This book is historical fiction. It is fiction because it is about the life of a doll. There are few pictures in this book and they are all done with colored pencils. The book is about a girl named Kirsten who moves out west, during the early 1800's. She didnt want to move at first but sh ended up liking it and making friends. The reading level is second or third grade. The curricular connection is history.

A good story about a girl who emigrates from Sweden to America in 1854. ( )

ISBN 0590437879 – As a newly converted fan of the American Girls books, Meet Kirsten was a pleasant read for me. I do have some problems with it, but I’ll save those for last.

Kirsten and her family arrive in America from Sweden in 1854. On the ship, she’s made a great friend in fellow traveler Marta, but they are separated in New York when Kirsten’s family goes on a day before Marta’s. New York is loud, dirty and crowded with people who speak languages Kirsten doesn’t recognize – a problem when she becomes separated from her father. Traveling by train, steamboat and even on foot, the family faces challenges all the way to Minnesota, where they join Uncle Olav and his family.

***SPOILER ALERT*** I was very curious about how realistic the story could be without a death aboard the crowded ship. When the family disembarked and everyone was still alive, I was disappointed (for the lack of reality) and relieved (because it is a childrens’ book). Reality returned with a death (I won’t say who) along the way across the country and I was rather surprised that they handled it well. If your child is apt to be upset by the death of a character that they identify with, please read the book before handing it over. The illustrations are average and rather bland, with one exception being the burial. The informative pages at the back, filled with historical facts, keep the book from being too much of a sell-the-dolls tool.

- AnnaLovesBooks ( )

Kirsten is a young girl from Sweden traveling to America with her family and other families from Sweden. They are going to live with her Uncle Olav on his farm in Minnesota. She travels to America on a small sailing ship and is one of many people crowded into it's tiny hole. Kirsten doesn't like being in the hole because it is crowded, dark and smells bad. Her family is assigned to a bunk bed for the trip. It is a very rough trip due to the many storms they encounter. Her mother has been seasick the entire time they have been on the boat. Kirsten also has a friend on the ship with her. Her name is Marta. Kristen and Marta enjoy exploring the ship and finding places to hide and talk. But when a storm comes they must stay below in the hole because it would be dangerous on the deck. When they arrive in America they must find food and buy ticket for the train going to Chicago. Marta and Kirsten are seperated for a short while but meet up again in Chicago. Tragedy strikes when they board the steamer ship to Minnesota and Marta becomes sick with Cholera and dies. Kirsten misses her friend dearly but must continue on to Minnesota with her family. When the get to the river town they find out that they do not have enough money to hire a wagon so they must walk to Uncle Olav's farm, leaving all their possessions to be brought later. Kirsten then meets her new cousins and is welcomed by her aunt and uncle with love and hugs. Kirsten quickly settles into her new life on the farm in America.
This is a good book that discribes what is was like as a child to come to America as an immigrant . The discriptions are wonderful when she tells about being on board the ship and how crowded it is and how bad it smell. In New York, Kirsten gets lost and had to think of some way to communicate with a friendly lady where she needs to go. I enjoy reading Kirsten's books because it gives a glimpse into what life was like back then.
One of the classroom extentions I got actually came from the back of the book. It ask would your possessions fit into a single trunk and if not what would you take and what would you leave behind. I think this would be a great exercise to do with the class. I would expand it somewhat for the older students and ask why and how would it help you survive.
The other extention could be to have the student pretend to be aboard a ship and reinact the some of the trip Kirsten talks about. Divide the room into sections, half of the room be the top side of the ship and the other be the hole of the ship, then section off the hole and have the students assigned an area they would have to stay in for the time of the trip. Allow them to have stale bread and water to see what it would have been like and how hard it was.

This is a double of a book in my classroom library. Kirsten has left Sweden on a boat for America, but after docking in New York City, her journey has only just begun! Kirsten has to deal with a new country, language, and culture. She also has to deal with her friend from the journey over dying on the journey to MN. When she gets to MN Kirsten discovers that her two new cousins are ready to be friends. ( )