Samantha's Surprise: A Christmas Story

Rating is for Book Three, review is for the original six-book Samantha series published in the 1980s

Historical fiction is my all-time favorite genre, and it isn't hard for me to pinpoint when/where my love for the genre started.

At my elementary school library, I discovered chapter books in The American Girls Collection, published by what was once the Pleasant Company. My favorite series in the collection were (in the order of their eras) the ones about:

• Felicity (1774)
• Addy (1864)
• Samantha (1904)
• Molly (1944)

Well, I recently found out there's an upcoming novel about one of these heroines as an adult. Samantha: The Next Chapter by Fiona Davis. So, I decided to revisit the adventures of nine- then ten-year-old Samantha.

For me show more as a child, it was the turn-of-the-century settings of the stories, combined with the pages of rich and colorful illustrations, that most drew me into the books about Samantha's great times as well as her lessons to learn. History wise, the issue that stood out to me the most in the series was women's suffrage.

Now for me as an adult, I better recognize how much important history the series touches on, and while these relatively short tales don't go deep into character development, I can appreciate Samantha's character a little more.

She's very compassionate, and she's at her most courageous when she's helping others in need. In addition to women's rights, Samantha's stories take a young reader-appropriate but still serious look at issues like race and class. There are also instances of alcohol abuse and thievery, and Samantha begins to learn about the hardships that different families and children face, including cramped and run-down living conditions, child labor, harsh and bleak orphanages, and childhood homelessness.

And even as well-off as Samantha is, she as an orphan herself does have her somber moments when she thinks about the two parents she lost before she would be able to remember them better.

On a different note, features I didn't remember but am glad I've rediscovered about the series are the history sections following the stories, with facts and photographs adding more historical context to the world Samantha lives in—and will live in when she grows up.

Here's hoping my grown-up self will enjoy reading about grown-up Samantha as much as I enjoyed this series, whether the first time I read the books or during my revisit. show less

Samantha has high hopes for the best Christmas ever. Things start to go wrong when her Uncle Gard announces he is bringing the beautiful Cornelia home for the holidays.

This is a book in the American Girl collection and it is about a girl named Samantha from the time of the Industrial revolution. We learn how at first she is unhappy when her Uncle's new guest comes to stay for Christmas and her original holiday plans get changed and she is very unhappy. Then we learn about how the turn of events cause this to make Samantha's best Christmas ever!

Cute story about Samantha, one of the American Girl dolls, and her Christmas spent with her Uncle Gard and his good friend Cornelia, which causes a bit of an upset to her plans as her Grandmother, called "Grandmary," wants everything to be perfect for Cornelia, meaning Samantha's wants fall by the wayside.

Someone left this in my Little Free Library, and I had never read any of the American Girl books, so I picked this one up to read for the holidays. Now that I've read it, I'll return it for someone else to discover.

Samantha has several holiday disappointments--she isn't allowed to decorate, her party plans are ruined, and no one in this busy household has time for her!! Cornelia's forthcoming visit is to blame for everything. Christmas Day or Cornelia Day?? Then Uncle Gard and Cornelia arrive and the holidays take a sudden change.

The "Looking Back" section of this historical novel tells about Christmas in 1904, particularly Christmases of the wealthy.

Review by Blake and Ashlyn: Really good book, very surprising. My favorite character was Uncle Gard. I think it was very very surprising, things popped everywhere when you didn't expect them.

The two weeks before Christmas are filled with activity as Samantha finishes her homemade presents and makes peparations for visiting relatives.