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American Girl: Addy #1
Meet Addy: An American Girl
Addy Walker's family is planning a dangerous escape
from slavery in the summer of 1864. But before they can make the escape, the worst happens--Master Stevens decides to sell some of his slaves, including Poppa and Addy's brother, Sam. Addy and Momma take the terrible risk of escaping by themselves, hoping that the family eventually will be together again in Philadelphia. Set during America's own struggle over slavery, the Civil War, Addy's story is one of great courage and love--love of family and love of freedom.
from slavery in the summer of 1864. But before they can make the escape, the worst happens--Master Stevens decides to sell some of his slaves, including Poppa and Addy's brother, Sam. Addy and Momma take the terrible risk of escaping by themselves, hoping that the family eventually will be together again in Philadelphia. Set during America's own struggle over slavery, the Civil War, Addy's story is one of great courage and love--love of family and love of freedom.
69 pages, Paperback
First published September 1, 1993
55 people are currently reading
2617 people want to read
About the author
Connie Rose Porter
56 books114 followersConnie Rose Porter is an American author best known for her books for children and young adults. She was the third youngest of nine children of a family living in a housing project.
She has since taught English and creative writing at Milton Academy, Emerson College, and Southern Illinois University Carbondale. She was a fellow at the Bread Loaf Writers' Conference and was a regional winner in Granta's Best Young American Novelist contest.
She has since taught English and creative writing at Milton Academy, Emerson College, and Southern Illinois University Carbondale. She was a fellow at the Bread Loaf Writers' Conference and was a regional winner in Granta's Best Young American Novelist contest.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 420 reviews
December 6, 2011
holy shit. this book was so much more intense than i expected it to be. i thought i had read it like ten years ago, when i decided to read a bunch of the american girl books i missed when i was a kid, but i guess i hadn't because i am pretty sure i would have remembered this!
addy was the fifth addition to the american girl historical characters, & the first girl of color. growing up during the civil war, she & her family are slaves on a north carolina plantation. the book opens with addy waking up in the middle of the night & overhearing her parents making plans for the family to run away to freedom. they have learned about a safe house about ten miles away, occupied by a white woman who helps slaves escape to the north. addy's parents are concerned that their master might separate the family by selling some of them. they want to get to freedom before that happens.
unfortunately, the master decides to sell addy's father & her older brother, sam, the very next day. addy is serving her master & another slaveowner some lunch & overhears their plans. there is an unbelievably creepy scene in which the new slaveowner pats addy on the head & asks her master if he might be willing to sell her too. if this was the author's attempt to include the reality that female slaves were often raped & sexually exploited by their masters, it was very well done. subtle enough to give kids the creeps without letting on anything explicit, just direct enough for an educated adult to pick up on it.
addy runs to the fields to try to warn sam & her father, but it's too late. they're already shackled & being taken away. addy gets whipped when she tries to say goodbye to her father. the next day, she is understandably out of it while she's working in the fields & misses some worms on the tobacco crops. the overseer forces her to eat them as punishment.
not long after, addy's mother presents her with a disguise of boy's clothes. she has decided that she & addy are going to make a run for the safe house. unfortunately, because it's just the two of them, they have to leave one-year-old esther behind.
the book ends with addy & her mother successfully reaching the safe house without being detected by anyone who would have returned them to slavery.
i guess i knew that addy's character was that of an escaped slave, but i wasn't really prepared to read actual depictions of slavery in a children's book. not that i think it's bad or wrong to tell kids the truth about that kind of thing. it was just a little more detailed than i expected. i always forget how good the american girl books are at addressing difficult issues in a way that kids can understand, but without sugarcoating anything. the "looking back" portion of the book, which addresses the history of the time the story is set in, doesn't even try to claim that the civil war was all about slavery, which is an over-simplification that was always spoonfed to me & my classmates in school.
the only weird thing about all this is that, of course, an addy doll is available for sale, along with her collection of dresses, furniture, & various accessories. all of the american girl historical characters have corollary dolls, & i don't really have an issue with them (save for the price, & the sometimes unrealistic proposition of an escaped slave character, say, having like twenty dresses to choose from). but didn't american girl stop to consider that the idea of selling a doll based on a former slave was perhaps a bit tone-deaf? hello?
addy was the fifth addition to the american girl historical characters, & the first girl of color. growing up during the civil war, she & her family are slaves on a north carolina plantation. the book opens with addy waking up in the middle of the night & overhearing her parents making plans for the family to run away to freedom. they have learned about a safe house about ten miles away, occupied by a white woman who helps slaves escape to the north. addy's parents are concerned that their master might separate the family by selling some of them. they want to get to freedom before that happens.
unfortunately, the master decides to sell addy's father & her older brother, sam, the very next day. addy is serving her master & another slaveowner some lunch & overhears their plans. there is an unbelievably creepy scene in which the new slaveowner pats addy on the head & asks her master if he might be willing to sell her too. if this was the author's attempt to include the reality that female slaves were often raped & sexually exploited by their masters, it was very well done. subtle enough to give kids the creeps without letting on anything explicit, just direct enough for an educated adult to pick up on it.
addy runs to the fields to try to warn sam & her father, but it's too late. they're already shackled & being taken away. addy gets whipped when she tries to say goodbye to her father. the next day, she is understandably out of it while she's working in the fields & misses some worms on the tobacco crops. the overseer forces her to eat them as punishment.
not long after, addy's mother presents her with a disguise of boy's clothes. she has decided that she & addy are going to make a run for the safe house. unfortunately, because it's just the two of them, they have to leave one-year-old esther behind.
the book ends with addy & her mother successfully reaching the safe house without being detected by anyone who would have returned them to slavery.
i guess i knew that addy's character was that of an escaped slave, but i wasn't really prepared to read actual depictions of slavery in a children's book. not that i think it's bad or wrong to tell kids the truth about that kind of thing. it was just a little more detailed than i expected. i always forget how good the american girl books are at addressing difficult issues in a way that kids can understand, but without sugarcoating anything. the "looking back" portion of the book, which addresses the history of the time the story is set in, doesn't even try to claim that the civil war was all about slavery, which is an over-simplification that was always spoonfed to me & my classmates in school.
the only weird thing about all this is that, of course, an addy doll is available for sale, along with her collection of dresses, furniture, & various accessories. all of the american girl historical characters have corollary dolls, & i don't really have an issue with them (save for the price, & the sometimes unrealistic proposition of an escaped slave character, say, having like twenty dresses to choose from). but didn't american girl stop to consider that the idea of selling a doll based on a former slave was perhaps a bit tone-deaf? hello?
July 5, 2017
I read these all as a kid but reading it as an adult I was so struck by how well this walks the tightrope of depicting the horrors of slavery without being too graphic for children.
Also I cried like 3 times at it.
Anyway here's a podcast about it
http://www.frowl.org/worstbestsellers...
Also I cried like 3 times at it.
Anyway here's a podcast about it
http://www.frowl.org/worstbestsellers...
November 10, 2023
Addy is probably my second-favorite American Girl. Rereading her story is possibly even more rewarding as an adult than as a child. I love that her series is written by an African American author, and I love that this first book doesn't downplay slavery. There's none of that "BuT nOt aLL sLaVeOwnErS" nonsense; there's no throwaway clause attempting to make potential white readers feel better about their heritage (besides Addy's mom telling her that not all white people treat Black people badly). I'm so grateful that, even in the 1990s, Pleasant Company had the guts and integrity to include a character who escapes slavery in their collection.
Also, I didn't know growing up that the illustrator's daughter had served as a model for Addy's character design! That's so cool.
Also, I didn't know growing up that the illustrator's daughter had served as a model for Addy's character design! That's so cool.
December 2, 2008
An engaging and realistic look at a
Ages 8-12
I had very low expectations for this series based book. Generally branded or series characters are shallow and the plots unimaginative. However, this is not the case with Addy. I found Addy to be a very rich character and the plot, while not awe-inducing, was suspenseful, adventurous and creative. I felt really close to the courageous and bright Addy Walker as she and her mother leave the plantation in search of her father and brother, who had been sold. This book introduces the horrors of slavery in an age-appropriate manner, allowing readers a glimpse, without it being too scary. It also managed to find the balance of being sad and then heartwarming, without moving into the sappy realm.
I highly recommend this book to those wishing to learn about history as well as to those that just love a good adventure. There are enough historical details for education to take place, but the authors manage to not make that the focus of the tale.
Ages 8-12
I had very low expectations for this series based book. Generally branded or series characters are shallow and the plots unimaginative. However, this is not the case with Addy. I found Addy to be a very rich character and the plot, while not awe-inducing, was suspenseful, adventurous and creative. I felt really close to the courageous and bright Addy Walker as she and her mother leave the plantation in search of her father and brother, who had been sold. This book introduces the horrors of slavery in an age-appropriate manner, allowing readers a glimpse, without it being too scary. It also managed to find the balance of being sad and then heartwarming, without moving into the sappy realm.
I highly recommend this book to those wishing to learn about history as well as to those that just love a good adventure. There are enough historical details for education to take place, but the authors manage to not make that the focus of the tale.
May 15, 2018
I thought this was an interesting book. I mean, most American Girl books I have read were never realistic, to be honest. But this one. It made me want to cry. I hate how people were treated in that time in history, and it was so painful to read scenes. Just know that it's something worth reading (it's better than Meet Molly anyhow, and that says quite a bit since Molly was always my favorite)<3
November 12, 2022
I love Addy and her story. I really enjoy her struggle to find freedom.
November 28, 2024
What an emotional story. I cannot imagine making the decisions that Addy's family had to make.
Addy's fortitude is commendable. I loved how she calmly and bravely explained who she really was when it was misunderstood.
Addy's fortitude is commendable. I loved how she calmly and bravely explained who she really was when it was misunderstood.
October 31, 2022
In the 1990s, Connie Porter brought Americans the brave and courageous character Addy Walker to life as part of The American Girls Collection. 𝗠𝗲𝗲𝘁 𝗔𝗱𝗱𝘆 tells the story of 9-year-old Addy and her family enslaved on a North Carolina plantation during the Civil War. The premise surrounds itself on the subject of freedom and escape while the plantation owner Mr. Stevens sells Addy’s father and brother to another enslaver. At an early age, this American girl must endure the evils of slavery—the reality of being a Black girl in a young America.
𝗠𝗲𝗲𝘁 𝗔𝗱𝗱𝘆 is unlike the other series in the collection because Addy had a harsh and dangerous reality to overcome. Slavery killed and damaged generations of Africans and Blacks in this country. However, this story itself is paramount in showing children ages 8-12 the true accounts of what happened specifically during these times. Porter does a great job of making sure the story is intense, authentic, and creative for the time period. To be honest, it was not what I remembered decades ago when reading to my daughter. This story is definitely one that needs to be read in classrooms to teach about courage, freedom, and strength.
There’s a hard scene where Addy states, “I hate them, Momma. I hate white people.” Her brother and father had just been sold. Her anger is justifiable. Her family is torn apart. Her mother has learned to control her emotions, which is a hard trait to master. She explains to Addy: “Honey, if you fill your heart with hate, there ain’t gonna be no room for love.” That love must be designated for her brother and father and others in the world.
It makes me think of the rise of white supremacy in the U.S and how my hate rises with it? Where do we find the patience to quell the anger that bubbles within us to deal the aftermath of a failed Civil War. I need to read the other four books in the series to see where Addy is now and how far she’s gotten into the 20th century.
𝗠𝗲𝗲𝘁 𝗔𝗱𝗱𝘆 is unlike the other series in the collection because Addy had a harsh and dangerous reality to overcome. Slavery killed and damaged generations of Africans and Blacks in this country. However, this story itself is paramount in showing children ages 8-12 the true accounts of what happened specifically during these times. Porter does a great job of making sure the story is intense, authentic, and creative for the time period. To be honest, it was not what I remembered decades ago when reading to my daughter. This story is definitely one that needs to be read in classrooms to teach about courage, freedom, and strength.
There’s a hard scene where Addy states, “I hate them, Momma. I hate white people.” Her brother and father had just been sold. Her anger is justifiable. Her family is torn apart. Her mother has learned to control her emotions, which is a hard trait to master. She explains to Addy: “Honey, if you fill your heart with hate, there ain’t gonna be no room for love.” That love must be designated for her brother and father and others in the world.
It makes me think of the rise of white supremacy in the U.S and how my hate rises with it? Where do we find the patience to quell the anger that bubbles within us to deal the aftermath of a failed Civil War. I need to read the other four books in the series to see where Addy is now and how far she’s gotten into the 20th century.
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April 18, 2022Really wanted to read these books since I didn’t have these ones as a kid. I don’t think I’ll be rating any of the American Girl books I read/reread.
This one made me sob so, 5/5 stars in my heart.
This one made me sob so, 5/5 stars in my heart.
October 20, 2012
This book was one of the most beautiful books I have ever read. I loved the American Girl series, but none of the books grabbed me as much as Addy. Her story was so heartbreaking and beautiful. I can't remember every bit of the story, but what really stood out to me was one line. One line that I can quote word for word, even years later, because it was so meaningful. One that I think gives this book the right to five stars. The line came from somewhere in the first couple of chapters, right after the slave master sold Addy's brother and father without allowing her to say goodbye. Later, Addy rushed to her mother sobbing and shouting how much she hated all the people who were overseeing her, the slave master, and pretty much every white person in the world. After a moment of silence, her mother said:
"If you fill your heart with hate, there'll be no room for love."
I found this beautiful. So much wisdom, so much to think about!
That's why I really loved Addy: she wasn't a quitter. Considering she had what was probably the hardest life of all the American Girls, she was also the bravest and the least whiny. The biggest worry on her mind is the whereabouts and well being of her family.
This is modern literature. This 8-12 year old book has a better story than most books I've read. Please: even if you are a teenager or an adult, read the story again.
"If you fill your heart with hate, there'll be no room for love."
I found this beautiful. So much wisdom, so much to think about!
That's why I really loved Addy: she wasn't a quitter. Considering she had what was probably the hardest life of all the American Girls, she was also the bravest and the least whiny. The biggest worry on her mind is the whereabouts and well being of her family.
This is modern literature. This 8-12 year old book has a better story than most books I've read. Please: even if you are a teenager or an adult, read the story again.
November 29, 2023
i recently remembered this book's existence and shocker, somehow it's even worse than i remember. the one star is for the metaphors; addy chewed a little
June 11, 2020
I grew up in the 90s and the American Girl Dolls were all the rage. I remember the first catalog we ever had and how cool all of the dresses and furntiture was--how they fit into the narrative of the dolls' stories. I can remember the exact spot in the local library where all the books were. And read all of them.
I can't remember if that first catalog had Addy. She was released in 1993 and I got my first doll, Kirsten, for Christmas 1995.
It's been years since I read this book--I'd forgotten that I had it. I'm not sure when or where I picked up this copy, but it is the only American Girl book I have that doesn't belong to one of the dolls I own. And I went into it knowing the basics of the story. Addy and her mother make a run for freedom after her father and brother are unexpectedly sold.
But I had forgotten a couple things. SPOILERS--they have to leave her baby sister, Esther, behind.
So here I am, a grown woman, bawling my eyes out over a children's book. Because I have neices now and I can't imagine ever leaving one of them anywhere they aren't safe.
And there's more. For a book meant for ten-year-olds, the American Girl stories don't pull any punches. Addy has seen her brother whipped bloody, is forced to eat bugs as a punishment, is whipped herself. In their escape, her mother almost drowns, and Addy accidentally wanders into a Confederate campsite.
At the end of the story, there is a "Peek into the Past," an 8-page overview of slavery and what life might've been for a girl like Addy in 1864. All of the American Girl books have these historical appendixes to give context to the stories that are being told.
I wish I had the complete set of Addy's books. I've decided to collect all of the original dolls' stories, because after investigating the current American Girl website, it looks as though only the first two of Addy's books are still sold. Which is HUGE shame. The best part about the American Girl collection was the connection between the dolls and history. Without all the books, you don't get that.
I blame it on the sale of the original Pleasant Company to Mattel in the late 90s. Some changes are great--the historical collection now includes a Motown doll--but others not so much. Some of the classic dolls were retired or "updated" and so much of the history aspect (the books!) has been abridged.
All-in-all, I give “Meet Addy” five stars. It's a powerful book about real American history--that doesn't gloss over the subject just because the audience is children. If you can get your hands on the original set of 6 books, I would recommend it to any little girl, of any color, as a way to introduce them to American history. And if you have the means to buy a doll, I would recommend that too.
I can't remember if that first catalog had Addy. She was released in 1993 and I got my first doll, Kirsten, for Christmas 1995.
It's been years since I read this book--I'd forgotten that I had it. I'm not sure when or where I picked up this copy, but it is the only American Girl book I have that doesn't belong to one of the dolls I own. And I went into it knowing the basics of the story. Addy and her mother make a run for freedom after her father and brother are unexpectedly sold.
But I had forgotten a couple things. SPOILERS--they have to leave her baby sister, Esther, behind.
So here I am, a grown woman, bawling my eyes out over a children's book. Because I have neices now and I can't imagine ever leaving one of them anywhere they aren't safe.
And there's more. For a book meant for ten-year-olds, the American Girl stories don't pull any punches. Addy has seen her brother whipped bloody, is forced to eat bugs as a punishment, is whipped herself. In their escape, her mother almost drowns, and Addy accidentally wanders into a Confederate campsite.
At the end of the story, there is a "Peek into the Past," an 8-page overview of slavery and what life might've been for a girl like Addy in 1864. All of the American Girl books have these historical appendixes to give context to the stories that are being told.
I wish I had the complete set of Addy's books. I've decided to collect all of the original dolls' stories, because after investigating the current American Girl website, it looks as though only the first two of Addy's books are still sold. Which is HUGE shame. The best part about the American Girl collection was the connection between the dolls and history. Without all the books, you don't get that.
I blame it on the sale of the original Pleasant Company to Mattel in the late 90s. Some changes are great--the historical collection now includes a Motown doll--but others not so much. Some of the classic dolls were retired or "updated" and so much of the history aspect (the books!) has been abridged.
All-in-all, I give “Meet Addy” five stars. It's a powerful book about real American history--that doesn't gloss over the subject just because the audience is children. If you can get your hands on the original set of 6 books, I would recommend it to any little girl, of any color, as a way to introduce them to American history. And if you have the means to buy a doll, I would recommend that too.
November 14, 2022
I never read the American Girl books growing up, so I decided to read a few since they seem like simple historical fiction. In Meet Addy I was not excepting so much depth. After a cliffhanger of an ending, I've become invested in her story and must finish the series to see what happens!
August 11, 2024
This book is so impressive in how the author writes plainly about slavery and makes it understandable for younger readers without infantilizing anything. Addy is so incredibly brave, and I love the way she experiences her emotions and tries to find the “right” ways to let them out. Long live American Girls 🌟
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November 19, 2025The illustrator modeled Addy off of her own daughter 😭😭😭😭
February 17, 2019
This book is every bit as sweet and endearing as I remember it being when I read it for the first time as a kid!
June 29, 2013
I probably don't have to describe Addy's story, as she is a classic American Girl, but I will go ahead and talk about her amazing story for any newcomers to AG. So, Addy is a slave living on a plantation in North Carolina. Her master sells her father and brother to another plantation, right before the whole family is supposed to escape to freedom. Addy and her Momma bravely decide to continue their escape into freedom without the men in the family and also sadly, heart-breakingly must decide to leave behind Addy's baby sister Esther. Sigh. That part is so sad, but Esther is left in the good hands of family relations on the plantation.
This book... it just makes you feel so lucky. I couldn't imagine living during these times. How? How do these people even make it through the day? This is one of those special books that will definitely make the little girl in your life realize how lucky she is. People had it so hard. What we think of as hard is not even what Addy and her family would have considered hard. A bad day for Addy isn't her iPad being taken away from her for the day, a bad day for Addy is the slave master making her eat the tobacco worms she missed picking and/or her family being torn apart in all different directions. Addy and her family have no control of their lives. They literally have to steal that control away from the master.
I highly recommend Meet Addy to anyone with a little girl in their life. My sister is seven and really enjoyed this one. She loved reading this one even more than the AG books about more pampered girls like Samantha. This book, like a lot of the AG books, really has heart. It's amazing. I truly enjoyed reading this one to my little sister.
Chloe (my little sister)Says:
"I think it's very fun. But the book... it was sad because they had to leave the baby. But, it was kind of happy because they made it to freedom. Please read the book! I think it was sad again, because she had to leave her father and brother, they had to go to this different place. But, at the end of slavery they'll see their own family again."
This book... it just makes you feel so lucky. I couldn't imagine living during these times. How? How do these people even make it through the day? This is one of those special books that will definitely make the little girl in your life realize how lucky she is. People had it so hard. What we think of as hard is not even what Addy and her family would have considered hard. A bad day for Addy isn't her iPad being taken away from her for the day, a bad day for Addy is the slave master making her eat the tobacco worms she missed picking and/or her family being torn apart in all different directions. Addy and her family have no control of their lives. They literally have to steal that control away from the master.
I highly recommend Meet Addy to anyone with a little girl in their life. My sister is seven and really enjoyed this one. She loved reading this one even more than the AG books about more pampered girls like Samantha. This book, like a lot of the AG books, really has heart. It's amazing. I truly enjoyed reading this one to my little sister.
Chloe (my little sister)Says:
"I think it's very fun. But the book... it was sad because they had to leave the baby. But, it was kind of happy because they made it to freedom. Please read the book! I think it was sad again, because she had to leave her father and brother, they had to go to this different place. But, at the end of slavery they'll see their own family again."
November 9, 2024
First of all, Melodye Rosales' illustrations are absolutely beautiful. So emotional, heart-wrenching, it felt like they reached out and touched me. The image of a weeping Addy clinging to her father as he's dragged away, taking the whip on her little 9-yo back, it's so powerful and vivid. Despite this book being for readers aged 8-11, and there are obviously some things the book can't touch on (like the widespread sexual abuse of slave women that Addy likely would have experienced herself even at age 9), this book didn't hold back or sugar-coat. This was brutal, and violent, but to show anything less would be erasure of history and denial of the crimes against humanity committed in Antebellum America.
For such a short and brutal book, it had such a strong messages of family bonds, sacrifice, bravery, and enduring love. From the very first chapter where Addy is remembering a conversation with her father after her brother Sam was whipped, and Addy accuses her parents of not caring because they're not crying, I literally got chills down my back. Her father tells her they do care, they are crying; on the inside. These are people who can't risk showing how they feel and have to tightly control their emotions even when they're going through the worst tortures imaginable, and it's no mistake that this moment happens in the very first chapter of the Addy series, introducing the young readers to everything American slaves were robbed of. Not only were they being beaten, sexually abused, and separated from their families -- they couldn't even cry about it without risking their safety further. They couldn't show signs of being rebellious even as they're being abused.
What's also really heartbreaking is that Addy has very clearly internalized this lesson herself, despite multiple characters chiding her to learn to keep her feelings inside. Despite a couple slip ups like screaming in fright in the woods, Addy HAS learned the terrible lesson of how to control her emotions to avoid being punished. In Chapter 2, where she hears Master Stevens talking about selling some of the slaves, 'she lets her face go blank and empty' and looks at the floor. There's another white man there who is asking about buying Addy, trying to bargain with Stevens, and there's this vaguely sexual and uncomfortable feeling in this scene, the way he touches her, obviously an American Girl book isn't going to explicitly include sexual abuse, but as an older reader, you definitely get what is being said there. Addy has learned to silently bear the abuses inflicted on her.
There are so many moments in this book that just ripped my heart out. The imagery of the family being separated, Addy being ripped away from her brother and father, being whipped, I can't get that illustration out of my mind, Addy weeping into her father's shoulder and digging her fingers into his back before they're separated for the last time. God. Then in the following chapter, she's forced to eat worms by an overseer for 'being lazy' while picking worms off of tobacco plants. Viscerally disgusting and definitely a vivid cruelty that will stick with a young reader. There's a description of them bursting in her mouth. It's so nasty.
Reading this as an adult, I started to see the story through 'Momma's' eyes. The most devastating part of this entire book for me was when Momma told Addy that they're running away but they have to leave one year old Esther behind. These were the terrible sacrifices that had to be made. They just couldn't risk getting caught if Esther were to start crying, so she has to be left behind. The night they're running away, Momma clutches baby Esther to her chest and kisses her over and over in goodbye, knowing that this may be the last time she ever sees her, it absolutely punched me in the heart. This is another time the illustrations show you in vivid detail how emotional and heartbreaking this scene really is. The expressions in everyone's faces just call out to you. "Freedom has it's cost," Uncle Solomon says, on the very same page, as Momma is squeezing Esther hard for the last time. It absolutely does have a cost, and the cost of Momma and Addy's freedom was leaving without baby Esther. It's so brutal.
Momma and Addy's relationship and the way they encourage and uplift each other to keep going is the emotional core of this book. Momma is stronger than I can ever imagine being. The fierce love and bravery of this woman, forging through the river in the middle of the night with her daughter, knowing that she can't swim and then almost drowning, clutching her to her side at night in the sweaty heat of that cave, the way she says goodbye to Esther without crying in order to make Addy be brave-- this woman is a lioness, but she's also a tender and warm mother who fosters kindness and compassion in her daughter. When Addy is crying after the overseer made her eat the worms and she tells her mother about it, cries that she hates white people, Momma tells Addy she doesn't want her to hate anybody, that hate is what makes the slave masters so cruel and abusive towards them and that she doesn't want Addy to be a person like that, a hateful person who doesn't care about hurting other people. There was something so touching and tender about this scene.(If I want to be cynical, I think in a way this scene was put here partly to assure white readers that these books aren't about making white children feel guilty for racism, but the overall message is really powerful. Letting hate consume you does make you cruel, and that's a message all kids need to hear.)
We get some family history about Poppa's grandmother, who was enslaved in Africa and brought on a boat across the Atlantic, and Addy receives a cowry shell that her grandmother brought with her from Africa when she was Addy's age, and is told that her name comes from Aduke, her grandmother's name, meaning 'much loved.' Not being allowed to read or write, this was all slaves had of their own family history's: oral tales passed down through the family. This cowry shell necklace and thinking of her grandmother's bravery is what inspires Addy to be brave as she and her mother are running for freedom. It's what inspires her to rescue her drowning mother from that underwater sieve trap.
We also get a look at Confederate soldier camps. Back in the day, Amendment 3 was used a lot more often, where citizens would be forced to 'quarter troops', meaning you have to allow passing soldiers into your home and feed them. However, abolitionist Miss Caroline refuses to feed those pigs, and they're sleeping outside the safehouse that Addy and Momma hide in. God, there's a lot packed into these books, isn't there!
The best part of this book is Addy herself. Despite everything, the harsh environment and her living conditions, Addy's personality and spirit shines through like a diamond, she has that joy and spunk of a little girl that seems universal through time and place. When Addy imagines freedom, the first thing she wishes for is to learn to read and write so that she can write down her family member's names. This really touched me, as well as her delight over the pink dress given to her by Miss Caroline. That was such a little-girl detail that I found really sweet.
Looking forward to the rest of the series and hoping she reunites with her family members.
P.S. (Something interesting to think about, this book is set only 10 years after Kirsten's books. At the time this book takes place, Kirsten would be about 19. Addy is the same age as Baby Britta, Kirsten's little sister, while Addy has baby Esther. Addy also has an older brother about the same distance in age as Kirsten and Lars are. Addy and Momma hide in a cave in a similar way that Kirsten and her Papa hid in a cave in book 3. Secrets were also a huge theme for Kirsten and are for Addy as well. It's just an interesting parallel I noticed. )
For such a short and brutal book, it had such a strong messages of family bonds, sacrifice, bravery, and enduring love. From the very first chapter where Addy is remembering a conversation with her father after her brother Sam was whipped, and Addy accuses her parents of not caring because they're not crying, I literally got chills down my back. Her father tells her they do care, they are crying; on the inside. These are people who can't risk showing how they feel and have to tightly control their emotions even when they're going through the worst tortures imaginable, and it's no mistake that this moment happens in the very first chapter of the Addy series, introducing the young readers to everything American slaves were robbed of. Not only were they being beaten, sexually abused, and separated from their families -- they couldn't even cry about it without risking their safety further. They couldn't show signs of being rebellious even as they're being abused.
What's also really heartbreaking is that Addy has very clearly internalized this lesson herself, despite multiple characters chiding her to learn to keep her feelings inside. Despite a couple slip ups like screaming in fright in the woods, Addy HAS learned the terrible lesson of how to control her emotions to avoid being punished. In Chapter 2, where she hears Master Stevens talking about selling some of the slaves, 'she lets her face go blank and empty' and looks at the floor. There's another white man there who is asking about buying Addy, trying to bargain with Stevens, and there's this vaguely sexual and uncomfortable feeling in this scene, the way he touches her, obviously an American Girl book isn't going to explicitly include sexual abuse, but as an older reader, you definitely get what is being said there. Addy has learned to silently bear the abuses inflicted on her.
There are so many moments in this book that just ripped my heart out. The imagery of the family being separated, Addy being ripped away from her brother and father, being whipped, I can't get that illustration out of my mind, Addy weeping into her father's shoulder and digging her fingers into his back before they're separated for the last time. God. Then in the following chapter, she's forced to eat worms by an overseer for 'being lazy' while picking worms off of tobacco plants. Viscerally disgusting and definitely a vivid cruelty that will stick with a young reader. There's a description of them bursting in her mouth. It's so nasty.
Reading this as an adult, I started to see the story through 'Momma's' eyes. The most devastating part of this entire book for me was when Momma told Addy that they're running away but they have to leave one year old Esther behind. These were the terrible sacrifices that had to be made. They just couldn't risk getting caught if Esther were to start crying, so she has to be left behind. The night they're running away, Momma clutches baby Esther to her chest and kisses her over and over in goodbye, knowing that this may be the last time she ever sees her, it absolutely punched me in the heart. This is another time the illustrations show you in vivid detail how emotional and heartbreaking this scene really is. The expressions in everyone's faces just call out to you. "Freedom has it's cost," Uncle Solomon says, on the very same page, as Momma is squeezing Esther hard for the last time. It absolutely does have a cost, and the cost of Momma and Addy's freedom was leaving without baby Esther. It's so brutal.
Momma and Addy's relationship and the way they encourage and uplift each other to keep going is the emotional core of this book. Momma is stronger than I can ever imagine being. The fierce love and bravery of this woman, forging through the river in the middle of the night with her daughter, knowing that she can't swim and then almost drowning, clutching her to her side at night in the sweaty heat of that cave, the way she says goodbye to Esther without crying in order to make Addy be brave-- this woman is a lioness, but she's also a tender and warm mother who fosters kindness and compassion in her daughter. When Addy is crying after the overseer made her eat the worms and she tells her mother about it, cries that she hates white people, Momma tells Addy she doesn't want her to hate anybody, that hate is what makes the slave masters so cruel and abusive towards them and that she doesn't want Addy to be a person like that, a hateful person who doesn't care about hurting other people. There was something so touching and tender about this scene.(If I want to be cynical, I think in a way this scene was put here partly to assure white readers that these books aren't about making white children feel guilty for racism, but the overall message is really powerful. Letting hate consume you does make you cruel, and that's a message all kids need to hear.)
We get some family history about Poppa's grandmother, who was enslaved in Africa and brought on a boat across the Atlantic, and Addy receives a cowry shell that her grandmother brought with her from Africa when she was Addy's age, and is told that her name comes from Aduke, her grandmother's name, meaning 'much loved.' Not being allowed to read or write, this was all slaves had of their own family history's: oral tales passed down through the family. This cowry shell necklace and thinking of her grandmother's bravery is what inspires Addy to be brave as she and her mother are running for freedom. It's what inspires her to rescue her drowning mother from that underwater sieve trap.
We also get a look at Confederate soldier camps. Back in the day, Amendment 3 was used a lot more often, where citizens would be forced to 'quarter troops', meaning you have to allow passing soldiers into your home and feed them. However, abolitionist Miss Caroline refuses to feed those pigs, and they're sleeping outside the safehouse that Addy and Momma hide in. God, there's a lot packed into these books, isn't there!
The best part of this book is Addy herself. Despite everything, the harsh environment and her living conditions, Addy's personality and spirit shines through like a diamond, she has that joy and spunk of a little girl that seems universal through time and place. When Addy imagines freedom, the first thing she wishes for is to learn to read and write so that she can write down her family member's names. This really touched me, as well as her delight over the pink dress given to her by Miss Caroline. That was such a little-girl detail that I found really sweet.
Looking forward to the rest of the series and hoping she reunites with her family members.
P.S. (Something interesting to think about, this book is set only 10 years after Kirsten's books. At the time this book takes place, Kirsten would be about 19. Addy is the same age as Baby Britta, Kirsten's little sister, while Addy has baby Esther. Addy also has an older brother about the same distance in age as Kirsten and Lars are. Addy and Momma hide in a cave in a similar way that Kirsten and her Papa hid in a cave in book 3. Secrets were also a huge theme for Kirsten and are for Addy as well. It's just an interesting parallel I noticed. )
January 30, 2010
This series chapter book is intended for girls who are 9-12 years old. This book is the first book in the Addy American Girl series and introduces the subjects of slavery, the underground railroad, and the Civil War. Addy, a nine-year-old girl and slave on a North Carolina plantation hears her parents who are also slaves talking about possibly running away in order to gain freedom. That possibility becomes reality after Addy's father and older brother are sold to another master. It is then that Addy and her mother begin their journey to a “safe house” and from there are transported to a ship that takes them to Philadelphia and to freedom.
This book is a realistic, engaging, and emotional book about slavery, the underground railroad, and the Civil War. Many young girls will be able to relate and empathizes with the strong characters and personalities throughout this book. This book is heart-wrenching as many of the characters are treated like animals and some are even forced to leave behind family in search of freedom. The illustrations, which are done in watercolor and the accompanying captions add to the book, as does the family tree and looking into the past sections of the book. As a classroom teacher, I may use this as a read aloud book and one of many resources when teaching about slavery and the Civil War.
This book is a realistic, engaging, and emotional book about slavery, the underground railroad, and the Civil War. Many young girls will be able to relate and empathizes with the strong characters and personalities throughout this book. This book is heart-wrenching as many of the characters are treated like animals and some are even forced to leave behind family in search of freedom. The illustrations, which are done in watercolor and the accompanying captions add to the book, as does the family tree and looking into the past sections of the book. As a classroom teacher, I may use this as a read aloud book and one of many resources when teaching about slavery and the Civil War.
September 13, 2021
Re-read.
I read several of the American Girl series when I was about 10, and loved them all. But Addy was my favorite. These stories helped to bring to life the evils of slavery and other realities of the time period. This story introduces us to Addy and her family, who are slaves on a plantation in North Carolina during the Civil War. Addy works in the fields and helps her family with their own chores. She lies awake one night and listens to her parents discussing running away as a family, but before they get the chance, her father and brother are sold. Her mother makes the difficult decision to run away with Addy anyway and leave her one-year-old daughter behind with her aunt (reading this as a parent is certainly a different experience than reading it as a child!). Addy has to learn to be brave and to express herself clearly, but sometimes keep her emotions in check until the right time.
Update:
Read this to my 6-year-old and 8-year-old for year 2 of US history. They both really liked it and are eager to read the next one.
I read several of the American Girl series when I was about 10, and loved them all. But Addy was my favorite. These stories helped to bring to life the evils of slavery and other realities of the time period. This story introduces us to Addy and her family, who are slaves on a plantation in North Carolina during the Civil War. Addy works in the fields and helps her family with their own chores. She lies awake one night and listens to her parents discussing running away as a family, but before they get the chance, her father and brother are sold. Her mother makes the difficult decision to run away with Addy anyway and leave her one-year-old daughter behind with her aunt (reading this as a parent is certainly a different experience than reading it as a child!). Addy has to learn to be brave and to express herself clearly, but sometimes keep her emotions in check until the right time.
Update:
Read this to my 6-year-old and 8-year-old for year 2 of US history. They both really liked it and are eager to read the next one.
January 30, 2020
When I read this in 1993, age 8, I'm sure I got that this was serious, painful stuff. It may have been my first introduction to what life on a plantation looked like for enslaved people.
Reading it now, as a mother, it hits me in a different way. My daughter is the same age as Addy's baby sister Esther. Do you remember the decision Addy's mother has to make? I did, but I am positive I didn't cry over it at age 8.
One thing that really surprised me about this one is how little time we spend on the harrowing escape. We really only see the first leg of the journey. I had it in my head that this book was mostly about their escape, but really the first two-thirds or so are spent showing us what life in slavery was like. Which, yes, that's important context. (And it is adorable that Addy thinks they've arrived after like two days of walking. I mean, of course she couldn't possibly have an understanding of the geography, but as a reader, you just go Oh. Oh, honey.)
Reading it now, as a mother, it hits me in a different way. My daughter is the same age as Addy's baby sister Esther. Do you remember the decision Addy's mother has to make? I did, but I am positive I didn't cry over it at age 8.
One thing that really surprised me about this one is how little time we spend on the harrowing escape. We really only see the first leg of the journey. I had it in my head that this book was mostly about their escape, but really the first two-thirds or so are spent showing us what life in slavery was like. Which, yes, that's important context. (And it is adorable that Addy thinks they've arrived after like two days of walking. I mean, of course she couldn't possibly have an understanding of the geography, but as a reader, you just go Oh. Oh, honey.)
June 16, 2012
I read this to my daughter when she was little, and today I read it to my niece, who "hates to read." By the end of the series, I hope to change her mind. I started with this one because I knew it would elicit lots of emotion.
December 6, 2019
I was surprised at how crazy-intense this story actually was. Addy and her family are slaves. Addy overhears her parents talking one night about how they should run away, but before this plan can be enacted Addy's father and brother are sold. That's already emotionally heart wrenching, but they add into that a horrible whipping. Not to mention what the overseer does to Addy while she's checking for worms. That was so awful.
I read all these books as a child but I'd mostly forgotten them by now. I loved how the author wrote this one, she captured the horror of slavery but she kept it appropriate for the audience. I felt wretched at the end. It broke my heart when Slavery is so horrific.
I have these American Girl books because a student donated a small stack and I wanted to revisit my childhood. Sadly this is the only Addy book I have. So far, it's been the very best. Way more engaging than the first Felicity book I just read.
I read all these books as a child but I'd mostly forgotten them by now. I loved how the author wrote this one, she captured the horror of slavery but she kept it appropriate for the audience. I felt wretched at the end. It broke my heart when Slavery is so horrific.
I have these American Girl books because a student donated a small stack and I wanted to revisit my childhood. Sadly this is the only Addy book I have. So far, it's been the very best. Way more engaging than the first Felicity book I just read.
June 10, 2025
Addy has to have the most serious story of all the American Girl series, as the first book follows her and her mom escaping slavery. I noted in my review of Felicity Saves the Day: A Summer Story that that story also takes place on a plantation, but understandably is from a white POV. I appreciate that this doesn't shy away from more serious aspects, like Addy and her family being physically abused and the ways that Black families were torn apart.
May 12, 2020
When reading the other American Girl's books they seemed quite white washed and I knew based on history some thing's were conveniently left out. However in Addy's story we got the real deal and I liked that. We got to see a bit of Addy's slave life on the plantation, how cruel slave masters could get (and have gotten), the tear jerking scenes when Addy's father and brother was separated from her and baby Esther who had to be left behind for fear of her making too much noise. In a few days I would like to read the rest of Addy's journey.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 31, 2025
This book has lived in my memory since I first read it more than 25 years ago. They truly did not shy away from the horrors of slavery without going too far for a children's book. I still remember being horrified as a child with this really being my first introduction to slavery outside of history class. As an adult it seemed a little fast paced without really getting deep but can't expect much more from an 70 page childrens book.
September 18, 2018
Meet Addy is about a enslaved girl who is trying her best to keep working hard.It gets even harder when papa and Sam get soled. Addy's mom then knows its time to escape.......But the only problem is that they can't take the baby Esther. Addy is so upset then she understands that not taking Esther is for her own good.
April 2, 2023
They did not take it easy or sugarcoat the content for 9yo girls (still age appropriate though). We are jumping into the tough conversations with this new American girl, who may have the best personality of all of them yet. My little girl jumped head first into learning about the civil war and slavery in this book.
September 22, 2021
I can't believe I missed this one as a kid! As much as my boys protested when I pulled this one out they were very engaged in it. Especially the part where Addy is forced to eat worms!
The story seems to me to be a little deeper and tragic then other American girl stories. Addy is a very likeable character.
Recommended 8-12 but even my 5 year old sat for this one. As always in American Girl books, the illustrations are beautiful.
The story seems to me to be a little deeper and tragic then other American girl stories. Addy is a very likeable character.
Recommended 8-12 but even my 5 year old sat for this one. As always in American Girl books, the illustrations are beautiful.
May 12, 2022
I just listened to all 5 of the books in the Addy series. I remember loving them as a young teen, and they really are still a treasure. LOVE the glimpse into Civil War era history, the great plot and characters, and the emphasis on kindness and forgiveness.
She was always my favorite!
She was always my favorite!
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