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American Girl: Felicity #5
Felicity Saves the Day: A Summer Story
Felicity loves summertime on Grand father's plantation. She can be outside all day--riding horses, playing with Nan and William, and exploring the woods. One day Felicity finds a secret note. It is from Ben, her father's apprentice, and it asks for her help. Ben has broken his apprenticeship agreement and is running away to join George Washington's army. Felicity begins a dangerous adventure when she goes to help Ben. She must use all her strength, courage, and wisdom to try to save the day.
67 pages, Paperback
First published June 1, 1992
33 people are currently reading
823 people want to read
About the author
Valerie Tripp
272 books442 followersValerie Tripp is a children's book author, best known for her work with the American Girl series.
She grew up in Mount Kisco, New York with three sisters and one brother. A member of the first co-educated class at Yale University, Tripp also has a M.Ed. from Harvard. Since 1985 she has lived in Silver Spring, Maryland. Her husband teaches history at Montgomery College.
Right out of college, Tripp started writing songs, stories, and nonfiction for The Superkids Reading Program, working with Pleasant Rowland, the founder of American Girl. For that series, Tripp wrote all the books about Felicity, Josefina, Kit, Molly, and Maryellen and many of the books about Samantha. She also wrote the "Best Friends" character stories to date, plays, mysteries, and short stories about all her characters.. Film dramatizations of the lives of Samantha, Felicity, Molly, and Kit have been based on her stories. Currently, Tripp is writing a STEM series for National Geographic and adapting Greek Myths for Starry Forest Publishing. A frequent speaker at schools and libraries, Tripp has also spoken at the Library of Congress, the Smithsonian, The New York Historical Society, and Williamsburg.
She grew up in Mount Kisco, New York with three sisters and one brother. A member of the first co-educated class at Yale University, Tripp also has a M.Ed. from Harvard. Since 1985 she has lived in Silver Spring, Maryland. Her husband teaches history at Montgomery College.
Right out of college, Tripp started writing songs, stories, and nonfiction for The Superkids Reading Program, working with Pleasant Rowland, the founder of American Girl. For that series, Tripp wrote all the books about Felicity, Josefina, Kit, Molly, and Maryellen and many of the books about Samantha. She also wrote the "Best Friends" character stories to date, plays, mysteries, and short stories about all her characters.. Film dramatizations of the lives of Samantha, Felicity, Molly, and Kit have been based on her stories. Currently, Tripp is writing a STEM series for National Geographic and adapting Greek Myths for Starry Forest Publishing. A frequent speaker at schools and libraries, Tripp has also spoken at the Library of Congress, the Smithsonian, The New York Historical Society, and Williamsburg.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 140 reviews
July 22, 2025
{July 2025 Reread}
This one loses a couple stars because its setting, on Grandfather's plantation, makes the lack of accountability about the chattel slavery system even more unacceptable. This series handles other "mature" themes in an age-appropriate way, and it could -- and should -- certainly do more with this one, as well.
On the positive side, Penny is back! Welcome back, icon. And the Belicity vibes in this one??! *cries*
This one loses a couple stars because its setting, on Grandfather's plantation, makes the lack of accountability about the chattel slavery system even more unacceptable. This series handles other "mature" themes in an age-appropriate way, and it could -- and should -- certainly do more with this one, as well.
On the positive side, Penny is back! Welcome back, icon. And the Belicity vibes in this one??! *cries*
July 26, 2024
It was so great to have Penny come back, and Felicity being the wise one who gives Ben good advice really shows how much she's grown.
July 27, 2024
"You are a coward. It's cowardly to break promises and hurt those who need you and trust you."
Thankfully, as the hostility escalates in Williamsburg, tis the time of year that Felicity looks forward to... Summertime away at Grandfather's house. Many outdoor activities are enjoyed and many guests come to visit... including loyalist friends that speak ill about the "hot-headed Patriots." :)
Thankfully, Grandfather restrains himself (for once) from adding to the fuss fest! Way to go, Grandpa.
It's an exciting book and this time, Felicity AND Penny the horse get to be the heroes.
Lessons are learned once more as the stories get better and better.
Thankfully, as the hostility escalates in Williamsburg, tis the time of year that Felicity looks forward to... Summertime away at Grandfather's house. Many outdoor activities are enjoyed and many guests come to visit... including loyalist friends that speak ill about the "hot-headed Patriots." :)
Thankfully, Grandfather restrains himself (for once) from adding to the fuss fest! Way to go, Grandpa.
It's an exciting book and this time, Felicity AND Penny the horse get to be the heroes.
Lessons are learned once more as the stories get better and better.
March 23, 2024
Ahhh, summertime on a Virginia plantation. So charming... as long as you have the right set of privileges.
Here's what jumps out as an adult in 2019, vs. as a kid in the early '90s:
1. Book after book, we keep referring back to Felicity "saving" Penny or "helping Penny run away" from mean old Jiggy Nye. You guys, even though she wasn't caught or punished, even though she let Penny loose, she still stole. that. horse. I am 100% positive this didn't bother me at all as a kid, or even seemed right that Felicity and Penny were reunited at last. As an adult, this plot bothers me a lot.
2. Was this the first time one of the Felicity books used the word "slave"?! Given the degree to which these books avoid explaining anything about slavery, it's no wonder that I was (at age seven) confused by the distinction between slaves and servants. Yikes.
3. What exactly is wrong with Ben's leg that can be solved with a poultice, yet leaves him unable to walk on it for DAYS? I'm settling on some kind of sprain, I guess, but gosh isn't it convenient that Felicity can help, and yet Ben can't leave.
4. Felicity and Ben must be just charming as all get-out, because the Merriman parents just never seem as angry with them as one might expect.
5. I can't decide whether it would suck more to be Nan, who at SIX YEARS OLD, seems to spend a lot of time trying to keep Felicity in line, or to be Felicity, who is constantly chided by her six-year-old sister. I'm a little amazed these polar opposites aren't more antagonistic.
More Felicity babble
Meet Felicity | Felicity Learns a Lesson | Felicity’s Surprise | Happy Birthday, Felicity | Felicity Saves the Day | Changes for Felicity
Very Funny, Elizabeth
Felicity’s New Sister | Felicity’s Dancing Shoes | Felicity Takes a Dare | Felicity Discovers a Secret | Felicity’s Short Story Collection
Peril at King’s Creek | Traitor in Williamsburg | Lady Margaret’s Ghost
Here's what jumps out as an adult in 2019, vs. as a kid in the early '90s:
1. Book after book, we keep referring back to Felicity "saving" Penny or "helping Penny run away" from mean old Jiggy Nye. You guys, even though she wasn't caught or punished, even though she let Penny loose, she still stole. that. horse. I am 100% positive this didn't bother me at all as a kid, or even seemed right that Felicity and Penny were reunited at last. As an adult, this plot bothers me a lot.
2. Was this the first time one of the Felicity books used the word "slave"?! Given the degree to which these books avoid explaining anything about slavery, it's no wonder that I was (at age seven) confused by the distinction between slaves and servants. Yikes.
3. What exactly is wrong with Ben's leg that can be solved with a poultice, yet leaves him unable to walk on it for DAYS? I'm settling on some kind of sprain, I guess, but gosh isn't it convenient that Felicity can help, and yet Ben can't leave.
4. Felicity and Ben must be just charming as all get-out, because the Merriman parents just never seem as angry with them as one might expect.
5. I can't decide whether it would suck more to be Nan, who at SIX YEARS OLD, seems to spend a lot of time trying to keep Felicity in line, or to be Felicity, who is constantly chided by her six-year-old sister. I'm a little amazed these polar opposites aren't more antagonistic.
More Felicity babble
Meet Felicity | Felicity Learns a Lesson | Felicity’s Surprise | Happy Birthday, Felicity | Felicity Saves the Day | Changes for Felicity
Very Funny, Elizabeth
Felicity’s New Sister | Felicity’s Dancing Shoes | Felicity Takes a Dare | Felicity Discovers a Secret | Felicity’s Short Story Collection
Peril at King’s Creek | Traitor in Williamsburg | Lady Margaret’s Ghost
October 22, 2019
I am revisiting these books after listening to the American Girls podcast where two adult women re-read them. I would have said I read all the Felicity books as a kid if you asked, but now that I've "re-read" it, I don't think I actually did.
Is it weird to say that a 60 page book is poorly paced? I noticed it in the first one, but it was even worse here. The first half is an attempt to show historically accurate daily life, largely through the adults making awkward, stilted exposition every time they talk. And then the second half is all the plot, which is totally not believable but is at least fun.
I also felt this book was way worse in terms of handling slavery than the first one. This book made it clear that Felicity's family were slaveowners in the actual content of the book (which the first one didn't), but I felt the handling of it in the Look Into the Past section was really poor, and glossed over the whole thing in a way that does children a huge disservice.
Separate from the book on its own, the podcast is real skeptical of the way the books seem to be setting up Ben/Felicity, but that seemed totally real, believable, and historically accurate to me. Ben is 16 and wants to leave his apprenticeship with Felicity's father to fight in the revolution. At the end of the book, they agree that Ben will stay until he is 18 (a little over a year away), then he can go fight, then when the war is over, he has to return to complete his apprenticeship (another three years). Assuming Ben fights for roughly 3 years, when this is all over, he will be 24 and Felicity will be 18. At the end of his apprenticeship, Ben will either be able to open his own general store or take over the Merriman's store. If Ben and Felicity get married, Felicity will be marrying into a future in the same social status/level as that of her parents. Those ages and futures seem totally believable to me.
Is it weird to say that a 60 page book is poorly paced? I noticed it in the first one, but it was even worse here. The first half is an attempt to show historically accurate daily life, largely through the adults making awkward, stilted exposition every time they talk. And then the second half is all the plot, which is totally not believable but is at least fun.
I also felt this book was way worse in terms of handling slavery than the first one. This book made it clear that Felicity's family were slaveowners in the actual content of the book (which the first one didn't), but I felt the handling of it in the Look Into the Past section was really poor, and glossed over the whole thing in a way that does children a huge disservice.
Separate from the book on its own, the podcast is real skeptical of the way the books seem to be setting up Ben/Felicity, but that seemed totally real, believable, and historically accurate to me. Ben is 16 and wants to leave his apprenticeship with Felicity's father to fight in the revolution. At the end of the book, they agree that Ben will stay until he is 18 (a little over a year away), then he can go fight, then when the war is over, he has to return to complete his apprenticeship (another three years). Assuming Ben fights for roughly 3 years, when this is all over, he will be 24 and Felicity will be 18. At the end of his apprenticeship, Ben will either be able to open his own general store or take over the Merriman's store. If Ben and Felicity get married, Felicity will be marrying into a future in the same social status/level as that of her parents. Those ages and futures seem totally believable to me.
September 1, 2023
yay penny! love a girl and her animal having an irreplaceable bond :')
August 2, 2022
these books should be banned, wtf do you mean miss white girl felicity is prancing around her grandfathers SLAVE PLANTATION and we’re meant to think “ah what a gorgeous idyllic life she leads!” this book doesn’t even ignore the slavery going on it explicitly mentions it and includes it as part of its gorgeous little summer setting i wish this author a very awful time
November 10, 2022
This is the fifth book in the “Felicity: An American Girl” series. I am reading the series to participate in the “American Girls” podcast with Allison Horrocks and Mary Mahoney.
Out of all the books in the Felicity series, I believe this one was by far my favorite. The reason I liked this book so much was because I genuinely felt like Felicity’s character had grown. She was very responsible throughout the book and well - behaved despite the challenges her character was facing with Ben. It’s really hard when, on one hand, you want to do right by your family (and what you believe), but, on the other, you don’t want to betray your friend. I felt like Felicity was going through struggles realistically and ones that I also know all too well (even if I’m not living in 1775). My favorite parts of the story was when Felicity found Penny again (embracing that inner horse girl as always) and when she straight up was brutally honest with Ben, calling him a coward (WHICH HE WAS... How could Ben just up and leave Mr. Merriman like that????). Ben, at this point, has become completely unlikable, which makes me sad as he was my favorite character in the first book and now one of my least favorites at the end of the series. I think his character is stubborn and really shitty after everything he has promised to the Merrimans especially after everything the Merriman’s have done for him, in return.
The only thing about this book, the constant issue in a lot of these books actually, is that Valerie Tripp continues to ignore slavery and the Merriman’s active participation in it as if it’s nothing. This is more apparent in this book because of Felicity’s grandfather’s plantation (if it wasn’t apparent to you through Marcus, Rose, Isaac). I don’t understand how slavery is apart of the text and how it’s very clear that the Merriman’s own slaves, but, yet, it’s never actually addressed. I think this is a let down for young readers, who might think that is okay (because they simply are too naive to know better). Parents, have an honest talk about what our ancestors were doing at this time to other races and how slavery, segregation, just generally treated people badly based on their race is not okay. These are important topics that you should definitely have honestly with your children because this book series is simply missing the mark (and I don’t understand how when characters like Addy exist later on... Felicity’s family basically owns other slave families like Addy, how is American Girl okay with that message????).
Out of all the books in the Felicity series, I believe this one was by far my favorite. The reason I liked this book so much was because I genuinely felt like Felicity’s character had grown. She was very responsible throughout the book and well - behaved despite the challenges her character was facing with Ben. It’s really hard when, on one hand, you want to do right by your family (and what you believe), but, on the other, you don’t want to betray your friend. I felt like Felicity was going through struggles realistically and ones that I also know all too well (even if I’m not living in 1775). My favorite parts of the story was when Felicity found Penny again (embracing that inner horse girl as always) and when she straight up was brutally honest with Ben, calling him a coward (WHICH HE WAS... How could Ben just up and leave Mr. Merriman like that????). Ben, at this point, has become completely unlikable, which makes me sad as he was my favorite character in the first book and now one of my least favorites at the end of the series. I think his character is stubborn and really shitty after everything he has promised to the Merrimans especially after everything the Merriman’s have done for him, in return.
The only thing about this book, the constant issue in a lot of these books actually, is that Valerie Tripp continues to ignore slavery and the Merriman’s active participation in it as if it’s nothing. This is more apparent in this book because of Felicity’s grandfather’s plantation (if it wasn’t apparent to you through Marcus, Rose, Isaac). I don’t understand how slavery is apart of the text and how it’s very clear that the Merriman’s own slaves, but, yet, it’s never actually addressed. I think this is a let down for young readers, who might think that is okay (because they simply are too naive to know better). Parents, have an honest talk about what our ancestors were doing at this time to other races and how slavery, segregation, just generally treated people badly based on their race is not okay. These are important topics that you should definitely have honestly with your children because this book series is simply missing the mark (and I don’t understand how when characters like Addy exist later on... Felicity’s family basically owns other slave families like Addy, how is American Girl okay with that message????).
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 8, 2013
I do appreciate these books for the fact that they are a good introduction to history. I do sometimes take exception to the fact that these books tend to gloss over reality. Would it really be possible for Felicity to have done what she did in this book? Even if she did, would it be accepted and praised by her family? I doubt it. Another issue I had with this book in particular is the disregard of slavery on the grandfathers plantation. We are led to believe that Felicity is an intelligent and forward-thinking child. We are led to see her as a mirror of ourselves (or more specifically, our daughters)and yet we are supposed to believe that she would go out for a ride with her grandfather every morning to check on things in the fields .. and she would have no qualms about slavery? On the one hand she gets upset and we get to explore the treatment of a horse; but the slaves on her grandfathers plantation .. nada.
May 28, 2025
I feel like it's really important to note that this book takes place at Felicity's grandfather's plantation and there are only passing references to enslaved people. The history section after the story does touch on slavery, but it's fairly sanitized and while it makes sense, I do think readers should go into this volume aware that it's treated as regular in the same way that slavery was normalized in that era.
That said, the primary story is focused on Felicity and Ben, and I really liked how she was able to keep his secret in the same way he kept hers.
That said, the primary story is focused on Felicity and Ben, and I really liked how she was able to keep his secret in the same way he kept hers.
August 31, 2023
This is definitely my favorite of the series! The summer scenes were so idyllic and I loved the full-circle moment with Penny! The relationship between Felicity and her grandfather really shone in this book and made me so happy because it reminded me of growing up and my close relationship with my own grandpa. Not to mention the revolution heating up in the plot!
June 25, 2021
It's good to have a loyal friend like Felicity.
March 14, 2022
❤️ it was lovely to read all of Felicity’s books as she has been my favorite AG since I was a little girl (& I have her doll😍). I love her spirit, bravery & kindness. Reading about her makes me so happy that I have a little girl 💗 I can’t wait to read these with her when she’s older.
While reading these I came to the realization that Ben was my first crush ever 😂 (be still my 6 year old heart. Lol.) I guess that’s where my love for colonial men began. 😂In my heart I just know Ben & Felicity get married one day. Lol. I think I need to go read fan fiction for the first time in my life. 😆
While reading these I came to the realization that Ben was my first crush ever 😂 (be still my 6 year old heart. Lol.) I guess that’s where my love for colonial men began. 😂In my heart I just know Ben & Felicity get married one day. Lol. I think I need to go read fan fiction for the first time in my life. 😆
January 10, 2024
I really like how the book showcases compromise while also acknowledging the dark side of being an apprentice; Ben is basically an indentured servant. He doesn't get paid for the work he does and can be physically and legally punished if he breaks his three year apprenticeship commitment, all while being under the age of 18; maybe it's somewhat equivalent to skipping school in modern times. I like that Felicity helps him and that Ben and Felicity's father are able to come to an agreement.
September 8, 2025
Overall, the plot of Felicity Saves the Day is stronger than the previous three books, I think, but the elephant in the room is the fact that the entire novel takes place at Felicity’s grandfather’s plantation and there is absolutely no discussion of slavery or enslaved people. It’s not surprising given the erasure of the two enslaved people working in the Merriman’s Williamsburg household in previous books, but it is disappointment nonetheless.
November 5, 2024
the felicity and ben subplot: very good!!
the fact we're just on a plantation and not really getting into that: BAD
the horse coming back: happy for felicity but sad for me as it means i must read more about horses
the fact we're just on a plantation and not really getting into that: BAD
the horse coming back: happy for felicity but sad for me as it means i must read more about horses
August 16, 2025
This book would have been fine if it had taken place in a house in the country rather than a plantation which was super glossed over. This book was fairly boring compared to the others in the series, not sure I'd really call it "saving the day"
April 23, 2021
I remember being so excited as a kid when Felicity runs into Penny, and re-reading it now almost made me choked up.
March 1, 2025
“CHAPTER ONE: KING'S CREEK PLANTATION”
YOINKS
felicities books make me feel like i’m in enemy territory
YOINKS
felicities books make me feel like i’m in enemy territory
October 14, 2025
I feel like that ending was a little more smoother than what I find to be believable… but at least Penney’s back!
(Not a spoiler since she’s on the cover)
(Not a spoiler since she’s on the cover)
May 1, 2025
Did you hear the news?? Penny is back baby!!
July 6, 2025
It’s hard to decide what exactly to say about Valerie Tripp’s Felicity Saves the Day, the fifth book in the Felicity series. The depiction of plantation life as a fun, summery adventure is… distasteful, to say the least, since slavery is depicted but not addressed. Still, we do have Felicity and Penny’s reunion, the testing of Felicity and Ben’s friendship, and the increasingly tense relationship between the colonies and Great Britain to keep things interesting, plus some really positive messages for kids to learn from.
In the summer of 1775, Felicity Merriman and her family make their annual trip to her grandfather’s plantation near Yorktown, and she is nearly bursting with excitement for all the joyous outdoor days that await her. Her happiness is made complete when, by pure fate, Felicity reunites with her beloved horse Penny, whom she helped escape from her abusive owner the year before. However, Felicity’s joy at having Penny on Grandfather’s farm is tempered when she learns a terrible secret: that her friend and her father’s apprentice Ben Davidson has run away from Williamsburg to join the colonial militia. Ben, injured and stranded in the nearby forest, begs Felicity for help and protection, and she has to make difficult choices between being honest or helping a friend in need.
Okay, let’s talk about the elephant in the room first: Tripp’s depiction of colonial slavery. The Felicity series has been under heavy scrutiny for the fact that Felicity’s father and grandfather own slaves and that this fact is never shown as problematic by the narrative. While of course slavery was prominent in colonial Virginia and it’s likely that Felicity’s family would have owned slaves, it feels pretty disrespectful to make lovable side characters out of literal slave-owners, no matter how nicely they treat their slaves. No one expects Valerie Tripp to base her entire Felicity series around the issue of slavery — Connie Rose Porter did that very capably in the Addy books — but it’s really uncomfortable reading about Felicity’s fun adventures picking blackberries and having picnics while also riding through the fields to watch her grandfather oversee his slaves. Tripp had some great opportunities to at least mention the injustices of slavery, the irony of the Patriots fighting for their own freedom while enslaving others, Felicity’s conflict of feelings over what’s right, etc., but Felicity Saves the Day really highlights Tripp’s mishandling and oversimplification of a very sensitive and important topic.
Aside from that, however, Felicity Saves the Day is a fun continuation of several storylines that Tripp has been building since Meet Felicity: Felicity’s relationship with her horse Penny, and Ben’s rebellious longing to join the militia. As in Happy Birthday, Felicity!, the pacing of this book is a bit off, beginning with fun little summertime escapades and happy reunions before abruptly switching into intense Revolutionary War danger. Still, Tripp does manage some nice foreshadowing in the first chapter (the bird bottle and the idea of living in the woods alone). The stakes are higher than ever in this book, with Ben being hunted by bounty hunters and threatened with serious violence upon his capture; Felicity again puts herself in serious physical and legal danger by helping Ben and riding through a storm to save him. The ending of the book, with Felicity’s treacherous exploits once again being brushed aside by her family, is kind of unrealistic and concerning, but hey, she gets to keep Penny when she goes back to Williamsburg, so all’s well that ends well. Tripp also includes a sweet but sad moment as Felicity says goodbye to her grandfather, which of course foreshadows his death in Changes for Felicity.
The setting of Grandfather’s plantation — halfway between Williamsburg and Yorktown — adds some tension to the narrative, as much of the revolutionary fervor comes out of Yorktown. While Dan Andreasen’s illustrations are kept a little more to a minimum in Felicity Saves the Day, it’s always fun to see his little thumbnail-sized artworks of things like envelopes, tea cakes, and curry combs alongside the big, emotionally-driven illustrations. I also loved the period-accurate writing conventions included in Felicity’s letter and Father’s newspaper clipping; the capitalization of personified nouns spoke directly to my language-loving heart. Tripp’s historical information at the end of the book involves colonial traveling customs, plantation life, and slavery, which at least gives a tad bit of balance to some of the issues I mentioned, but not much.
Tripp continues to heat up the political and military conflicts that have been broiling in Williamsburg since Felicity Learns a Lesson. The colonies are on the eve of revolt in Felicity Saves the Day, with the militia gathering in Yorktown to prepare to fight the British army. Despite the simplicity of the narrative, Tripp never attempts to paint the American revolution as a purely good-versus-evil conflict, nicely portraying nuance in her characters’ differing motivations. In Ben’s storyline, Tripp emphasizes the importance of standing up for your convictions but the equal importance of honoring your word and loyalties; the Felicity series overall is a great reminder that you can always do what’s right while still showing respect and honor. Ben’s fear of appearing cowardly by returning home after running away from his contract is countered by Felicity’s statement that it’s more cowardly to run away from your responsibilities and duties. There is lots of high-budget, adult-oriented, American-Revolution-themed media that doesn’t handle its moral quandaries as well as this children’s 60-page book does (I’m looking at you, The Patriot).
Felicity is much more in her element in Felicity Saves the Day, allowed to run and ride and swim outside rather than being cooped up with stitchery or penmanship. Her reunion with Penny is sweet and feels like fate after they’ve been apart for so long (let’s all just pretend that Felicity didn’t totally steal that horse from her legal owner). I really like that Tripp chose to have these two storylines — Penny’s return and Ben’s predicament — collide, as they have been significantly tied since Meet Felicity, when Ben agreed to keep Felicity’s secret about Penny. Here, Felicity struggles with making the right decision in terms of Ben’s running away, and it’s a great opportunity for parents to talk to their kids about right and wrong in tricky situations. In the end, Felicity finds the right path, keeping Ben’s secret while inspiring him to do the right thing himself, but there’s lots of room for thought-provoking discussion. I really like that, in this book, Felicity is not the one who has to learn a lesson; instead, she shares her own wisdom, compassion, and common sense to teach Ben a lesson, resulting in forgiveness and trust among her own family members.
At this point in the Felicity series (book five!), I wish Tripp had begun developing some of Felicity’s family members a little more; only Grandfather shows any kind of dynamic qualities, as he is certainly more peaceable and less argumentative than he was before. Felicity Saves the Day marks the first mention of Mrs. Merriman’s pregnancy (which will come up again in Changes for Felicity). Ben, of course, makes his big foolish decision in this book, but I really love his friendship with and respect for Felicity, especially in his choice to follow her wise advice. I’ll also just say that I’ve shipped Ben and Felicity since I was old enough to understand how those things work, and Felicity Saves the Day is definitely the book that sealed that deal for me. Our only two new characters, Mr. and Mrs. Wentworth, strangely do not play much of a role in the story overall; Mrs. Wentworth is an outspoken Loyalist who spouts some exposition over a tea table, and Mr. Wentworth brings a herd of horses for Grandfather to buy, one of which is Penny.
Felicity Saves the Day doesn’t quite match the quality of the first three books in the series, but it’s nice to see Penny again and have Felicity and Ben’s friendship reaching new strengths. Tripp struggles again with some uneven pacing and some poor choices in depicting slavery, but overall, it’s a quick-moving installment that sets up the final book in the Felicity series nicely.
In the summer of 1775, Felicity Merriman and her family make their annual trip to her grandfather’s plantation near Yorktown, and she is nearly bursting with excitement for all the joyous outdoor days that await her. Her happiness is made complete when, by pure fate, Felicity reunites with her beloved horse Penny, whom she helped escape from her abusive owner the year before. However, Felicity’s joy at having Penny on Grandfather’s farm is tempered when she learns a terrible secret: that her friend and her father’s apprentice Ben Davidson has run away from Williamsburg to join the colonial militia. Ben, injured and stranded in the nearby forest, begs Felicity for help and protection, and she has to make difficult choices between being honest or helping a friend in need.
Okay, let’s talk about the elephant in the room first: Tripp’s depiction of colonial slavery. The Felicity series has been under heavy scrutiny for the fact that Felicity’s father and grandfather own slaves and that this fact is never shown as problematic by the narrative. While of course slavery was prominent in colonial Virginia and it’s likely that Felicity’s family would have owned slaves, it feels pretty disrespectful to make lovable side characters out of literal slave-owners, no matter how nicely they treat their slaves. No one expects Valerie Tripp to base her entire Felicity series around the issue of slavery — Connie Rose Porter did that very capably in the Addy books — but it’s really uncomfortable reading about Felicity’s fun adventures picking blackberries and having picnics while also riding through the fields to watch her grandfather oversee his slaves. Tripp had some great opportunities to at least mention the injustices of slavery, the irony of the Patriots fighting for their own freedom while enslaving others, Felicity’s conflict of feelings over what’s right, etc., but Felicity Saves the Day really highlights Tripp’s mishandling and oversimplification of a very sensitive and important topic.
Aside from that, however, Felicity Saves the Day is a fun continuation of several storylines that Tripp has been building since Meet Felicity: Felicity’s relationship with her horse Penny, and Ben’s rebellious longing to join the militia. As in Happy Birthday, Felicity!, the pacing of this book is a bit off, beginning with fun little summertime escapades and happy reunions before abruptly switching into intense Revolutionary War danger. Still, Tripp does manage some nice foreshadowing in the first chapter (the bird bottle and the idea of living in the woods alone). The stakes are higher than ever in this book, with Ben being hunted by bounty hunters and threatened with serious violence upon his capture; Felicity again puts herself in serious physical and legal danger by helping Ben and riding through a storm to save him. The ending of the book, with Felicity’s treacherous exploits once again being brushed aside by her family, is kind of unrealistic and concerning, but hey, she gets to keep Penny when she goes back to Williamsburg, so all’s well that ends well. Tripp also includes a sweet but sad moment as Felicity says goodbye to her grandfather, which of course foreshadows his death in Changes for Felicity.
The setting of Grandfather’s plantation — halfway between Williamsburg and Yorktown — adds some tension to the narrative, as much of the revolutionary fervor comes out of Yorktown. While Dan Andreasen’s illustrations are kept a little more to a minimum in Felicity Saves the Day, it’s always fun to see his little thumbnail-sized artworks of things like envelopes, tea cakes, and curry combs alongside the big, emotionally-driven illustrations. I also loved the period-accurate writing conventions included in Felicity’s letter and Father’s newspaper clipping; the capitalization of personified nouns spoke directly to my language-loving heart. Tripp’s historical information at the end of the book involves colonial traveling customs, plantation life, and slavery, which at least gives a tad bit of balance to some of the issues I mentioned, but not much.
Tripp continues to heat up the political and military conflicts that have been broiling in Williamsburg since Felicity Learns a Lesson. The colonies are on the eve of revolt in Felicity Saves the Day, with the militia gathering in Yorktown to prepare to fight the British army. Despite the simplicity of the narrative, Tripp never attempts to paint the American revolution as a purely good-versus-evil conflict, nicely portraying nuance in her characters’ differing motivations. In Ben’s storyline, Tripp emphasizes the importance of standing up for your convictions but the equal importance of honoring your word and loyalties; the Felicity series overall is a great reminder that you can always do what’s right while still showing respect and honor. Ben’s fear of appearing cowardly by returning home after running away from his contract is countered by Felicity’s statement that it’s more cowardly to run away from your responsibilities and duties. There is lots of high-budget, adult-oriented, American-Revolution-themed media that doesn’t handle its moral quandaries as well as this children’s 60-page book does (I’m looking at you, The Patriot).
Felicity is much more in her element in Felicity Saves the Day, allowed to run and ride and swim outside rather than being cooped up with stitchery or penmanship. Her reunion with Penny is sweet and feels like fate after they’ve been apart for so long (let’s all just pretend that Felicity didn’t totally steal that horse from her legal owner). I really like that Tripp chose to have these two storylines — Penny’s return and Ben’s predicament — collide, as they have been significantly tied since Meet Felicity, when Ben agreed to keep Felicity’s secret about Penny. Here, Felicity struggles with making the right decision in terms of Ben’s running away, and it’s a great opportunity for parents to talk to their kids about right and wrong in tricky situations. In the end, Felicity finds the right path, keeping Ben’s secret while inspiring him to do the right thing himself, but there’s lots of room for thought-provoking discussion. I really like that, in this book, Felicity is not the one who has to learn a lesson; instead, she shares her own wisdom, compassion, and common sense to teach Ben a lesson, resulting in forgiveness and trust among her own family members.
At this point in the Felicity series (book five!), I wish Tripp had begun developing some of Felicity’s family members a little more; only Grandfather shows any kind of dynamic qualities, as he is certainly more peaceable and less argumentative than he was before. Felicity Saves the Day marks the first mention of Mrs. Merriman’s pregnancy (which will come up again in Changes for Felicity). Ben, of course, makes his big foolish decision in this book, but I really love his friendship with and respect for Felicity, especially in his choice to follow her wise advice. I’ll also just say that I’ve shipped Ben and Felicity since I was old enough to understand how those things work, and Felicity Saves the Day is definitely the book that sealed that deal for me. Our only two new characters, Mr. and Mrs. Wentworth, strangely do not play much of a role in the story overall; Mrs. Wentworth is an outspoken Loyalist who spouts some exposition over a tea table, and Mr. Wentworth brings a herd of horses for Grandfather to buy, one of which is Penny.
Felicity Saves the Day doesn’t quite match the quality of the first three books in the series, but it’s nice to see Penny again and have Felicity and Ben’s friendship reaching new strengths. Tripp struggles again with some uneven pacing and some poor choices in depicting slavery, but overall, it’s a quick-moving installment that sets up the final book in the Felicity series nicely.
May 26, 2014
In Felicity Saves the Day, Felicity, her mother, and her brother and sister go to Grandfather's plantation to spend the summer. A lot of stuff happens in this book. Felicity's beloved horse, Penny, turns up in a group of horses that a man is trying to sell to her grandfather. Grandfather buys Penny for Felicity with the understanding that Penny will stay at his plantation. Then one day she finds a note from Ben, her father's apprentice, who has run away to join George Washington's army. He has injured himself and needs her help. Felicity helps him for several days, until she finds out that her father has placed an ad looking for Ben and telling anyone who finds him not to harbor or help him. Then she struggles with whether she should continue to help him, or if she should tell her father where he is.
I enjoyed this book. It was fun to think about how much fun it must have been for Felicity on the plantation, playing outside and riding horses. I also liked how Felicity was faced with the decision of being true to her promise to Ben or obeying her father's wishes. While I was reading this book, I started imagining a little fan fiction where Ben comes back after the war to find Felicity to be an almost marriageable age, and they court and then get married. I'm a dork.
I enjoyed this book. It was fun to think about how much fun it must have been for Felicity on the plantation, playing outside and riding horses. I also liked how Felicity was faced with the decision of being true to her promise to Ben or obeying her father's wishes. While I was reading this book, I started imagining a little fan fiction where Ben comes back after the war to find Felicity to be an almost marriageable age, and they court and then get married. I'm a dork.
February 12, 2012
Summer time holiday has come for the Merriman family, all except for Father who must stay to run the family store with his apprentice Ben. The rest of the family journey to Grandfathers plantation, on the York River. Felicity is reunited with an old friend and enjoys quality time with her Grandfather. During this time they are a bit separated from all the patriot vs. loyalist news that is happening in Williamsburg. That is until a runaway injured Ben surprises Felicity one hot day. Felicity has to make some big decisions on how and if she should aid Ben in his hopes of joining the pending war.
April 11, 2021
Not my favorite of the Felicity series, especially re-reading it as an adult. I appreciated the return of Penny, and that Ben ultimately learns his lesson about breaking his contract, but I find the minimal discussion of what actually occurred at the plantation to be awkward. (Certainly Felicity, in spending so much time there and with her grandfather, would have seen some of the darker side of plantation culture.) It is at least addressed in the historical context section at the end of the book, but in general, the Grandfather character rubs me wrong and I think plantation culture could have been handled better, even for children.
May 5, 2011
Tell me about Ben:
He runs away and hides in the forest near Felicity's grandfather's house. And leaves a note for Felicity to come help find him. He runs away to fight against the king's soldiers but he can't break Felicity's fathers promise of being an apprentice.
What is an apprentice?
I don't know.
Well, what makes Ben an apprentice?
He works in Felicity's father's store.
What do you think Ben should do- fight against the king or stay at the store?
Stay at the store. But he ran away anyway hiding in the forest with an injured leg.
He runs away and hides in the forest near Felicity's grandfather's house. And leaves a note for Felicity to come help find him. He runs away to fight against the king's soldiers but he can't break Felicity's fathers promise of being an apprentice.
What is an apprentice?
I don't know.
Well, what makes Ben an apprentice?
He works in Felicity's father's store.
What do you think Ben should do- fight against the king or stay at the store?
Stay at the store. But he ran away anyway hiding in the forest with an injured leg.
March 17, 2022
"It seemed to [Felicity] that life on the plantation was busy and lazy at the same time. There were a great many things to do, all of them pleasant, and there was never any hurry about getting them done." page 7
It takes over a hundred enslaved people to keep the plantation running. Felicity knows this, as she mentions the slave quarters and talking to the overseer. Yet, there isn't a single mention of any of these people in the narrative of the story. I'd give the story one star, but half of "A Peek Into the Past" goes into some of the horrors.
It takes over a hundred enslaved people to keep the plantation running. Felicity knows this, as she mentions the slave quarters and talking to the overseer. Yet, there isn't a single mention of any of these people in the narrative of the story. I'd give the story one star, but half of "A Peek Into the Past" goes into some of the horrors.
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August 3, 2023the fact that this book is set on Felicity's grandfather's plantation and there's mention of the slave's quarters and a scene where the grandfather talks to them... but it's never addressed again... i literally????????
i'm irritated that the Addy books had to do all the heavy lifting when it comes to depicting slavery/its evils/its realities while Felicity could ride her horses and save boys. like.
i can't get over how this whole book is about how much Felicity loves being on this plantation
i'm irritated that the Addy books had to do all the heavy lifting when it comes to depicting slavery/its evils/its realities while Felicity could ride her horses and save boys. like.
i can't get over how this whole book is about how much Felicity loves being on this plantation
August 25, 2020
Felicity's best dress, Ben's worst decision, another horse-girl triumph, and a lot of descriptions about horrible, wholesome summer on a plantation. (That last one probably lost it a star, and mostly because slavery was not even addressed a little bit.)
Does anyone else ship future Felicity and Ben? Like can they get married in the early 1780s? Because they are good at bringing out the best in each other.
Does anyone else ship future Felicity and Ben? Like can they get married in the early 1780s? Because they are good at bringing out the best in each other.
January 13, 2021
It's a really enjoyable book if I keep my nostalgia glasses on. But the treatment of slavery is... not actually a treatment, as such. There's literally one moment where the narrative acknowledges that a Virginia plantation would have slaves, and that's a passing mention that slave quarters exist. Otherwise, slavery and enslaved people are totally invisible. Kind of weird to read in 2020, even in a very short children's book.
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