Blaire

American Girl: Blaire #1

by Jennifer Castle, Judit Mallol (Illustrations)

Chef. Decorator. Chicken wrangler. Blaire does it all at her family’s restaurant, inn, and farm. In this first book in her series, her recent food sensitivity has made her time in the kitchen—and time with friends—a little tough. But now she has the perfect distraction: a wedding to plan! With her BFF by her side, and a million creative ideas saved on her tablet, Blaire is sure she can make the farm’s first wedding an epic celebration. But between dress disasters, texting mix-ups, and more than one incident with a mischievous goat, Blaire soon learns that wedding planning is a tricky business...and that balancing friendships is even trickier. Can Blaire find a way to make things right, or will this wedding, and her friendship, turn into epic fails?

Genres: Contemporary, Middle Grade, Childrens, Realistic Fiction, Chapter Books, Fiction, Juvenile

192 pages, Paperback

First published December 26, 2018

About the author

Jennifer Castle received her B.A. in Creative Writing at Brown University and worked as a celebrity publicist’s assistant, an advertising copywriter, and a struggling screenwriter (yes, that’s an actual job) before falling into a niche producing websites for kids and teens. Her debut, THE BEGINNING OF AFTER, was a 2012 YALSA Best Fiction for Young Adults selection as well as a Chicago Public Library "Best of the Best" book. YOU LOOK DIFFERENT IN REAL LIFE was a 2015 Florida Teens Read selection. Her most recent novel, WHAT HAPPENS NOW, was published in June 2016. She lives in New York's Hudson Valley with her husband and daughters.

Reviews

[Meghan · Rating 1 out of 5]

I really didn’t like Blaire’s personality. Someone who is addicted to social media is not a compelling character. The way American Girl describes her isn’t much like how she’s portrayed. I also felt like her food sensitivity could have been portrayed a little differently, as they are so common.

[Melmo2610 · Rating 5 out of 5]

Super cute book! Loved Blaire and the storyline. Looking forward to more stories about Blaire, her family and friends!

[Sara Esa · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was really good. I really enjoyed reading it

[Colt · Rating 5 out of 5]

My copy of Blaire arrived today and luckily I was home sick, because I couldn't put it down!
Blaire is very creative and takes on more than she might be able to handle. I loved her family and her farm. And what stuck with me - even though it feels a little silly and self serving - is Blaire's lactose intolerance. It's brought up several times, and someone complained too often, but it felt like my own experience. How suddenly what feels like "a small medical diagnosis" takes over your life and can ruin all your favorite foods. Blaire expressed the feelings I had about how awkward you feel when people bring it up around you. And I feel the book handled it very well. Yes, it's a minor condition in comparison to other issues, but I'm glad to see American Girl spreading out. Girls with different issues or abilities would be wonderful to see.

I was worried Blaire, who likes to cook, would feel like a copycat of Grace who likes to bake. While all American Girls tend to have the same go-getter attitude, having similar hobbies may make them feel too cookie cutter. But Claire had far more to her than just cooking - she loves to plan events and record the memories. Cooking is brought up a lot due to her lactose intolerance, and how she feels she doesn't want to cook anymore because of it. And of course, there's issues with friends. Wouldn't be an AG book without it lol

Her pets are adorable too - fluffy chickens and a lamb and a goat. I love her farm! It felt so sweet and made me understand Blaire's devotion to it.

The only real "negative" thing I'd mention is addressed in story as well - Blaire has a /lot/ of screentime and mentions her tablet or texting/messaging often. My nieces and nephews all aren't allowed phones or tablets young, so maybe this is the new norm for kids? But her family does tell her she has been spending too much time on it. However it feels a little minor in the face of how often it's mentioned.

Overall, a wonderful story and a great introduction to our latest American Girl. I can't wait to see what she plans next.

[Hannah Gazdziak · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love this book and I think ruth might like it too.

[Deborah Horton · Rating 2 out of 5]

This one was not my personal favorite of the Girl of the Year books. To me, the plot and setting feels bland in contrast to Jess's and Lindsey's stories as it focuses on Blaire and her family owning a bed and breakfast and trying to get ready for a wedding. Also, Blaire was not the most likeable character as she seemed to create unnecessary drama with her friend and be obsessed with her phone a bit too much. However, I understand I'm a bit over the target age group so I understand if some find things they liked about it that I might have overlooked.

[Karen Ebel · Rating 5 out of 5]

A very sweet story! I love Blaire and her farm life!! ❤️

[RebekahAshleigh · Rating 4 out of 5]

Blaire was a really cute story! I would definitely like to read book 2 soon.
It was just an overall short, fun book.

[Alexia · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another great book by American Girl! I love the setting of Blaire's family farm as well as the whole wedding story line. You may be thinking " a girl who lives on a farm and loves cooking again?! However let me assure you that Blaire is different because even though she enjoys cooking, she now must learn to cook without using dairy because she is lactose intolerant
Due to her newly diagnosed allergy, Blaire becomes withdrawn. She starts spending hours online and also busies herself with planning her friend Cat's wedding to avoid having to be around things she can't eat. Blaire's best friend Thea is mad at her for canceling their plans and avoiding her all summer.
I really think readers of all ages will resonate with some parts of her story such as learning to live with a food allergy, cooking or maybe they'll get swept up in the wedding between Cat and Gabe and dream about their own wedding. Of course, the silliness of the baby animals on the farm will make any animal lover happy!
Lastly I like how this book encourages us to get off our electronics and connect with those we love in person. Be present! Ps. Blaire's mom is a great role model because she addresses why you shouldn't talk to those you don't know online. Can't wait to start the next book!

[Abrianna Biggers]

Such an brilliant book!

[Anna · Rating 3 out of 5]

Blaire is a solidly mediocre effort from American Girl. She doesn't come off quite as spoiled and snotty as some recent AG characters, but is still a little annoying in a way I couldn't quite put my finger on. There's a lot going on in the story, but instead of being packed with excitement, it just felt spread out thin. A lot of issues were attempted to be covered: technology addiction, gardening/livestock, friend drama, wedding planning, cooking, food sensitivities, hospitality, tradition vs. progress, etc., but none were really explored deeply enough. A lack of focus. I also didn't get why Blaire reacted so strongly to the cupcake situation at Thea's party.

Also, why didn't we see Honeybun ever again after the first chapter?

[Eva · Rating 4 out of 5]

this was an amazing book, it caught the real struggles of love and what a lot of people go through. Catalina wasn't happy and I got why but there was no reason for her to do what she did. Blaire's farm sounded like a dream, I would love to live there or even stay at her b&b for a night. the best part was the whole fight between Cat and Gabe. this book is recommended by me to kids 8-13. this book is for that age because it is a fiction book, it is also amerinan girl so it would be recommended for younger ages.

[irene del mar · Rating 2 out of 5]

I wanted to read this book because I thought Blaire was boring, but maybe I was being unfair. I needed to give her a chance. Upon reading this book? Not only is Blaire boring, but annoying as well, and not in a lovable kid way, just in a self absorbed way.
Also, the book is just not... amazingly written. The plot is very thin. The characters are one-dimensional, except for I guess Cat is one-and-a-half dimensional.

[Cecilia · Rating 3 out of 5]

Gosh, does she have to get so upset about being lactose intolerant?

[Joey Susan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Blaire lives at Pleasant Farms a B&B farm, it’s summer and she’s really excited to spend time with her best friends but everything in her life changes and she’s swept up with the farm. She is desperate to plan the best wedding for her fill in big sister Cat and make sure her grandpa stays on the farm instead of retiring.

This was really amazing I loved loved loved Blaire so much, she was such a great character so full of life, such a busy body and go getter. Her energy was insane and incredible. I loved how she managed to do so many incredible things through the book and her skills were amazing.

I thought it was so sad that she and Thea struggled to communicate and trying to find the right way to talk to each other or spend time together. You could get their great friendship when they were first together but things were shifting and they didn’t really know how to keep that connection going. But I was glad they eventually figured it out.

I liked the allergy inclusion and how difficult it is to adjust to it, she had so many feelings and changes with it that I liked the way it was showcased and written. It was a great thing to have included with this story.

The setting and the wedding were amazing, I could visualise the beautiful farm land, the funny little animals, the beautiful buildings. I loved that they were planning the beautiful natural and rustic wedding it was so nice. I also loved the added comedy of Mrs. V wanting a big New York fancy wedding when that was not the theme, she was so funny.

I really enjoyed this book, I wish my copy had of had illustrations as I know they would have been stunning but wow it was such a wonderful book, I enjoyed learning all about Blaire.

[Janelle Hackbarth · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was a little late Christmas present for me, but I am glad to read it.

I love that the new "Girl of the Year" is modern, but still reminds it's readers to not live behind a screen and that life is out in the world. Blaire lives on a sustainable farm with her parents, Grandfather, and little brother. Her recent diagnosis of lactose intolerance has her wavering about hanging out with her friends (because of eating) and continuing to cook (which she loves).

If life hadn't gotten in the way, I feel that I wouldn't have been able to put this book down. I loved it!! (The farm life, her struggle, the wedding planning...all of it!) My favorite American Girl of the Year!! This is a great book for Middle Schoolers, and even younger girls. Let's see what it's sequel, "Blaire Cooks Up a Plan" has to offer, and I'm hoping there's a Blaire #3 book.

[Madi ♥'s Books · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received this book on Christmas morning for one of my presents and I started reading it right away! Blaire was such a great book! Jennifer Castle's writing style is great! I thought it would be so much fun to live on a farm, restaurant, and hotel just like Blaire! I love stories that have animals in them such as her lamb and her baby goat. I really loved this book but I thought that Blaire had a weird character. Blaire LOVES to spend time on her tablet and she feels like it is the end of the world for her because she has lactose intolerance. I personally wouldn't start crying because I can't eat a funnel cake with extra whipped cream at a fair because that same thing actually happened to Blaire. I did think that this book was really good though and I would recommend this book to younger readers!
Happy Readings! ♥

[Denise Kettering · Rating 4 out of 5]

Blaire loves her life on the farm, but is struggling with her recent medical diagnosis of being lactose intolerant. When the summer presents an opportunity to prepare for a wedding, Blaire dives into full creative mode, but does so potentially at the cost of her friendships. I appreciated the way the author dealt with the challenge of receiving a diagnosis around food intolerance and how that could be a struggle for a kid (or anyone really). I also appreciated the way that the friends came to a resolution to their conflict. While it was part of the overall storyline that Blaire spends a lot of time on the internet, I thought the author could have dealt with that topic a little better, particularly given concerns about social media. Overall, this was an enjoyable read and my daughter really liked it.

[Anla Gisclair-Etheridge · Rating 4 out of 5]

I can't remember the last time I read a book from this genre so I can't give an opinion on weather this is good or not, as an adult I have found the book to be quite lacking. Things I like about the book: 1) Blaire lives on a farm, but isn't the typical farm girl. she likes pinterest and uses her tablet to text and look up ideas, she is a crafter, and she likes to cook. She is what I imagine a modern girl living on a farm/at a B&B could be like. 2) American girl is finally exploring the theme of a girl with food intolerances and how that can make her feel interacting with those who don't. I just wish they explored this further or did a little better job with it, but it isn't bad. 3) Blaire seems real. her family seems real.

[Emily · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a good book. I enjoyed reading it and it went fast. The lessons were about communication and living in the moment. Which we all find hard sometimes during the technology age. It’s especially important for the kids who are allowed to have tablets and phones at such a young age. I don’t think they should have them but if they do it should be limited. Life does not revolve around them. No matter what your problems are you need to communicate them to the people important to you so they understand why you’re acting and feeling the way you are. We watch Blaire and Thea learn all these lessons and watch them work hard to bring people together to make someone other than themselves happy which is a great quality about Blaire.

[Abigail · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really liked this book, except for a couple things. It emphasized the importance of prioritizing relationships in your life, even though you may have a lot going on. It also encouraged working together for a common goal. The things I wasn't a fan of: there was a lot of screen time, along with a lot of scripted text conversations. Now, that was portrayed as a negative thing in the end, which I did appreciate. My biggest complaint and the reason for only three stars is that "gosh" and OMG was used way too frequently. The author could have definitely chosen different exclamatory words and phrases.

[Alyssa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Blaire's family owns a family, b and b, her mom and herself run a food blog (vlog?) online, and the family is converting the barn into an event space. And of course 10 year old Blaire is helping with it all, including planning the wedding of her 'almost' sister. Blaire was also recently diagnosed as lactose intolerant and isn't sure how to handle the questions and life changes.

Blaire is probably my favorite contemporary girl of the year so far (but note I haven't read Z or Tenney). It reads as very '2019'.

[Shani · Rating 3 out of 5]

Took me forever to figure out how to phrase what I thought of this book. Then when I tried to post it, something went wrong and I lost it.

Joy. But I digress. I didn't exactly love this book, because of the two main problems I have with it.

One, and the biggest, is how it seemed unrealistic that a 10 year old would be in some of the major situations she was in. If Blaire had been a teenager, I could have bought it. But I couldn't supend belief enough to see a 10 year old helping that much to plan a wedding. The second problem is how issues were piled on in the first three chapters, in a way that felt like too much was happening at once. Like before I could process one thing, another happened. And honestly, if it hadn't been for the wedding planning, it would have been okay. It would have been plenty of conflict for a book. But there was too much.

That said, I'll give it that it had some high points. Things were stung together in a logical sequence of events, and to me it wrapped up with no loose ends. It was also well written and well edited. I also liked these parts:

"Thea was on a platform that went up and down when I got upstairs. I jumped on one that wobbled back and forth. We were going in totally different directions."

And: "When I got to my room, I slammed the door, which made something fall off my inspiration board. It was the photo strip of me and Thea from last year's fair."

The symbolism may not have been intentional, but I like it.

[Shirley · Rating 4 out of 5]

My kids like to get the Girl of the Year books from American Girl, but my husband and I don't usually read them. We decided to make them wait and read this one with us since it was closer to our lifestyle with the farm animals, food allergies, etc. Some chapters had some funny hi-jinks. Blaire is very optimistic which was nice. Way more driven than most kids I would think. And the typical friend drama that we've noticed in most present day AG books. But we still enjoyed reading it together.

[Hayden Byler · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely love this book! It’s about a girl named Blaire who is working at her bed and breakfast, but she soon finds out that she is lactose intolerant! This is a huge deal because one of Blaine’s favorite thing to do is cook! How can she possibly bake without being able to taste all of her concoctions? Blaire then finds out that one of their favorite workers gets engaged, and Blaire gets to plan it! But can Blaire find time to hang out with her best friend and planning a wedding? Find out in this amazing book by Jennifer Castle!

[Lauren · Rating 3 out of 5]

Cute story, but way too much screen time talked about; I understand that it’s to show that too much of it is bad, but that doesn’t come across as clearly as it could. I also disliked the large chunks of texting rather than prose. The food allergy and cooking aspect also felt shoehorned in to make it relevant and weren’t as big a deal as the summary made it sound. Content considerations: screen addiction, minor instance of disobeying her parents. 10+

[Stephanie Watkins · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very cute book. Read with my 9 yo daughter for her AG book club. It’s great for her reading age, shows great character development, lots of new vocabulary to learn and has a good plot. We were able to have a great discussion about being excited for things but then getting ourselves over committed.

[Natasha · Rating 4 out of 5]

Aside from some poor editing, this is a great addition to the girl of the year line.Blaire struggles with some things that girls (and adults!) today also struggle with whether it’s food allergy or screen addiction or work life balance. Seeing her struggle and get scolded and then change her behavior consciously mirrors what people are trying to do today.

[Faith Marshall · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a sweet, cute, and fun read! The setup took a little while, but eventually, I was attached to the characters and hooked to see what happened next. I was again impressed with American Girl for making sure that every single little detail is important, and unlike most AG books, this made me laugh, hard, a couple of times. One of my favorite Girl of the Year books yet!

[Kristine Casieri · Rating 5 out of 5]

I thought the story is very cute and a good reminder that when we are struggling to face something we often hide ourselves in social media and other distractions when what we need to do is face our fears. I actually did like Blaire and related to her since I have many food allergies myself. Great storyline and over all adorable!