Kaya fan

It took me a really long time, but I finally found my American Girl bosom friend.  I have never really been a fan of AG books.  They were tolerable when I was a kid and I definitely couldn't get into them as an adult.  Currently my library has an American Girl Book Club, which is pretty adorable right?  I subbed for a coworker once and enjoyed the kids and format of the book discussion so much I stayed on.  It's our only book club that does a craft, and it is a joy to be a part of anything that has to do with crafting with kids.  Even though I wasn't thrilled with the Samantha book we read, I was still excited about the book club.

And then we read Kaya's books and I think I'm finally understanding the American Girl enthusiasm, even though I'm a good 20-25 years older than the intended audience. 😆

Here's my review:

The Journey Begins & Smoke on the Wind by Janet Beeler Shaw (Juvenile Fiction)

Grade Level: 3-4. I enjoyed Kaya’s journey and adventures and found myself wanting more by the end of the second and final book. I strongly urge you to read both books and in order because you will not get much resolution or sleep after reading the first one. Kaya really blossoms and matures from book one to two. There is even a moment in the second book where she thinks about taking off on her own and finding her horse, Steps High (spoiler alert: Kaya loses Steps High in the first book). Instead of acting on impulse, Kaya thinks about what her future namesake, Swan Circling would do and chooses to ask for help later. American Girl books have a lot of these obvious lessons. What makes this one so special is that it was a lesson that took Kaya two books to begin to learn and understand. I also really enjoy Kaya’s family and am really impressed with how one of her sisters handles a big decision (sorry, that’s too much of a spoiler alert to divulge). I think it is most interesting that Kaya is encouraged not to pick berries until she is no longer consumed with grief for Swan Circling, and the reason for this is that her grief may negatively affect their food. I’m curious if this is rooted in truth and am ready to do a deeper dive into Nez Perce culture. Thankfully my library has lots of books on this subject!