Molly's Surprise: A Christmas Story

Summary: Young Molly is a child experiencing life on the homefront during World War Two. Her father is overseas and the entire family is having to brave through Christmastime without him. Molly is certain that her father will surprise the family with gifts even while he is away. However, her family is not as hopeful. In the end, though, Molly and her siblings and their mother all realize that Christmas always comes with a few surprises.

Personal Reaction: I would have to say that Molly is my favorite American Girl. This book gives a great account of what it was like for families. Not just during the war, but during the holidays on the homefront. This would be a great book for any elementary age level second grade and up as it teaches children about life during that time period.

Classroom Extension: Students could pretend that they are living on the homefront and they are writing a letter to a friend or family member overseas. They would have to choose why they were out of the country (soldier, doctor, nurse, etc)
and the reason they had for writing to them. Also, another project would be to have children make practical gifts such as the ones given during the 1940s, and exchange them with a classmate.

Join Molly as she and her family try to celebrate Christmas without their father. Will it be as special without the family traditions?

This is a book about a young girl by the name of Mollye who is living in the World War II era. Mollye is excited about Christmas and is expecting the same great Christmas as the Christmas before.

This book is from the American Girl Collection. I loved these books as a young girl because of how they introduced historical events in each book.

These books could be beneficial by introducing them in the classroom study of World War II.

Molly's Surprise is about a girl named Molly McIntire who is living during World War II era. Molly, like any nine-year old, expects for Christmas to be the same as previous years'. But to Molly's surprise some circumstances bring about changes along with new adventures.

This book is apart of the American Girl Collection. I first read the book in the second grade. These books are great for helping children to identify more with history.

A great idea is to have children read the story and identify story parts and to have them look at the similarities between Molly's time and today. Be prepared to let kids do further research about the time period which is found in the back of the book.

Wow, I've had this book maybe since I was 8. It's the only one of my AGC books I've kept (and I used to be obsessed with American Girl and collecting them); I read it every Christmas. To me it helps capture the hope and uncertainty of a child at Christmas during hard times, and the joy of surprises and the certainty of family love. ( )