Lindsey

by Chryssa Atkinson

FOR USE IN SCHOOLS AND LIBRARIES ONLY. Ten-year-old Lindsey is continually getting into trouble despite her well-meaning, impulsive efforts to rescue a classmate from bullies, cheer up her depressed uncle, help with her brother's upcoming bar mitzvah, brighten up her neighborhood, and spark aromance between two teachers.Ten-year-old Lindsey is continually getting into trouble despite her well-meaning, impulsive efforts to rescue a classmate from bullies, cheer up her depressed uncle, help with her brother's upcoming bar mitzvah, brighten up her neighborhood, and spark aromance between two teachers.

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

123 pages, Library Binding

First published September 1, 2001

Reviews

[Miranda Reads · Rating 4 out of 5]

"I, Lindsey Bergman, deserved to get hit with a hundred flying matzo balls."

Lindsey knows what's right and wrong - and she's ready to help everyone see the light!

Pets shouldn't be forced to wear pants and tiny hats (even if it is, objectively, adorable) and she can absolutely tell that the lonely music teacher needs to be set up with her homeroom teacher.

"There's a fine line between helping and meddling, Lindsey, and today you were on the wrong side of that line."

Even when her solutions go a little bit awry, she is still ready to fix the world's problems...but the real question is, is the world ready for her?

"Here comes our little criminal now!" I looked up and saw a cop car parked in our driveway.

So far I've read about 150+ American Girl Historical books and was ready to try something new this summer, so I picked up the Girl of the Year series for a bit of "light" reading (this series has almost 50 books!).

For those who are curious, starting in 2001, the American Girl Company has released a new "Girl of the Year" where the main character is "set" in the year the doll is released, thus providing a modern era series.

And I was pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed this story - it ended up being really cute!!

Lindsey is a hilariously precious child - full of fancy, stubbornness and a desire to follow her own moral compass - exactly the kind of kid I would love to be friends with BUT I do not want to have to parent.

"I lowered my head. (You should always do this when you get in trouble. It makes your parents feel really bad, and they usually stop short of some really evil punishment.)"

And I feel like the author did a really good job with her plot - it was chaotic, funny, and also provided some strong arcs for Lindsey to face. I also liked how there were elements thrown in that as a child, I feel like I would've missed or failed to pickup the nuance of the situation.

Overall, this felt like a really solid start. I'm excited to "meet" the next girl!

[James Crawford · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lindsey is one of those people who always try to do good, but for some reason their efforts have a tendency to cause more problems than they solve. In Lindsey's case, it's like getting in trouble with the police for putting happy faces on garbage cans, or trying to bring people together who don't want to be together. Then there's also the saving of an unpopular student from bullies, or standing up to other girl students who don't like her, or trying to find her missing dog, or---. Anyhow, you get the idea. Lindsey is basically a whirlwind of action, although she generally acts first and then thinks about it later, if she does at all.

It's a really funny book, yet it also is a very positive book, showing how one person's actions can, even with some rough spots, really make a difference in the lives of other people. It's a good stand-alone book from American Girls.

[Katt Hansen · Rating 3 out of 5]

Lindsey is a girl that everyone knows too well. She's that bumbling child who means well, but never has anything quite turn out the way she thinks it ought to. She jumps in and acts first, completely without thinking, but has at the heart of everything kind intentions.

Yep. She's THAT girl - she's us at that age, reminding us of those horribly embarrassing moments where we too, meant well.

I liked that about Lindsey. She has moments that make you cringe, she's got moments that make you want to cheer. And honestly what's wrong with glow in the dark stickers on trash cans? I should think the garbagemen enjoyed them.

Definitely a fun book about a lovable girl who always does her best.

Consider this one 3.5 stars. :)

[Shani · Rating 4 out of 5]

1/7/20 -
I most certainly did not read this book before. But it turns out that I concur with the original statement. Lindsey is certainly a character. I would read a she series about her. She showed grow at the end, and I'd love to see it expanded upon.

The story itself seems like a familiar one, in a way that reminds me a lot of early 2000s books and TV, but it was also quite original. Lindsey's high energy level comes through the narrative (especially since it's told from her POV).

One of my top GOTY books. Would recommend.
~*~
5/22/16:
No idea where that review came from. Don't remember reading most of the book. Very odd.
~*~
11/27/12:
Lindsey was most certainly a character! ;)

[Meghan · Rating 3 out of 5]

I’m glad that American Girl chose a Jewish character as the first Girl of the Year. Many aspects of the book hold up to today, though parts are outdated.

[Heather · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very cute! Loved the playful, realistic style. I’ve found out lately that I’m a sucker for first person POV, so that helps. Very sunny and colorful. Also loved the illustrations. I want Lindsey’s striped tights lol. And the stories about real girls affecting change in their communities was super cool too!

[Karrie Callahan · Rating 1 out of 5]

This has my name in it...Lindsey

[Eva B. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lindsey!! The first GOTY and in my humble opinion, the best. I love the style of her book and how voice-y it is, I love how she tries so hard but just keeps screwing up (#relatable amiright?) and I love how much earnesty she has. She's doing her best, okay?

[Angelica · Rating 3 out of 5]

Lindsay is an American Girl Today Book. Lindsay Bergman is 10 year old Jewish girl who loves her dog Tiny but doesn't like matzo balls. She loves helping people and defending her friends against bullies. Also she loves playing matchmaker to her two teachers. But her biggest task is cheering up her grumpy uncle. Great for girls or boys in 2nd and 3rd grade.

[Rachel · Rating 2 out of 5]

Lindsey is a likeable 10-year-old girl who definitely acts before she thinks. I thought this book was okay, but the lack of parental respect annoyed me a bit. There was one incident where the brother has thrown a pillow at his mother because she said "no" to something he wanted for his Bar-Mitzpah.

[Emily · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book,was generally for a younger audince, but I read the back, and I was desperate for any book to read. I LOVED it! It was so funny, and cute, and honestly I would read it 10 more times. Such a great book, anyone can read it. I definately recommend it.

[Angela · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is far below my reading level, but it has been sitting in my room for years and I can not justify keeping it if I just don't read it. It was a cute children's book though. I did enjoy it =]

[Anna · Rating 3 out of 5]

Pretty interesting to look back at where AG's Girl of the Year stories began: with Lindsey! Lindsey's got a much more chaotic, memorable narrative voice compared to any of the GOTYs from the last decade-and-a-half or so, and she's a distinct, flawed character--very entertaining and definitely not the "role-model" type that AG's more recent characters are meant to be! (And yet maybe with more actual life lessons than Grace, Lila, or Summer offered?)

The illustrations are well-done. The writing seems aimed at a slightly lower reading level than later GOTY books, but doesn't talk down to readers. Some less-than-sensitive language and the handling of bullying and of Uncle Bernie's mental health definitely feel dated, but as an artifact of AG history, this book's still worth checking out.

[Mariam Reichert · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is definitely one of the more relatable American Girl stories. As a 10 year old, there really isn’t much you can do to improve the world around you, so Lindsey tries whatever she can to “help”. The only issue is that Lindsey’s help almost always involves lying, for which she shows little remorse, which gets her in trouble.

It was an entertaining and funny little book that I feel like a lot of 10 year old “weird kids” could find relatable.

[Pamela McVetta · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was disappointed with this book. Up til now I have only read the original books.. Kit, Felicity, Addy, etc. I was sad that this book didn't include any history of the time in it like the other American Girl books that I had read. I really liked how the other ones you were able to get a feel of what life was like during that time.

[Holly Trowbridge · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am so excited to say I am officially starting to read through all of the Girls of the year characters in chronological order of release, and the first one up: American Girl's first ever Jewish character/doll, Lindsey! This was a cute read and the ending was so sweet. Uncle Bernie reminds me of a sweeter and less wealthy Uncle Hendrick from Kit's books.

[Grace · Rating 5 out of 5]

I definitely gave this one an extra star just for the nostalgia value :) but I thought this one was super cute and accurate for how ten-year-olds can act. I'll be putting this one in my future classroom if I teach an upper elementary grade.

[Grace]

Since Lindsey is 10 at the time the book was published (2001) she would be 30 now! Wow.

[Jarrysisthegoat · Rating 4 out of 5]

I personally think this book is really amiable and is good for 5-6th graders to read. I think it has a good lesson; which is you always have to help sometimes. But overall I think this book is good.

[Jessica Arend · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was grateful she actually had a unique personality, unlike some of the GOTY.

[Sara · Rating 5 out of 5]

Short, quirky read. Lindsey was the first Girl of the Year, 2001.

[Liberty · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was okay. I think Lindsay is interesting for the part she plays in the history of the company and I enjoyed her little dog.

[amanda luke ✡︎ · Rating 4 out of 5]

Kinda like “Emma” for children. I loved it!

[Leah Emma · Rating 5 out of 5]

wonderful book i really enjoyed it. it was funny too i love lindsey🌟

[Magen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Bless Lindsey's heart!

[Eileen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely loved this book. It reminds me of the antics in the Amelia Bedelia books. Lindsey is a 10 year old girl who means well, with terrible outcomes. Just had to laugh at each situation.

[Shanessa Bongyu · Rating 5 out of 5]

I think that this story is going to be amazing to read

[Amanda Kay · Rating 4 out of 5]

I also now have an almost complete set of the AG Girl of the Year books, so I’m reading through them. Lindsey’s book was cute, with a good lesson in it.

[Rachel · Rating 4 out of 5]

**Spoiler Alert**

American Girl Book Club gave Lindsey 4.25 stars. This is very rambling.

All of the girls enjoyed reading this book and especially liked the relationship between Lindsey and her dog. One student related to how Lindsey felt while Mr. Tiny was missing, the student had an old dog that had to be put down. None of them could understand why people were upset about the trash can incident, and I'm with them.

Another student expressed trepidation over Uncle Bernie moving in with Lindsey and her family. She was afraid that he would be really gross and messy, and then said that she was glad he wasn't that bad. A third student was surprised, but very understanding, of when Lindsey's brother needed help he asked for his sister.

All of them decided to give the story's bullies the benefit of the doubt and agreed that maybe Blair and company weren't that bad. The last chapter of this book is titled Forgiveness. The students felt Lindsey had needed to forgive Josh for picking on her, and that she did forgive him when he found Mr. Tiny and returned him. They also thought that Uncle Bernie needed to forgive Lindsey for meddling.

As an adult reading this book there were a few things I noticed that may have gone over the student's heads. I had kind of an issue with Lindsey's parents. Her dad has a tendency to be absorbed in his own world, and her mom is so obsessed over her brother's bar mitzvah that she's not paying attention to her other child.

[Lindsey · Rating 5 out of 5]

it was awesome!