in the last few years, I was wary of trying this, because I expected it to be a very watered down account of the Boston Tea Party. I was pleasantly surprised to find this was NOT the case!! Though it looks thin, this little book was packed with information. Highly recommend for girls ages 9+ that have a healthy interest in history!!!

[Becky · Rating 3 out of 5]

I love the original American Girl chapter books. This new series incorporates journal entries from our favorite heroines from these books into non-fiction text concerning a particular event in history. The journal entries are sparse, and serve as more of a distraction from the other parts of the book than as an enhancement. I would much rather read a Felicity book taking place during the time of the Boston Tea Party than this hybrid non-fiction/fiction that doesn't really work well.

[JoJo Ames · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a wonderful format for introducing the subject of the Boston Tea Party to pre-teen girls. Each chapter gives the details, well written and complimented with drawings and photos, and concludes with a short entry in Felicity's (American Girl) diary. This is the only book from the American Girls Real Stories From My Time series that I have read. Hopefully the other titles in the series are as well executed.

[Ericka · Rating 5 out of 5]

American Girl has always been one of my absolute favorites (The dolls and the books). I have always loved history and loved how American Girl weaves history, literature, promoting strong female characters and dolls with super cute(and historically accurate outfits) outfits.
This book series "Real stories from My Time caught my attention as I was strolling through not my usual library and I knew I had to pick it up to read it. I loved how it had Felicity's diary entrees and how they had the actual historical events.

[Alexia · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book combines the real life events of our country's founding and the Boston Tea Party with a new story about Felicity Merriman one of American Girl's Beforever/ Historical characters. If you miss the old style AG books with the detailed Looking Back sections and illustrations like I do,then try this

[Christal Byma · Rating 4 out of 5]

An informative and quick read. I would like them to make more because my kids have really enjoyed reading the various events with a kid’s perspective mixed into the story. However on page 92, in our copy there is a typo.

[Caitlyn Unruh · Rating 2 out of 5]

Children's book. Nothing wrong with it, lots of good history, but not really that much of a story either. It's more of a chapter of history, then a page of Felicity's diary, then a chapter of history, etc. I was expecting more of a story.

[Eileen · Rating 5 out of 5]

American Girl- Felicity Merriman

Story blends Boston Tea Party and American Girl, Felicity Merriman life.

[Keshia · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars

[Melissa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very clever of AG to connect their historical characters to real events. Very factual book but more interesting than a text book.

[Kiersten · Rating 5 out of 5]

i really liked how they yoused a american girl doll with the story

[M · Rating 3 out of 5]

A quick and intriguing children's book about the Boston Tea Party that weaves in events from Felicity's Colonial American life.

[Kelly · Rating 4 out of 5]

Surprisingly well written and goes into greater detail than I'd expect.

[Alex · Rating 4 out of 5]

Honestly, I learned more from this than I ever remember learning from school!