Books in The American Girls Collection, Book 1 series

Caroline and her mother make a dangerous journey across Lake Ontario to the British fort where Papa is being held prisoner. When Mama isn't allowed to see Papa, it's up to Caroline to pass a secret message to him--right under the nose of a British guard! She hopes desperately that Papa will understand her message and make an escape. But can she get to him in time? The illustrated "Looking Back" section explores how the War of 1812 affected women and children.

While Caroline is out fishing one spring day, she sees a British warship about to capture an American boat. With only an instant to decide what to do, Caroline takes a daring risk to try to save the day. She's been trying to be brave, like she promised Papa, but would he be proud of her now? Missing him terribly, Caroline visits their special fishing spot on the shore of Lake Ontario. She hopes to find comfort there--but instead she makes a startling discovery! The illustrated "Looking Back" section discusses transportation and medicine in the early 1800s.

Williamsburg, 1775: Elizabeth Cole and her best friend Felicity Merriman are �the merriest girls in Virginia��at least, that's what Felicity�s father calls them. The girls� favorite form of merriment is teasing Elizabeth's annoying sister Annabelle. When Annabelle Bananabelle becomes engaged, impish Felicity and very funny Elizabeth prove that they are the merriest mischief-makers in Virginia, too! But when their mischief-making heats up, they end up creating big trouble for Elizabeth. Can they find a way to cool things down quickly?

Addy and her parents have moved to a boarding house. There Addy meets an inspiring friend, M'dear. Like many people who grew up enslaved, Addy doesn't know when she was born, so M'dear urges Addy to claim a day for her birthday. Then M'dear falls ill. When Addy goes out to get medicine, she faces prejudice--and danger. M'dear helps Addy overcome her anger and gives her a deeper understanding of freedom. When Addy finally claims a birthday, it is a special day indeed, and the whole city celebrates.

You're the chef! Roll up your sleeves and discover how fun it is to make the meals Felicity loved. Chose from more than 20 easy-to-follow recipes. When you're ready to show off your cooking skills, turn to the party chapter for ideas on throwing three different Felicity-inspired parties! Felicity's Cooking Studio also incudes a cookie cutter, 20 Table Talkers, and 10 reusable Place Cards.

Marie-Grace can't believe what she finds on her doorstep one rainy night: a baby! More than anything, Marie-Grace hopes her father will let the little boy stay with them. But when a slave-catcher comes looking for him, Marie-Grace realizes the baby is in terrible danger. Together, she and her friend Cécile come up with a way to keep the child safe. Just when Marie-Grace thinks their plan will work, rumors of a deadly fever begin to swirl through New Orleans. Soon Marie-Grace wonders if anyone will be safe.

At last, cousin Ana has arrived at Ellis Island, and Rebecca can't wait to meet her. She's sure they'll be just like sisters, doing everything together. It's crowded with two families in one small apartment, but Rebecca is happy to share everything with Ana, even her clothes! At school, Rebecca is determined to help her cousin learn English and keep up in class, in spite of the other kids' teasing. But when the teacher tells her to include Ana in a special performance, Rebecca panics--Ana's broken English will ruin the show! Rebecca realizes this is one thing she does not want to do with her cousin. But how can she explain this to Ana?