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American Girl: Kit #6
Changes for Kit : A Winter Story
Kit doesn't like her cranky Uncle Hendrick, until he unwittingly gives Kit a great idea that gives her and her family hope for the future.
64 pages, Hardcover
First published August 1, 2001
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 97 reviews
May 7, 2020
I'm really very impressed how they worked elements of all 6 books into the one movie and still added an original storyline. The film is a treasure trove of Easter eggs and references that you'd only catch if you know the books, and I still stand by the opinion that the OG American Girl movies are some of the best adaptations out there.
October 30, 2024
Kit is just so great! And I love the friend group!
August 25, 2026
"But then she saw a little girl's thin, pinched face above the rags, and she realized that the rags were the little girl's skimpy coat - or what was left of it."
Kit knows her family is poor, but when she visits the soup kitchen or the "jungle" (a homeless camp near the rail station), she soon realizes just how dire things are. These people need food, shelter and warm clothing - and she wishes she could do something to help.
But her Uncle Hendrick has a different interpretation on those programs.
"They'll flock here to be housed, fed, and clothed at our expense. We'll be pampering worthless riffraff."
Worst yet, Uncle Hendrick injured himself and moved into the Kittredge household temporarily, which means every day Kit has to type up his spiteful letters to the newspaper.
But then...she has a marvelous idea.
"I want to help," Kit said simply. "Especially the children"
"Ha!" scoffed Uncle Hendrick so loudly that Kit jumped...
Ultimately, this felt like a very satisfying end to the main series.
As always, I appreciated how the author blended the realities of living during the Great Depression into this work of fiction. There are moments that felt harsh, but wholly realistic.
And I loved the way Kit reacted to those situations - she has a strong sense of justice and she isn't afraid to speak her mind!
Uncle Hendrick seemed to backslide in this story. Despite threatening over and over to NOT help Kit's family in their time of need (for he feels that they were being foolish with buying a house with so many rooms).
And yet, he feels fully comfortable with moving into their home - thus becoming one more mouth to feed in their already cramped home.
And he is positively vile about any program designed to help the homeless OR provide work for the unemployed.
In Kit's Surprise, I got the impression that Uncle Hendrick was willing to help her family but refused to give unearned money. Hence, the whole book Kit finds herself running errands, skipping the trolley, and completing chores for nickels and dimes.
Maybe I fully misinterpreted his character from earlier books...but still...his behavior felt odd in this one.
Overall though, this story really wrapped up the series nicely and I cannot WAIT to start on the companion books!!
More Reviews in the Kit-verse
Main Series:
Meet Kit - ★★★★★
Kit Learns a Lesson - ★★★★★
Kit's Surprise - ★★★★☆
Happy Birthday, Kit - ★★★★☆
Kit Saves the Day - ★★★★☆
Changes for Kit - ★★★★★
Kit's Boxed Set - ★★★★★
Best Friend Book:
Really Truly Ruthie - ★★★★★
Short Stories:
Kit's Home Run - ★★★★★
Kit's Tree House - ★★★★★
Kit's Short Story Collection - ★★★★☆
Mystery Books:
Danger at the Zoo - ★★★★☆
Midnight in Lonesome Hollow - ★★★★☆
A Thief in the Theater - ★★★★☆
Missing Grace - ★★☆☆☆
Intruders at Rivermead Manor - ★★★★★
The Jazzman's Trumpet - ★★★★☆
Menace at Mammoth Cave - ★★★☆☆
Beforever (Re-Release of Main Series in 2014):
Read All about It: A Kit Classic Volume 1 - ★★★☆☆
Turning Things Around: A Kit Classic Volume 2 - ★★★★☆
Abridged Version (Re-Release of Main Series in 2020):
Kit: Read All about It - ★★★★☆
Kit: Turning Things Around - ★★★★☆
Kit's Historical and Activity Books:
Kit's Cooking Studio Book - ★★★★☆
Kit's Friendship Fun - ★★★★☆
Kit's Railway Adventure - ★★★★★
Kit's World: A Girl's-eye View of the Great Depression - ★★★★★
Welcome to Kit's World · 1934 - ★★★★★
Additional Historical and Activity Books Featuring Kit:
American Girl Cross-Stitch - ★★☆☆☆
An American Girl: How a Billion-Dollar Doll and It's Unlikely Founder Changed Girlhood Forever - ★★★★☆
American Girl Sweet & Savory Treats Cookbook - ★☆☆☆☆
Everything I Need to Know I Learned From American Girl - ★★★☆☆
Minute Mysteries - ★★★★☆
Minute Mysteries 2 - ★★★★☆
The Official American Girl Cookbook - ★★★★☆
Picture Book:
Time for School! - ★★★★☆
August 21, 2021
This feels a little like Kit's Surprise, vol. 2: Kit's too-small coat finally gets handed down, and Uncle Hendrick is baaaa-aaack - and, if anything, worse than ever. Nobody missed you, Hendrick.
But these days, Kit is all responsibility. She seeks out any spare moment she can for her friends and her newspapers, but the days of shirking her dusting seem to be long past. In contrast to Molly and Felicity, two prior Valerie Tripp series, there's no on-the-nose "oh how much you've grown" conversation, but Kit recognizes it in herself.
The best thing she recognizes in herself - and one of my favorite moments in the book - is Kit's realization that taking Uncle Hendrick's dictation for all those letters to the editor has taught her exactly how to go about writing one of her own. I still love any scene of Kit writing - you can feel those passages coming straight from Tripp's heart.
And though it's been about six months since Kit Saves the Day, we finally start to make good on the last line of that book, in which Kit muses that maybe she could tell the stories of the people in hobo camps. All of her growth through the series and all of the empathy she's gained along the way go into that letter to the editor, and it truly is a triumph.
I thing that's true of the series as a whole, too. By this point - doll number seven for AG, and series number four for Tripp - the wrinkles have been ironed out, and the books hum along like a well-oiled machine. The arcs for each book work individually, but come together to make a greater whole. The characters grow and change throughout the series in realistic ways, and the delivery of the history is really stellar. It's never easy to tell kids about hard times, and it's especially hard to explain a stock market crash and a run on the banks at an eight-year-old level, but the Kit series does a really admirable job. Addy is my gold standard for AG series thus far, and Kit joins her in the top echelon.
More Kit babble
Meet Kit | Kit Learns a Lesson | Kit’s Surprise | Happy Birthday, Kit | Kit Saves the Day | Changes for Kit
Really, Truly Ruthie
Kit’s Home Run | Kit’s Tree House | Kit’s Short Story Collection
Danger at the Zoo | Midnight in Lonesome Hollow | A Thief at the Theater | Missing Grace | Intruders at Rivermead Manor | The Jazzman’s Trumpet | Menace at Mammoth Cave
But these days, Kit is all responsibility. She seeks out any spare moment she can for her friends and her newspapers, but the days of shirking her dusting seem to be long past. In contrast to Molly and Felicity, two prior Valerie Tripp series, there's no on-the-nose "oh how much you've grown" conversation, but Kit recognizes it in herself.
The best thing she recognizes in herself - and one of my favorite moments in the book - is Kit's realization that taking Uncle Hendrick's dictation for all those letters to the editor has taught her exactly how to go about writing one of her own. I still love any scene of Kit writing - you can feel those passages coming straight from Tripp's heart.
And though it's been about six months since Kit Saves the Day, we finally start to make good on the last line of that book, in which Kit muses that maybe she could tell the stories of the people in hobo camps. All of her growth through the series and all of the empathy she's gained along the way go into that letter to the editor, and it truly is a triumph.
I thing that's true of the series as a whole, too. By this point - doll number seven for AG, and series number four for Tripp - the wrinkles have been ironed out, and the books hum along like a well-oiled machine. The arcs for each book work individually, but come together to make a greater whole. The characters grow and change throughout the series in realistic ways, and the delivery of the history is really stellar. It's never easy to tell kids about hard times, and it's especially hard to explain a stock market crash and a run on the banks at an eight-year-old level, but the Kit series does a really admirable job. Addy is my gold standard for AG series thus far, and Kit joins her in the top echelon.
More Kit babble
Meet Kit | Kit Learns a Lesson | Kit’s Surprise | Happy Birthday, Kit | Kit Saves the Day | Changes for Kit
Really, Truly Ruthie
Kit’s Home Run | Kit’s Tree House | Kit’s Short Story Collection
Danger at the Zoo | Midnight in Lonesome Hollow | A Thief at the Theater | Missing Grace | Intruders at Rivermead Manor | The Jazzman’s Trumpet | Menace at Mammoth Cave
Read
September 4, 2026{September 2026 Reread}
I said those are my kids and I'm real proud!
I said those are my kids and I'm real proud!
November 28, 2023
Good conclusion that pulled together many of the individual narratives from the other installments in the series into an overall storyline and character arc. Rereading it now as an adult, I think I'd say it's my favorite of the American Girl book series. But then again, it's been 20 years since I read the others.
Easy to read on days where I just didn't feel like tackling a novel or nonfiction when it came to downtime, I feel this series provides a great look for young readers into the Great Depression, as it included a lot of interesting detail and situations specific to the time.
Easy to read on days where I just didn't feel like tackling a novel or nonfiction when it came to downtime, I feel this series provides a great look for young readers into the Great Depression, as it included a lot of interesting detail and situations specific to the time.
January 13, 2018
This was a really great wrap up to the kit series. It showed in a simple easy to follow way how just a couple of kids CAN easily make a tangible difference in their communities. Definitely something kids need to get more involved in with their schools and extracurricular Groups
April 6, 2023
finally finishing up the kit universe, bangers all down the line
October 29, 2024
“You’ve got the makings of a good reporter, kid.” 📚☕
THIS is how you save the day - much better than the last book [*references Kit book #5 review].
Kit goes far and beyond to help the group of people she wants to help. This time, she goes about it the right way with integrity and thoughtfulness - making a huge difference in their lives.
And also fulfills a dream at the same time!
Bravo, Kit.
Squeaky clean and wholesome.
Stay tuned for more in-depth monthly book reviews on my cozy YT channel. 💙☕📚
December 6, 2025
Excellent historical note! It's surreal, realizing Kit, Sterling, and Ruthie would have been 18 when Pearl Harbour was bombed.
I wish there had been a more even hand about FDR, and what he did. And perhaps an example of what Mrs. Roosevelt was doing for the miners in Virginia. Someone was upset about it, but we don't know why he was angry, what she was doing, or why she was doing it.
But, aside from that, it was good!
I wish there had been a more even hand about FDR, and what he did. And perhaps an example of what Mrs. Roosevelt was doing for the miners in Virginia. Someone was upset about it, but we don't know why he was angry, what she was doing, or why she was doing it.
But, aside from that, it was good!
March 15, 2011
mrs. kittredge has sewn a new winter coat for kit out an outgrown winter coat that used to belong to kit's older brother. kit decides to donate her still-functional former winter coat to a needy child down at the hobo jungle, but when she arrives, no one is around. she finally realizes that someone has built a cave shelter into a small hill & she knocks on the door. the ill-tempered hoboes inside explain that the weather is getting bitterly cold & everyone who hung around in the jungle during the summertime has moved into shelters & soup kitchens. kit takes her coat to the soup kitchen & gives to a little girl.
the kittredges than receive word that rich, bad-tempered uncle hendrik has slipped on some ice & broken his ankle. he has to stay with them for a week or two while he recovers enough to get back on his feet. because everyone is so busy looking after the paying boarders, taking care of uncle hendrik becomes kit's job. naturally, she hates it because uncle hendrik is a bossy jerk. he calls her away from her free time every day to write down the letters to the editor that he dictates. all his letter are about how FDR is running the country straight into the ground with his useless make-work programs designed to employ the unemployed. kit fumes about uncle hdendrik's opinions because her family has directly benefited from some of the programs he is condemning. when she tries to point this out, hendrik scoffs at her & is all, "i don't need to hear opinions from a child like you, still engaging in baby play like writing your little newspapers." i don't know any babies that write their own newspapers, but maybe i am not as worldly as uncle hendrik.
after several weeks of this, kit realizes that uncle hendrik has taught her exactly how to write a letter to the newspaper editor. so she writes her own, all about how the programs FDR is designing are good & helpful, & no one is choosing to be out of work. she writes about meeting hobo children in the hobo jungle the previous summer, & seeing underfed children insufficiently dresses for the weather at the local soup kitchen. she writes that if people only knew how the depression was affecting children, they would do more to help. she then enlists ruthie & stirling to accompany her back to the soup kitchen, where they photograph some of the children in question. kit encloses the film with her letter & drops it off at the newspaper office.
the next morning, uncle hendrik almost has a conniption when he sees kit's letter & photos in the paper. everyone else in the house is proud of kit, of course. kit, ruthie, & stirling take up a collection at school to bring their classmates' old clothes, shoes, & coats to needy children at the soup kitchen. when they drop off their donations, the soup kitchen manager tells them that they have been swamped with donations ever since kit's letter was in the paper. kit realizes that the power of her words & photos can make an appreciable difference in people's lives, & that she can contribute in some small way to mitgating the impact of the depression, even if she is just a child.
the kittredges than receive word that rich, bad-tempered uncle hendrik has slipped on some ice & broken his ankle. he has to stay with them for a week or two while he recovers enough to get back on his feet. because everyone is so busy looking after the paying boarders, taking care of uncle hendrik becomes kit's job. naturally, she hates it because uncle hendrik is a bossy jerk. he calls her away from her free time every day to write down the letters to the editor that he dictates. all his letter are about how FDR is running the country straight into the ground with his useless make-work programs designed to employ the unemployed. kit fumes about uncle hdendrik's opinions because her family has directly benefited from some of the programs he is condemning. when she tries to point this out, hendrik scoffs at her & is all, "i don't need to hear opinions from a child like you, still engaging in baby play like writing your little newspapers." i don't know any babies that write their own newspapers, but maybe i am not as worldly as uncle hendrik.
after several weeks of this, kit realizes that uncle hendrik has taught her exactly how to write a letter to the newspaper editor. so she writes her own, all about how the programs FDR is designing are good & helpful, & no one is choosing to be out of work. she writes about meeting hobo children in the hobo jungle the previous summer, & seeing underfed children insufficiently dresses for the weather at the local soup kitchen. she writes that if people only knew how the depression was affecting children, they would do more to help. she then enlists ruthie & stirling to accompany her back to the soup kitchen, where they photograph some of the children in question. kit encloses the film with her letter & drops it off at the newspaper office.
the next morning, uncle hendrik almost has a conniption when he sees kit's letter & photos in the paper. everyone else in the house is proud of kit, of course. kit, ruthie, & stirling take up a collection at school to bring their classmates' old clothes, shoes, & coats to needy children at the soup kitchen. when they drop off their donations, the soup kitchen manager tells them that they have been swamped with donations ever since kit's letter was in the paper. kit realizes that the power of her words & photos can make an appreciable difference in people's lives, & that she can contribute in some small way to mitgating the impact of the depression, even if she is just a child.
July 25, 2024
Genuinely helpful for preparing kids to deal with their shitty Republican relatives
Also as an aside, I guess it’s a Mandela effect maybe caused by the Kit Kittredge movie (I haven’t seen it since I was a kid, so I could be misremembering the movie too, who knows) but I thought I remembered Kit’s dad getting a job at the end of the series. It turns out he doesn’t. Which is interesting because the book’s called “Changes for Kit” but actually Kit and her family’s life situation doesn’t really change from where they were in the previous books—they’re still in a kind of limbo where they could lose everything at any moment. It makes sense that when they did a movie adaptation they went for a more clear-cut happy ending with more finality. But I actually think I like that the books end without much finality because, to quote Erin Morgenstern’s The Starless Sea, “I think the best stories feel like they're still going, somewhere, out in story space.”
Also as an aside, I guess it’s a Mandela effect maybe caused by the Kit Kittredge movie (I haven’t seen it since I was a kid, so I could be misremembering the movie too, who knows) but I thought I remembered Kit’s dad getting a job at the end of the series. It turns out he doesn’t. Which is interesting because the book’s called “Changes for Kit” but actually Kit and her family’s life situation doesn’t really change from where they were in the previous books—they’re still in a kind of limbo where they could lose everything at any moment. It makes sense that when they did a movie adaptation they went for a more clear-cut happy ending with more finality. But I actually think I like that the books end without much finality because, to quote Erin Morgenstern’s The Starless Sea, “I think the best stories feel like they're still going, somewhere, out in story space.”
May 25, 2022
this was a really good book to end kit's main story on, her getting the attention of mr gibbs genuinely warmed my heart, as did the scene with her giving the little girl her old coat. kit, ruthie and stirling have become such a good trio now too, funny to look back at how much the girls didn't like him in kit's meet book! great end to the series
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August 3, 2022I loved this story! Kit is clearly a very passionate person and to see her want to make real change, despite the mean things her uncle said, was empowering to see!
Uncle Hendrick would have easily been a Trump supporter, if I'm being frank.
Uncle Hendrick would have easily been a Trump supporter, if I'm being frank.
August 7, 2022
Considering how dramatic Changes for Kirsten was, this felt very tame. Also love that Uncle Hendrick never got a redemption arc.
October 15, 2022
This is a good ending to a good series - Kit s rightfully one of the most iconic American Girls, as seen here where she rallies everyone to help out at a local soup kitchen.
November 25, 2022
What a heartening conclusion to Kit's Depression story. I teared up reading about her first letter published in a real newspaper.
August 18, 2024
kit becomes a staff writer after one letter and i'm barely keeping my tutoring business afloat
November 9, 2024
A really excellent wrap-up to the Kit series!! I loved seeing her write a letter to the editor. The plotline shows us all that she's learned in these past books.
April 30, 2025
Excellent ending to a fantastic series✨
November 4, 2025
Love sticking it to an old man! But also 😭 imagining 18yo kit being a war correspondent 😭😭😭 my girl!
July 8, 2025
I had a good time reading these books and getting to know the characters. They are *nothing* like the movie, or vice versa, which is sad for the movie’s sake because I enjoyed the books more 😭😂 The plots were engaging and there was overall a very hopeful tone that pulsed through the grey heaviness that was the Great Depression.
August 3, 2022
AG says socialism is the only way.
July 10, 2026
#1 in the Kit main series in my opinion. This book has everything I could wish for in an American Girl book and is one of my favourite American Girl books EVER, up there with Addy's and Caroline's books. I love SO MUCH Kit finding her voice and realizing there is something she can DO about the problems she sees in the world. I love her having agency and feeling empowered and confident and strong. I love her being resourceful and clever and determined. I love her being generous and empathetic and committed to building a better world. I love her actions having a tangible impact on her community. And most of all, I love cranky Uncle Hendrick getting his comeuppance in a way that feels like perfect poetic justice. What else could you wish for??? Just a perfect end to this series.
The opening scene of Kit's family giving her her new coat made out of Dad's old one was very sweet, and I loved how grateful Kit was and how she felt their affection and warmth. And I LOVED how her first thought was whether she could give her old coat to a child who needs it. What a sweet, generous girl Kit is. And a girl of ACTION. (Although I'm shocked that Mrs. Howard would let Stirling go with Kit back to the hobo jungle after their adventures in the last book.)
The picture of the soup kitchen was painted so vividly and I honestly cried just imagining all those poor, hungry people, and all those little children shivering without proper coats or shoes in the freezing Cincinnati winter. Again I thought about the real children who suffered through the Depression in exactly this way, and the children now living in poverty or in war-torn communities all over the world who are suffering in exactly the same way. I loved Kit realizing only luck and chance separated her family from all the families in the soup kitchen (gee, maybe it was her parents' "poor investment," according to Uncle Hendrick, that led them to have enough room in their house to open it to boarders, and therefore continue earning an income during the Depression).
I love that even though Kit's family is struggling, she is still committed to helping those even less fortunate than she is. She doesn't get stuck in feeling sorry for herself but instead thinks about what her sphere of influence is and how she can make the biggest impact. Her own difficult circumstances make her turn outward towards helping rather than inward towards self-pity. I LOVE her. She is such a wonderful little girl who I would be so lucky to know in real life. She reminds me very much of Addy in her generosity when her family has so little (especially when Addy donates her savings to the Freedman's Fund in Addy's Surprise; she decides her family doesn't need a lamp or a scarf nearly as much as the newly freed people need help).
The scene where Kit gives her coat to the little girl made me cry, and I loved how Kit feels "warm inside and out" from the girl's excitement about the new coat. What a precious girl she is. And I love Ruthie saying Kit was like a fairy godmother to the little girl and practical Kit saying she's just one girl and every single kid there needs a coat and shoes. I love Kit taking what she sees in front of her and extrapolating to the larger picture. What a clever girl at age ten to be able to do that.
The plot line with Uncle Hendrick was very satisfying in this book. He is such a cantankerous and obnoxious old man and I am impressed with how calmly Kit puts up with him. I could NEVER. I like how Kit observes Uncle Hendrick and learns from him even though she doesn't like him. She is very fair in her judgments of people, and she evaluates the idea itself rather than the person providing it. I love the poetic justice of her learning exactly how to write her own letter from Uncle Hendrick, and I love her feeling empowered to write what she sees.
I love how it's her conversation with Uncle Hendrick that makes her realize she has something valuable to say. And I love Kit thinking about all the people in her life who have influenced her and those people giving her strength to write what needed to be written. That scene touched my heart so much. I cried!!! I was basically having waterworks throughout this whole book.
I like that the second time the kids go to the soup kitchen, they decide it would be most fair to give the staff the coats and have them distribute them rather than trying to find recipients themselves. And I LOVE Kit realizing that a picture is worth a thousand words and the kids taking photos of the poor kids who are suffering so much. How clever and resourceful the kids are! How powerful those images must have been! What a lovely message for young girls reading this book about how they can use pictures and words to make a difference in their communities!
And I LOVED Uncle Hendrick getting exactly what he deserved at the end of the book. I loved him asking where she got such an idea and her saying politely, "Why, from you, of course, Uncle Hendrick." This is the best sentence in ANY American Girl book. And I love Kit's family being so proud of her, and that her article made such a difference in her community and helped so many kids by getting people to donate coats and shoes to the soup kitchen. She couldn't fix everything singlehandedly, but she could use her gift (the power of words) to mobilize her community. What an incredible girl she is! I cried at this part too.
And equally wonderfully, Kit gets exactly what she wanted for herself. She is a real reporter! Her name is in print in the real newspaper! All her friends and family see it. Even the newspaper editor wants Kit to write more letters and thinks she has the makings of a good reporter.
This book could not have been a more perfect conclusion to Kit's series. Kit finds her voice and uses it to help her community. Kit is clever and resourceful and generous and brave and determined. What a beautiful message for young readers to take from Kit's books. Even if you're a kid, you can still make a difference in the world and do things that matter. How lovely.
The opening scene of Kit's family giving her her new coat made out of Dad's old one was very sweet, and I loved how grateful Kit was and how she felt their affection and warmth. And I LOVED how her first thought was whether she could give her old coat to a child who needs it. What a sweet, generous girl Kit is. And a girl of ACTION. (Although I'm shocked that Mrs. Howard would let Stirling go with Kit back to the hobo jungle after their adventures in the last book.)
The picture of the soup kitchen was painted so vividly and I honestly cried just imagining all those poor, hungry people, and all those little children shivering without proper coats or shoes in the freezing Cincinnati winter. Again I thought about the real children who suffered through the Depression in exactly this way, and the children now living in poverty or in war-torn communities all over the world who are suffering in exactly the same way. I loved Kit realizing only luck and chance separated her family from all the families in the soup kitchen (gee, maybe it was her parents' "poor investment," according to Uncle Hendrick, that led them to have enough room in their house to open it to boarders, and therefore continue earning an income during the Depression).
I love that even though Kit's family is struggling, she is still committed to helping those even less fortunate than she is. She doesn't get stuck in feeling sorry for herself but instead thinks about what her sphere of influence is and how she can make the biggest impact. Her own difficult circumstances make her turn outward towards helping rather than inward towards self-pity. I LOVE her. She is such a wonderful little girl who I would be so lucky to know in real life. She reminds me very much of Addy in her generosity when her family has so little (especially when Addy donates her savings to the Freedman's Fund in Addy's Surprise; she decides her family doesn't need a lamp or a scarf nearly as much as the newly freed people need help).
The scene where Kit gives her coat to the little girl made me cry, and I loved how Kit feels "warm inside and out" from the girl's excitement about the new coat. What a precious girl she is. And I love Ruthie saying Kit was like a fairy godmother to the little girl and practical Kit saying she's just one girl and every single kid there needs a coat and shoes. I love Kit taking what she sees in front of her and extrapolating to the larger picture. What a clever girl at age ten to be able to do that.
The plot line with Uncle Hendrick was very satisfying in this book. He is such a cantankerous and obnoxious old man and I am impressed with how calmly Kit puts up with him. I could NEVER. I like how Kit observes Uncle Hendrick and learns from him even though she doesn't like him. She is very fair in her judgments of people, and she evaluates the idea itself rather than the person providing it. I love the poetic justice of her learning exactly how to write her own letter from Uncle Hendrick, and I love her feeling empowered to write what she sees.
I love how it's her conversation with Uncle Hendrick that makes her realize she has something valuable to say. And I love Kit thinking about all the people in her life who have influenced her and those people giving her strength to write what needed to be written. That scene touched my heart so much. I cried!!! I was basically having waterworks throughout this whole book.
I like that the second time the kids go to the soup kitchen, they decide it would be most fair to give the staff the coats and have them distribute them rather than trying to find recipients themselves. And I LOVE Kit realizing that a picture is worth a thousand words and the kids taking photos of the poor kids who are suffering so much. How clever and resourceful the kids are! How powerful those images must have been! What a lovely message for young girls reading this book about how they can use pictures and words to make a difference in their communities!
And I LOVED Uncle Hendrick getting exactly what he deserved at the end of the book. I loved him asking where she got such an idea and her saying politely, "Why, from you, of course, Uncle Hendrick." This is the best sentence in ANY American Girl book. And I love Kit's family being so proud of her, and that her article made such a difference in her community and helped so many kids by getting people to donate coats and shoes to the soup kitchen. She couldn't fix everything singlehandedly, but she could use her gift (the power of words) to mobilize her community. What an incredible girl she is! I cried at this part too.
And equally wonderfully, Kit gets exactly what she wanted for herself. She is a real reporter! Her name is in print in the real newspaper! All her friends and family see it. Even the newspaper editor wants Kit to write more letters and thinks she has the makings of a good reporter.
This book could not have been a more perfect conclusion to Kit's series. Kit finds her voice and uses it to help her community. Kit is clever and resourceful and generous and brave and determined. What a beautiful message for young readers to take from Kit's books. Even if you're a kid, you can still make a difference in the world and do things that matter. How lovely.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 9, 2026
Kit dislikes having to help her hateful old Uncle Hendrick while he stays with her family, especially when she has to write letters to the editor that he dictates, full of hateful opinions about relief projects for people suffering during the Great Depression. But then Kit realizes she can write her own letters and express her own opinion! Fueled by a recent visit to a food shelter, she writes about the desperate need she has seen, especially among children who lack adequate clothing for the winter weather and who are going hungry.
I loved this book! Kit has such empathy and initiative. I was literally moved to tears when she takes her old coat to donate to a younger child and the way the child gratefully accepts it. Even though her own family is going through a difficult time, Kit has such a heart to help others who are in even worst circumstances than her own. It was a perfect fit to see her writing into her local newspaper, since Kit has always written her own household news for her family. I appreciate how Valerie Tripp keeps the characters' central threads even while pushing the story forward in these books.
As always, I love these stories and especially the way the book concludes with a "peek into the past" section that explores the real history behind the book. Kit's stories have been such a great introduction to the Great Depression for all three of my kids and also an important lesson about helping others and standing firm in your beliefs even when others disagree.
I loved this book! Kit has such empathy and initiative. I was literally moved to tears when she takes her old coat to donate to a younger child and the way the child gratefully accepts it. Even though her own family is going through a difficult time, Kit has such a heart to help others who are in even worst circumstances than her own. It was a perfect fit to see her writing into her local newspaper, since Kit has always written her own household news for her family. I appreciate how Valerie Tripp keeps the characters' central threads even while pushing the story forward in these books.
As always, I love these stories and especially the way the book concludes with a "peek into the past" section that explores the real history behind the book. Kit's stories have been such a great introduction to the Great Depression for all three of my kids and also an important lesson about helping others and standing firm in your beliefs even when others disagree.
February 26, 2022
In "Changes for Kit", Kit discovers the true power of the written word. And she and her friends also actively make a difference for others.
I've been meaning to mention one fact since my first review, but kept forgetting until now. Unlike the other American Girl stories which begin in the year written on the book cover, Kit's story begins in 1932 and ends in 1934, the year on the cover. This is mentioned in the historical notes in book one (and two, I believe) and also in the last book. Just something to keep in mind.
I can't help but realize that her brother, Charlie, will be the right age to fight in WWII. So even once the Depression ends, Kit's family will still have worries. This is the only series (so far) where I have shed tears in more than one book. I did so again here when Kit gave the little girl her coat. All in all, just a very moving, informative series. The best of the American Girls, in my opinion.
I've been meaning to mention one fact since my first review, but kept forgetting until now. Unlike the other American Girl stories which begin in the year written on the book cover, Kit's story begins in 1932 and ends in 1934, the year on the cover. This is mentioned in the historical notes in book one (and two, I believe) and also in the last book. Just something to keep in mind.
I can't help but realize that her brother, Charlie, will be the right age to fight in WWII. So even once the Depression ends, Kit's family will still have worries. This is the only series (so far) where I have shed tears in more than one book. I did so again here when Kit gave the little girl her coat. All in all, just a very moving, informative series. The best of the American Girls, in my opinion.
February 3, 2018
This was actually really really cute, I loved how determined Kit was to change peoples minds and see that though they can’t end the depression they can help people and make it easier for them, especially the children.
Kit’s grouchy and over opinionated uncle breaks his leg and arm and has to stay with them until he’s better. The whole while making Kit his personal servant. Each time he read something in the newspaper he disagreed with He forever Kit to write out his thoughts in a letter and deliver them to the editor of the newspaper. One day Kit couldn’t take what he was saying anymore and wrote her own letter and got photographic evidence to back up her letter. She didn’t expect it to be seen or even published but the next day she is given a wonderful surprise.
Kit’s grouchy and over opinionated uncle breaks his leg and arm and has to stay with them until he’s better. The whole while making Kit his personal servant. Each time he read something in the newspaper he disagreed with He forever Kit to write out his thoughts in a letter and deliver them to the editor of the newspaper. One day Kit couldn’t take what he was saying anymore and wrote her own letter and got photographic evidence to back up her letter. She didn’t expect it to be seen or even published but the next day she is given a wonderful surprise.
March 15, 2022
I have really enjoyed this series! I hadn't read this one as a kid because it came out too late. I read the first two with my 10yo and 8yo sons since we were studying the Great Depression. My oldest son opted out of the rest of the series, but my 8yo and I listened to #3 - #6 (on 1.20 speed on the audio series). I love the individual parts of each one and the overall story arc. And, as an adult, I even appreciated the "Looking Back" section (which I never read as a kid). Now I'm wondering which series we'll tackle next!
September 28, 2022
Wow....Kit's uncle is a vicious vicious man with no heart! It makes Kit feel so bad how he bad mouths those less fortunate than himself and begrudges the fact the government was ACTUALLY doing something to help!
But, after so many hateful letters to the Newspaper, Kit decides to speak up for the downtrodden! She writes for the helpless and it helps! This shows even a child's one action can set a chain of events that can lead to good. We can all do our part to make our community better and help the needy. Really good story!
But, after so many hateful letters to the Newspaper, Kit decides to speak up for the downtrodden! She writes for the helpless and it helps! This shows even a child's one action can set a chain of events that can lead to good. We can all do our part to make our community better and help the needy. Really good story!
August 29, 2023
This is just another Kit book, but what makes it stand out to me is the prominent role of Uncle Hendrick . I didn’t like him as a kid because he was a jerk, and I don’t like him now for different reasons. Uncle Hendrick is a fiscal conservative who is against the New Deal, and that is presented as another one of the characteristics that makes him a jerk. There were legitimate reasons to be against the New Deal, even if your relatives have benefited from it. The economic policies you support are not a sign of your morality!
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