What do you think?
Rate this book
American Girl: Courtney #1
Courtney Changes the Game
Courtney is the best gamer at the arcade. But she can’t understand why there aren’t more girl characters in the games she plays. When a school project allows her to create her own video game, the hero is a girl who knows how to handle any situation—something Courtney struggles with in real life. Whether it’s learning to share a room with her stepsister or supporting her mom when she announces she’s running for mayor, Courtney’s blended family has to learn to work together differently. It’s a whole new game for Courtney, and she’s figuring out the rules as she goes. Includes full-color illustrations and a historical “looking back” section.
120 pages, Paperback
First published October 1, 2020
10 people are currently reading
1042 people want to read
About the author
Kellen Hertz
11 books54 followersKellen was raised by New Yorkers in Fresno, California, a combination which resulted in an overactive imagination and a yearning for bagels. She decided to become a writer at age 10, after reading L. Frank Baum’s “Wizard of Oz” series, since the job of Princess of Oz was already taken. At 12, her unfinished first novel was tragically lost in a sea of library books on the floor of her room, forcing her to seek other employment. She’s worked as a screenwriter, television producer, bookseller and a congressional staffer, which is exactly as boring as it sounds. She loves vintage maps, strange names, strong coffee, and words and all the flavors they come in. Most of all, she loves her family. She lives with her husband and son in Los Angeles.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 82 reviews
September 28, 2020
It's been close to 20 years since I've read an American Girl book, but the shared name and childhood experience close in time to my own peaked my curiosity. I read all of Molly's books as a little girl, so it's weird to think that my timeline compared to Molly's 1940s are similar to girls now reading Courtney's 1980s stories. The book was cute but also deals with heavy subjects like divorce/blended families and the Challenger disaster. I look forward to seeing how her story continues and welcoming future decades to the American Girl legacy.
February 27, 2024
The great AG marathon continues. Again, reading for the first time as an adult, inspired by the Dolls of Our Lives podcast.
In a funny way, to me this one feels more "period" than much of the Julie series, even though it's more recent, and takes place within my lifetime (barely: I'm the same age as Courtney's little brother). But this one leans on pop culture touchstones and references much more than the Julie stories do — where sometimes Julie could live anytime in the second half of the 20th century, Courtney is '80s culture turned up to 11.
Structurally, this one is the beginning of a new era for AG: two book series with illustrations, hitting a middle length between the older books and the Beforevers. And in contrast to Maryellen, by this point, there's no vestigial division into Meet/Lesson/Surprise within the book — though I think it is fair to align this, roughly, with Meet and Lesson.
Here's what stood out:
- This one is very family-focused. We have scenes at school and meet a couple of friends, but they don't make much of an impact.
- For that matter, I feel like we don't get much of a sense of how Courtney interacts with other kids. Something about her led me to assume she was fairly outgoing, and one moment where she was nervous to speak up really surprised me.
- We do get a lot of Courtney's relationship with her stepsister, Tracy, which is really well handled — the tensions of a blended family, Tracy's grief for her mother, the mood swings that come with being a teenager, the challenges of sharing a room when one person is tidier than the other. But most of all, it's two perfectly normal girls doing their best to get along because they love each other. THIS is the depiction of sisterhood I would have liked to see for Elizabeth and Annabelle in Very Funny, Elizabeth.
- The Challenger explosion was handled really well, I thought — good build-up and follow-through of Courtney's emotional investment in the crew.
- I really liked the way Courtney sticks all of the challenges of this book into her Crystal Starshooter game — it makes for a fun little recap at the end. And flipping the script to make the end collaborative instead of combative is ahead of her time.
More Courtney babble:
Friendship Superhero
In a funny way, to me this one feels more "period" than much of the Julie series, even though it's more recent, and takes place within my lifetime (barely: I'm the same age as Courtney's little brother). But this one leans on pop culture touchstones and references much more than the Julie stories do — where sometimes Julie could live anytime in the second half of the 20th century, Courtney is '80s culture turned up to 11.
Structurally, this one is the beginning of a new era for AG: two book series with illustrations, hitting a middle length between the older books and the Beforevers. And in contrast to Maryellen, by this point, there's no vestigial division into Meet/Lesson/Surprise within the book — though I think it is fair to align this, roughly, with Meet and Lesson.
Here's what stood out:
- This one is very family-focused. We have scenes at school and meet a couple of friends, but they don't make much of an impact.
- For that matter, I feel like we don't get much of a sense of how Courtney interacts with other kids. Something about her led me to assume she was fairly outgoing, and one moment where she was nervous to speak up really surprised me.
- We do get a lot of Courtney's relationship with her stepsister, Tracy, which is really well handled — the tensions of a blended family, Tracy's grief for her mother, the mood swings that come with being a teenager, the challenges of sharing a room when one person is tidier than the other. But most of all, it's two perfectly normal girls doing their best to get along because they love each other. THIS is the depiction of sisterhood I would have liked to see for Elizabeth and Annabelle in Very Funny, Elizabeth.
- The Challenger explosion was handled really well, I thought — good build-up and follow-through of Courtney's emotional investment in the crew.
- I really liked the way Courtney sticks all of the challenges of this book into her Crystal Starshooter game — it makes for a fun little recap at the end. And flipping the script to make the end collaborative instead of combative is ahead of her time.
More Courtney babble:
Friendship Superhero
December 23, 2020
Courtney is in the 3rd grade and lives in California with her mom, stepdad, 13yo stepsister, and younger half brother. She is the American Girl company’s latest addition, representing 1986. Her favorite thing to do is play video games at the arcade and she’s really good at it. Her mom is running for mayor and if she wins she’ll be the first female mayor of their city. Then there’s her stepsister Tina, they used to get along really well but the last few years have been rough since they started sharing a room. There’s a lot of ups and downs between the girls that felt pretty true to life and all the things both petty and serious that siblings fight over.
In my mind there’s kind of two main storylines happening- the relationship between Courtney and Tina and then Courtney’s school where they are learning about space and the Space Shuttle Challenger. I actually really liked how this was done because I wasn’t alive at the time of the Challenger disaster either and while we learned about it at school, I’m not sure I fully understood the impact it had on all the schoolchildren watching from around the country. This is a major portion of the book. Then I assume the sisterly relationship and Courtney’s mom’s campaign continue throughout the series.
I liked this one. I had some mixed feelings about a time so recent being used by American Girl but then remembered how badly I had wished for a 1960s AG doll when I was a kid and this is exactly the same thing. I suspect that nearerness in history is easier for kids to relate to and I assume Courtney is a popular doll.
I loved American Girl dolls when I was growing up so I was excited when I won this book from a Goodreads giveaway. It was even signed by the author so thank you! I have to confess, that I was never the biggest fan of the books. They seemed overly short and simple for the age and reading level I was at when I was into the dolls. I still think their stories could be a bit longer and that’s true here as well. Yet it did seem to be a much richer story than some of the ones I remember. I am not a fan of all the photos of real people dressed as the characters. That would’ve bummed me out as a child too. I liked imagining them in my own head. I also have some caveats about the history section in the back because it takes a discomfortingly neutral to the point that one might even call it mild praise of Ronald Reagan and his presidency and oof I’m sorry but that felt maddeningly dishonest and it’s just too damn recent- the repercussions continue to this day- to try and pretend otherwise. Also my eyes bugged out at the line “Smartphones and social media didn’t exist in the 1980s, so young people went to malls to see each other.” Just... that sentence felt alarming to me for a multitude of reasons. Explaining what music videos are or a few other things didn’t feel quite on point either and for telling a feminist tale in the book about Courtney’s mom and Christa McAuliffe, the back make it sounds like feminism is solved now but it wasn’t in the 80s. I think American Girl may want to do some thinking on how they cover politics in these books. I don’t know that this sort of history lesson flies with a lot of folks, especially young folks. But these are issues directed to the American Girl company. The book itself, very sweet, even gave me a bit of a different view on a history I was familiar with, and seemed to be a more well rounded and interesting read than many of the earlier books. I still wish they were longer because I think this author could do wonderful things with a bit more than her 100 pages but that speaks highly to her skill.
3 in general (in large part due to length), but a 5 for American Girl fans and in terms of AG’s books about the dolls. So let’s round up to 3.5 total.
In my mind there’s kind of two main storylines happening- the relationship between Courtney and Tina and then Courtney’s school where they are learning about space and the Space Shuttle Challenger. I actually really liked how this was done because I wasn’t alive at the time of the Challenger disaster either and while we learned about it at school, I’m not sure I fully understood the impact it had on all the schoolchildren watching from around the country. This is a major portion of the book. Then I assume the sisterly relationship and Courtney’s mom’s campaign continue throughout the series.
I liked this one. I had some mixed feelings about a time so recent being used by American Girl but then remembered how badly I had wished for a 1960s AG doll when I was a kid and this is exactly the same thing. I suspect that nearerness in history is easier for kids to relate to and I assume Courtney is a popular doll.
I loved American Girl dolls when I was growing up so I was excited when I won this book from a Goodreads giveaway. It was even signed by the author so thank you! I have to confess, that I was never the biggest fan of the books. They seemed overly short and simple for the age and reading level I was at when I was into the dolls. I still think their stories could be a bit longer and that’s true here as well. Yet it did seem to be a much richer story than some of the ones I remember. I am not a fan of all the photos of real people dressed as the characters. That would’ve bummed me out as a child too. I liked imagining them in my own head. I also have some caveats about the history section in the back because it takes a discomfortingly neutral to the point that one might even call it mild praise of Ronald Reagan and his presidency and oof I’m sorry but that felt maddeningly dishonest and it’s just too damn recent- the repercussions continue to this day- to try and pretend otherwise. Also my eyes bugged out at the line “Smartphones and social media didn’t exist in the 1980s, so young people went to malls to see each other.” Just... that sentence felt alarming to me for a multitude of reasons. Explaining what music videos are or a few other things didn’t feel quite on point either and for telling a feminist tale in the book about Courtney’s mom and Christa McAuliffe, the back make it sounds like feminism is solved now but it wasn’t in the 80s. I think American Girl may want to do some thinking on how they cover politics in these books. I don’t know that this sort of history lesson flies with a lot of folks, especially young folks. But these are issues directed to the American Girl company. The book itself, very sweet, even gave me a bit of a different view on a history I was familiar with, and seemed to be a more well rounded and interesting read than many of the earlier books. I still wish they were longer because I think this author could do wonderful things with a bit more than her 100 pages but that speaks highly to her skill.
3 in general (in large part due to length), but a 5 for American Girl fans and in terms of AG’s books about the dolls. So let’s round up to 3.5 total.
September 28, 2020
I was excited to find out more about the newest historical American Girl Doll name Courtney that is from the 80s. I graduated in 1989 so those years are really memorable to me. The book did a good job mentioning many things that the 80s are known for and a few things that could have been left out too.
September 29, 2020
I really enjoyed Courtney's story, Not only do readers get to step back in time to the '80s and learn about, the time period but they also get to see what someone from a blended family might experience. Courtney is a very relatable character. I can't wait for the next book!
January 6, 2021
When I learned that American Girl has just released a historical doll from the 1980s, my mind was blown, and I desperately wanted to read this first book and see what the author had done with the concept. I wasn't expecting this to be very good, since many of the more contemporary American Girl books haven't been, but it was great.
The author did a great job weaving in different cultural and social elements of the 1980s without making them too abrupt or heavy-handed, and she gracefully explores challenging dynamics related to Courtney's experience in a blended family. The book captures the characters and their life situations well, and even though a few elements of the book could come off as preachy, there are so many ways that this book could have gone wrong that I was very impressed with how the author handled the different issues involved.
Overall, this would have been a four star book for me, but the part about the Challenger Explosion was so good that this elevated the book to a five-star rating. Earlier last year, I read the middle grade novel We Dream of Space, which covered the same time period and disaster, but even though it was fairly good, I wasn't satisfied with it overall. This book does a much better, more subtle job of addressing family dynamics, classroom experiences, and the reactions and emotions associated with the Challenger Explosion. The tragedy also tied into the plot and Courtney's character arc in a very direct way, and I don't think it could have possibly been done better.
The historical note is also great. I'm pleased that American Girl has brought back full, detailed historical notes with photos, and even though it makes me sad that traditional American Girl books reprinted in this new line have been abridged, I'm glad that they have reintroduced illustrations throughout the books and full historical notes. This new format and approach are vastly superior to the "Beforever" relaunch from several years ago, and I'm glad that the company has finally jettisoned that ridiculous name, too.
I really enjoyed Courtney's story, and even though I am a nineties kid, I enjoyed the nostalgia based on similar cultural elements and all of the hand-me-downs that I grew up with. This was a lot of fun, and I am looking forward to the next book's release. I'm glad that I bought this instead of waiting in hopes that the library will get it, and this was a great final read for 2020. I would definitely recommend this to American Girl fans, and to anyone who is interested in current juvenile novels set in the 1980s.
The author did a great job weaving in different cultural and social elements of the 1980s without making them too abrupt or heavy-handed, and she gracefully explores challenging dynamics related to Courtney's experience in a blended family. The book captures the characters and their life situations well, and even though a few elements of the book could come off as preachy, there are so many ways that this book could have gone wrong that I was very impressed with how the author handled the different issues involved.
Overall, this would have been a four star book for me, but the part about the Challenger Explosion was so good that this elevated the book to a five-star rating. Earlier last year, I read the middle grade novel We Dream of Space, which covered the same time period and disaster, but even though it was fairly good, I wasn't satisfied with it overall. This book does a much better, more subtle job of addressing family dynamics, classroom experiences, and the reactions and emotions associated with the Challenger Explosion. The tragedy also tied into the plot and Courtney's character arc in a very direct way, and I don't think it could have possibly been done better.
The historical note is also great. I'm pleased that American Girl has brought back full, detailed historical notes with photos, and even though it makes me sad that traditional American Girl books reprinted in this new line have been abridged, I'm glad that they have reintroduced illustrations throughout the books and full historical notes. This new format and approach are vastly superior to the "Beforever" relaunch from several years ago, and I'm glad that the company has finally jettisoned that ridiculous name, too.
I really enjoyed Courtney's story, and even though I am a nineties kid, I enjoyed the nostalgia based on similar cultural elements and all of the hand-me-downs that I grew up with. This was a lot of fun, and I am looking forward to the next book's release. I'm glad that I bought this instead of waiting in hopes that the library will get it, and this was a great final read for 2020. I would definitely recommend this to American Girl fans, and to anyone who is interested in current juvenile novels set in the 1980s.
September 23, 2020
I really loved learning about the new historical doll Courtney Moore! This is a great story for kids (or even adults) to learn about coping with changes in your family or just life. This book really explores how kids live back in the 80s. Wonderful references to video games, MTV, and movies from that time era!
February 9, 2021
This book is very good.
It’s very 80’s!
It’s very 80’s!
October 23, 2020
I was so excited when I heard that American Girl was doing an 8o's girl!
I love the 1980's. Even though I was older than the American Girls at the time, I still consider the 80's to be 'My Decade,' and I couldn't wait to read this book.
I did wonder why they chose 1986 to be her year, since most Girls have a year that ends with a 4. Also, my favorite year was 1987, and that puts her just before the events that I remember most.
Early on in reading this book I realized with a start why they had chosen 1986. It was the year of the tragic Challenger disaster. Oh, dear, I was not even thinking about that. It was like a cold bucket of water reminding me that the 80's weren't all great music and wild fashions.
But, yes, it is part of history. And bringing history to girls in a way they can relate to is what American Girl does best. The Challenger disaster is a unique part of history in that kids Courtney's age were truly a part of it - watching it happen live in their classrooms. I can't imagine how awful that must have been. It was awful for me, and I was older - just seven months out of high school. Plus, I heard about it before actually seeing the footage. I have to admit I wasn't happy that this book brought back those memories.
But the story still has lots of other, happier, 1980's memories. Courtney loves video games, especially Pac Man. There are lots of other pop culture references as well. There is mention of one of my favorite bands, Huey Lewis and the News. There are scrunchies and MTV and words like "rad" and "totally tubular."
Courtney is a member of a blended family - I think the first of the American Girls to have such a home situation. She shares a room with her stepsister, Tina, and that is not easy for them. Courtney's mom is running for mayor at a time when people still questioned whether or not women could have high profile jobs and be good mothers. So, I like the way this story addresses woman's rights issues. There are also issues about the environment, the ozone layer, and recycling.
I really like how all these elements tie together nicely in the end through a school project that Courtney must present to the class. She really does "Change the Game" by putting her own personal spin on the video games she loves to play.
In spite of the unexpected sadness of the Challenger incident, I did enjoy this book and look forward to more 1980's adventures with Courtney.
I love the 1980's. Even though I was older than the American Girls at the time, I still consider the 80's to be 'My Decade,' and I couldn't wait to read this book.
I did wonder why they chose 1986 to be her year, since most Girls have a year that ends with a 4. Also, my favorite year was 1987, and that puts her just before the events that I remember most.
Early on in reading this book I realized with a start why they had chosen 1986. It was the year of the tragic Challenger disaster. Oh, dear, I was not even thinking about that. It was like a cold bucket of water reminding me that the 80's weren't all great music and wild fashions.
But, yes, it is part of history. And bringing history to girls in a way they can relate to is what American Girl does best. The Challenger disaster is a unique part of history in that kids Courtney's age were truly a part of it - watching it happen live in their classrooms. I can't imagine how awful that must have been. It was awful for me, and I was older - just seven months out of high school. Plus, I heard about it before actually seeing the footage. I have to admit I wasn't happy that this book brought back those memories.
But the story still has lots of other, happier, 1980's memories. Courtney loves video games, especially Pac Man. There are lots of other pop culture references as well. There is mention of one of my favorite bands, Huey Lewis and the News. There are scrunchies and MTV and words like "rad" and "totally tubular."
Courtney is a member of a blended family - I think the first of the American Girls to have such a home situation. She shares a room with her stepsister, Tina, and that is not easy for them. Courtney's mom is running for mayor at a time when people still questioned whether or not women could have high profile jobs and be good mothers. So, I like the way this story addresses woman's rights issues. There are also issues about the environment, the ozone layer, and recycling.
I really like how all these elements tie together nicely in the end through a school project that Courtney must present to the class. She really does "Change the Game" by putting her own personal spin on the video games she loves to play.
In spite of the unexpected sadness of the Challenger incident, I did enjoy this book and look forward to more 1980's adventures with Courtney.
January 31, 2021
It kind of hurts me to see an historical girl set during a time when I was alive. Ouch. Before reading this, I was surprised to see that they intended to tackle the Challenger disaster, and I'm relieved to report that they did a good job of showing how it affected the many kids who were watching live. That aside, the storyline is mostly taken up with Courtney's relationship with her stepsister, Tina, with Courtney's interest in video games and her mother's campaign for mayor running as strong subplots throughout. Courtney may not be my favorite historical character, but I liked her well enough and this first book is pretty good.
This is the first book released in the newest AG format. The Beforever branding is gone, and the books will now be about half the length of the Beforever books and about as long as two of the original books. The historical context section is longer again. Illustrations are back, including the family and friends portraits at the start of the book and a new spread at the beginning of the book to illustrate an important setting. All of the still active dolls will have their books re-released in this new format. The return of the illustrations is great, especially for the three Beforever era girls who never had them. But the new length means that all the dolls other than Courtney will have their stories abridged from now on, way more than Beforever had.
This is the first book released in the newest AG format. The Beforever branding is gone, and the books will now be about half the length of the Beforever books and about as long as two of the original books. The historical context section is longer again. Illustrations are back, including the family and friends portraits at the start of the book and a new spread at the beginning of the book to illustrate an important setting. All of the still active dolls will have their books re-released in this new format. The return of the illustrations is great, especially for the three Beforever era girls who never had them. But the new length means that all the dolls other than Courtney will have their stories abridged from now on, way more than Beforever had.
December 6, 2020
I am a fan of the American Girl Historical Series, so when I learned they were coming out with a new series about a girl from the mid-1980s, I was thrilled.
This story is about Courtney, a gamer girl growing up in 1986 California with her mayor-running Mom, stepdad, toddler half-brother, and older teen stepsister, Tina. For a school project, she decides to create a space-themed video game with a girl, Crystal Starshooter, as the main character, influenced by the upcoming Challenger launch where a teacher will go into space. But she has some struggles, not just trying to get used to now staying with her mom on weekends instead of visiting her dad (who has to move for work), but also having her guinea pig pet in her shared bedroom with moody Tina. Courtney is also deeply impacted when a disaster occurs during the live viewing of the shuttle launch.
I was a toddler myself around the time that this story takes place, so I was really interested to learn what was happening back then from a child's perspective. And even though the story is fictional, the launch disaster happened in real life, and the book didn't disappoint. I can't wait for it's sequel due out in February 2021.
If you are a fan of the 80s, historical fiction, or even of video games, you should get and open up this book.
This story is about Courtney, a gamer girl growing up in 1986 California with her mayor-running Mom, stepdad, toddler half-brother, and older teen stepsister, Tina. For a school project, she decides to create a space-themed video game with a girl, Crystal Starshooter, as the main character, influenced by the upcoming Challenger launch where a teacher will go into space. But she has some struggles, not just trying to get used to now staying with her mom on weekends instead of visiting her dad (who has to move for work), but also having her guinea pig pet in her shared bedroom with moody Tina. Courtney is also deeply impacted when a disaster occurs during the live viewing of the shuttle launch.
I was a toddler myself around the time that this story takes place, so I was really interested to learn what was happening back then from a child's perspective. And even though the story is fictional, the launch disaster happened in real life, and the book didn't disappoint. I can't wait for it's sequel due out in February 2021.
If you are a fan of the 80s, historical fiction, or even of video games, you should get and open up this book.
March 20, 2021
This book was so much fun, like totally! I really enjoyed getting to introduce my daughter to my childhood, reading Courtney Changes the Game by Kellen Hertz. Or at least parts of it since I was only 2 when this book takes place!
I loved the 80s details within! Courtney spends time at the mall, in the arcade playing PAC-man. A teacher rolls in a tv on a cart so their class can watch it. At one point Courtney and her step-sister are dancing along to the video for Girls Just Want to Have Fun. (Coincidentally the next day the song happened to be on the radio, and my daughter loved that she was listening to the same song as Courtney.) Her male teacher wears rainbow suspenders and while nothing was specifically noted, being the 80s I can imagine what that might mean.
Early one in the book Courtney’s teacher mentions how exciting it is that a teacher will be going to space on the Challenger expedition. I dreaded what was coming, but did think it was well-written.
In some ways I liked the format of these more than the older books. They’re about the same length, but broken up into smaller chapters which make it easier to read only a couple of chapters at a time. Overall a lot of fun and I can’t wait to read more from Courtney.
5/5
I loved the 80s details within! Courtney spends time at the mall, in the arcade playing PAC-man. A teacher rolls in a tv on a cart so their class can watch it. At one point Courtney and her step-sister are dancing along to the video for Girls Just Want to Have Fun. (Coincidentally the next day the song happened to be on the radio, and my daughter loved that she was listening to the same song as Courtney.) Her male teacher wears rainbow suspenders and while nothing was specifically noted, being the 80s I can imagine what that might mean.
Early one in the book Courtney’s teacher mentions how exciting it is that a teacher will be going to space on the Challenger expedition. I dreaded what was coming, but did think it was well-written.
In some ways I liked the format of these more than the older books. They’re about the same length, but broken up into smaller chapters which make it easier to read only a couple of chapters at a time. Overall a lot of fun and I can’t wait to read more from Courtney.
5/5
October 22, 2020
El libro nos presenta una familia en la que los padres son divorciados, se vuelven a casar y tienen otro hijo. Me ha gustado la forma en la que las niñas afrontan el problema de acercarse pese a no ser hermanas. No estoy segura de que el libro sea para niños por una fotografía que incluye al final, me ha parecido innecesaria y amarillista.
November 22, 2024
Courtney's series suffers from the same problems that all post-Caroline girls - no 6 book series, more-jam packed, worse illustrations, etc etc. Not going to go over all that again, as I think I've made my displeasure pretty clear. Courtney at least has a robust peak into the past section, which I did appreciate.
The book itself...was fine? I don't know. It was trying to do a *lot* of different things, and it really did not have the space to do all of them justice. I didn't get a super clear sense of who Courtney was as a character.
Also - this is just my own pet (heh) peeve - but justice for Tina! The fact that she isn't happy about having to live with Courtney's guinea pig is portrayed as one of her many Terrible Mean Things that she does. And like, is she a jerk about it? Yeah. She's 13. But she has every right to be upset! She's not evil for not wanting to have an animal living in her room!! She's already had to go from having her own room to having to share a room for Courtney.
The book itself...was fine? I don't know. It was trying to do a *lot* of different things, and it really did not have the space to do all of them justice. I didn't get a super clear sense of who Courtney was as a character.
Also - this is just my own pet (heh) peeve - but justice for Tina! The fact that she isn't happy about having to live with Courtney's guinea pig is portrayed as one of her many Terrible Mean Things that she does. And like, is she a jerk about it? Yeah. She's 13. But she has every right to be upset! She's not evil for not wanting to have an animal living in her room!! She's already had to go from having her own room to having to share a room for Courtney.
March 11, 2023
going back to my roots 😤😤
March 18, 2025
My 7 year old loved this book! It had examples of what sexism is, explained in a very simple way, which led to great discussions between us.
Side note: Courtney experiences the Challenger blowing up and watching it live on tv. As a child who watched 9/11 happen live on tv, why the hell didn’t the adults and leaders talk and take care of us the way they did to the children who watched the challenger?? 😅
Side note: Courtney experiences the Challenger blowing up and watching it live on tv. As a child who watched 9/11 happen live on tv, why the hell didn’t the adults and leaders talk and take care of us the way they did to the children who watched the challenger?? 😅
February 16, 2021
The whole video game aspect was uninteresting to me, in fact it felt a lot like Maryellen’s Youtube special. There were a lot of aspects that were very similar to Julie’s stories as well. A couple of typos, which I don’t usually see in AG books. The most interesting aspect was how the Challenger was used as the historical backdrop. The chapter about the launch was very well written.
December 24, 2024
I was so hesitant about this one. I was a few months old when most of it takes place, and that's more than a little surreal. Still, I like that they waited longer than with Julie. 🙄
I miss the 6 book format. The two book format feels a little rushed and disjointed by comparison. Honestly, for the 40th anniversary in a couple of years I would love to see them flesh out all the new characters with 6 books and complete collections. It could work.
I thought Courtney PROGRAMMED a video game, which I thought was too progressive. It turns out she DESIGNS it, and I really like the way it's handled. You see her looking at her life from nine-year-old eyes, and I see a little ADHD in the way she daydreams and comes back.
I really loved her relationship with her family. That was done very well, including the bit about her dad moving away.
I miss the 6 book format. The two book format feels a little rushed and disjointed by comparison. Honestly, for the 40th anniversary in a couple of years I would love to see them flesh out all the new characters with 6 books and complete collections. It could work.
I thought Courtney PROGRAMMED a video game, which I thought was too progressive. It turns out she DESIGNS it, and I really like the way it's handled. You see her looking at her life from nine-year-old eyes, and I see a little ADHD in the way she daydreams and comes back.
I really loved her relationship with her family. That was done very well, including the bit about her dad moving away.
September 29, 2020
Charming first book about Courtney Moore. She is a video game obsessed 3rd grader growing up in the San Fernando Valley of 1986. The newest edition to the American Girl historical line, she is navigating such issues as finder her place in a new blended family and facing criticism as a girl much more into gaming and technology than other more “traditional” pastimes. All of this plays against the changing landscape of 1980’s America with lot’s of historical and pop culture references added to give the story an authentic feel. Can’t wait to read more about Courtney as she faces the 1980’s head on. Neon scrunchie and all.
November 29, 2020
This was my first time reading an American Girl book and I was genuinely surprised by how good it was! I didn’t expect such depth in the characters, or for it to deal with such heavy topics (divorce, death, the Challenger explosion, etc). I actually found myself crying at one point. And I thought its depiction of 1986 was spot on! My only complaint was the rather laudatory description of Reagan in the historical postscript. That grated on my nerves, especially after it had done such a good job with its storyline about Courtney’s mom running for mayor. Still, overall the book is pretty great. Highly recommend it!
December 16, 2020
This review is courtesy of our family's 8 y/ o reader:
This is a great book! Courtney is a strong, independent girl who sees that all the characters in video games are boys and she wants to make her own girl characters. The book is funny, sad and happy in some places. Courtney's sister Tina is sad that her mother died - that's why I like her, because it makes her an important character. Kellen Hertz does a good job describing how they feel and giving us clues about their personality and life. It takes place in the 80s so it makes you think about what people were doing in the 80s. This book has something for everyone!
This is a great book! Courtney is a strong, independent girl who sees that all the characters in video games are boys and she wants to make her own girl characters. The book is funny, sad and happy in some places. Courtney's sister Tina is sad that her mother died - that's why I like her, because it makes her an important character. Kellen Hertz does a good job describing how they feel and giving us clues about their personality and life. It takes place in the 80s so it makes you think about what people were doing in the 80s. This book has something for everyone!
October 31, 2020
DISCLAIMER: SPOILERS AHEAD!!!
(review by Shane, 8yo)
It's a good book because the characters are nice (specifically Mr.Garcia).
Mr.Garcia is Courtney’s 3rd grade teacher and he’s nice because he’s kind to his class and was helpful when the Challenger exploded and he said “It’s going to be ok.” to his class.
I felt surprised when the Challenger exploded. I also felt sorry for the people that were on the Challenger.
I also liked Tina because sometimes she's really nice and other times she's very independent, ignoring and sassy.
(review by Shane, 8yo)
It's a good book because the characters are nice (specifically Mr.Garcia).
Mr.Garcia is Courtney’s 3rd grade teacher and he’s nice because he’s kind to his class and was helpful when the Challenger exploded and he said “It’s going to be ok.” to his class.
I felt surprised when the Challenger exploded. I also felt sorry for the people that were on the Challenger.
I also liked Tina because sometimes she's really nice and other times she's very independent, ignoring and sassy.
January 12, 2021
I read this with my daughter who received the Courtney doll for Christmas. I enjoyed this more than I thought I would. As a child of the 80s, this book was some great nostalgia. This book opened up an opportunity for me to discuss the Challenger explosion, divorce, and women's changing roles in society with my girls in a way that they could understand. This has made me want to check out more American Girl books.
January 28, 2021
While the nostalgia factor is strong, this book impressively addresses how collective trauma impacts our personal lives and how we can use our imaginations to make a better world. It couldnt be more relevant today. Courtney 1986 isn't joking around! Girl power! Plus, the "historical" explanation of Blockbuster is priceless..
September 27, 2020
3.5/5. On one hand I did enjoy the book. Tons of pop culture references, great themes about female empowerment, environmentalism and dealing with various forms of loss. Including gaming was also cool and relevant to today. Courtney was FUNNY which is kind of new for AG! On the other hand the book just felt incomplete, too short. The ending was sudden to me. I guess this is going with the new “abridged” format but I’d rather see more books (maybe 3) in that case.
November 21, 2020
Fun to revisit an American Girl book after so many years, even more so one from the time when I grew up. Read aloud to my 7 year old. She loved it and was very interested in the Challenger story. Good job mixing relevant cultural issues of the times with a loveable character who also feels modern. Could have been a bit longer to round out the story! Extra 1/2 star for the rad mall illustration at the beginning. Count us in for the next one.
Read
January 14, 2021This was a really fun read. The Challenger stuff was well done as well.
January 4, 2021
I read this because Kassidy asked me to. It is somewhat surreal to read a “historical” book, written for children, set in the time when I was a child. Makes me feel old. They handled the Challenger tragedy with sympathy, and I found the “about Courtney’s world” section in the back to be informative for today’s kids.
September 27, 2020
Courtney Changes The Game is a great book that deals with some different challenges such as living with a blended family, working together and still finding a way to be brave and dream big in the midst of a tragedy like The Challenger Space Shuttle lift-off.
November 2, 2020
Visit, or re-visit the '80s, with Courtney. This book includes pop culture, blended family, women's empowerment, and the Challenger explosion.
My copy was a gift through Goodreads First Reads.
My copy was a gift through Goodreads First Reads.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 82 reviews