Special Collections
American Girl (Historical Fiction)
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Kirsten and The Chippewa
by Janet ShawWhen Kirsten Kirsten's dog is about to drown, a group of Indians rescue him for her. She had been frightened of the Ojibway, but she learns that they are friendly people. This book includes notes on the history relevant to this story and a good and easy recipe for Bird's nest Pudding. This is a wonderful book for a book report. This file should make an excellent embossed braille copy.
Kirsten Learns a Lesson
by Janet ShawKirsten has a hard time in her new American school because she doesn't speak English very well. Miss Winston, her new teacher, is strict and not very understanding. Things get worse when Miss Winston comes to live with the Larson family. Kirsten's only escape is playing with her secret friend Singing Bird, the Indian girl. When Singing Bird suggests running away forever, Kirsten must decide where she belongs. Kirsten does learn some important lessons in school, but she learns something even more important about herself.
Kirsten Saves the Day
by Janet Shaw"At last it's summer! Even Kirsten's chores, like going to the stream to catch fish for dinner, seem like play in the fine Minnesota weather. One day while she's fishing, Kirsten leaves the stream to explore the woods beyond the farm.
There she finds a treasure-a bee tree packed with honeycombs. Kirsten knows Papa could use the honey to trade for things the family needs. So she decides to surprise him by bringing the honey home. Kirsten needs help, so she asks her brother Peter to go with her. But they don't know that bears are after Kirsten's treasure, too."
Bookshare also has "Meet Kirsten," "Kirsten's Surprise," and "Kirsten Learns a Lesson."
This file should make a fine embossed braille copy.
Kirsten's Surprise
by Janet ShawKirsten wants her first Christmas in America to be special for her family. She would like to recreate St. Lucia's Day, a tradition celebrated in Sweden on Christmas Eve. To do this she needs costumes from a trunk in another town. Will she convince her father to get the trunk even though it's a long journey by horse-drawn sleigh in the bitter cold?
Meet Kaya
by Janet ShawFrom the book: For a long time, Kaya has dreamed of racing her beloved Appaloosa mare. It's exciting for Kaya to think of galloping flat out, her horse's long strides so smooth it would seem as if she were gliding on air. Kaya knows that Steps High is fast, but she also knows her horse is young and untried.
When a bothersome boy insults Steps High, Kaya accepts his challenge to race. Kaya is thrilled when she finds herself in the lead, until Steps High bucks and nearly throws Kaya off her back. Kaya's defeat isn't nearly as bad as losing sight of her little twin brothers, who wandered away while Kaya raced. Her carelessness earns her a terrible nickname that her friends won't let her forget. Can she ever lose it?
Other books in this series are available from Bookshare.
Meet Kirsten
by Janet ShawNine-year-old Kirsten and her family experience many hardships as they travel from Sweden to the Minnesota frontier in 1854.
The Silent Stranger
by Janet ShawKAYA's village is preparing for the powerful winter Spirit Dances when an injured stranger arrives. She doesn't speak, and no one can reach her but Kaya's beloved dog, Tatlo. Who is the stranger, and why is she so silent and alone? Kaya searches for clues, but she must look deep inside her own heart to truly understand.
Again Josefina
by Valerie TrippAny child who has taken piano lessons will get a kick out of this book. Josefina finds unique ways to "practice," and even baby Antonio gets into the act of encouraging her to practice more. Humor, warmth, and lots of repetition lead Josefina to become a player of songs. Other books about Josefina are also available from Bookshare. In order for this file to make an excellent embossed braille copy, attention must be paid to the words written in Spanish.
Brave Emily
by Valerie TrippEmily Bennett, a young English girl, has come to stay with Molly's family to escape the bombing of London. Molly tries hard to make sweet, shy Emily feel at home, and Emily is grateful for Molly's friendship. Emily is delighted that she can help Molly with math and pleased and proud when she impresses Molly. But, it is mot until Emily makes a BIG mistake and has to rely on Molly for help that Emily shows how truly brave she is-and both girls learn what friendship really means.
Changes for Molly
by Valerie TrippFrom the book: "Dad is coming home! Molly can hardly wait to see him. She's especially excited because he'll arrive in time to see her dance the part of Miss Victory in the big Red Cross show. Molly isn't worried about her tap dancing because she's the best in Miss LaVonda's dance class. But she wants to look sophisticated so Dad will know how much she's grown up while he's been away at war. Unfortunately, Molly's hair is all wrong. When Jill finally finds a way to give Molly glorious curls, everything seems to be perfect. Then Molly gets sick. Things couldn't be worse-until the doctor comes just in time."
Changes for Samantha
by Valerie TrippTimes change for Samantha when she moves to New York City to live with Uncle Gard and Aunt Cornelia. They change for Nellie, Samantha's servant friend in Mount Bedford, too.
But Nellie's changes aren't as happy as Samantha's and Nellie has to find work again. When her friend disappears, Samantha thinks Nellie has been lost forever, but after a long and scary search, Samantha finds Nellie in a New York orphanage.
The orphanage is not a good place for Nellie, so the girls plan a daring escape.
Happy Birthday, Molly
by Valerie TrippAn English girl is coming to stay at the McIntires', and just in time for Molly's birthday! Molly and her friends are very excited, until Emily Bennett turns out to be quite different from the glamorous girl they pictured. Emily is shy, and she seems unfriendly.
Then Molly discovers that Emily is worried about her family in war-torn London, just as Molly is worried about her father, and the girls become good friends. They even plan to turn Molly's tenth birthday celebration into a real English tea party.
But the friendship starts to fall apart when they can't agree about what's important, and it takes a special birthday surprise to help them patch up their hurt feelings.
Josefina's Song
by Valerie TrippWhen Josefina and her father visit their shepherd, Santiago, they learn that Santiago is blind. He and his grandson, Angelito, care for the sheep. Even though Papa is very fond of Santiago, he is hesitant to have a blind man and a nine-year-old boy in charge of his sheep. It takes an accident to change his mind. Other books about Josefina are also available from Bookshare. Because of the words written in Spanish, this file will need some extra attention in order for it to make an excellent embossed braille copy.
Josefina's Surprise
by Valerie TrippThe second Christmas after their mother has died, Josefina and her three sisters find that participating in the traditions of Las Posadas helps keep memories of Mamá alive. Can the Montoya girls overcome their loss and move on together to honor their Mamá's memory?
Kit's Home Run
by Valerie TrippKit Kittridge loves Baseball just about as much as anything else in the world! But with the Great deprssion she has to settle for playing it rather than watching it. One day after playing a game with some of her friends she learns something about one of the borders in her home that she never knew before.
Kit's Story Collection (The American Girls Collection)
by Valerie TrippThis book contains: Meet Kit Kit Learns a Lesson Kit's Surprise Happy Birthday Kit! Kit Saves the Day Changes for Kit All of the books in this volume teach a different type of lesson while telling a fictional story based in a real time period. Also available from Bookshare: "Kit's Home Run."
Meet Josefina
by Valerie TrippJosefina is a girl of heart and hope growing up in New Mexico in 1824 -- a place of big skies and hard work, danger and dreams. Josefina's stories tell how she and her family watch their old ways cross paths with the new. Josefina is lucky to have her family and faith to help guide her through all the changes in her life! Josefina and her sisters are struggling after Mama's death. But a surprise from Mexico lightens their hearts and brightens their future.
Meet Kit
by Valerie TrippGrowing up during the Great Depression of the 1930s, nine-year-old Kit Kittredge longs for a big story for her daily newspaper for Dad--that is, until she's faced with really bad news. When Mother's friends lose their home and come to stay with her family, it's nothing but trouble for Kit. Part of the "American Girls" series.
Meet Molly
by Valerie TrippFrom the book: "It's 1944 and the world is at war. For Molly McIntire, life seems full of change. Her father is far away caring for wounded soldiers. Her mother is busy working for the Red Cross. Mrs. Gilford, the strict housekeeper, makes her eat terrible things like turnips from the Victory garden.
And everyone in America is so serious and practical that glamorous Halloween costumes are hard to get. Molly's special hula skirt is a huge success-until Ricky, her pesty big brother, plays a mean trick. Molly and her friends are determined to get back at him. One mean trick leads to another until the fighting goes too far.
Molly and the Movie Star
by Valerie TrippMolly is eager to meet a famous movie star at a War Bond rally, until she cannot find the money that her class had collected to buy a bond. Includes information on movies during World War II and a recipe for popcorn.
Molly Learns A Lesson
by Valerie TrippFrom the book: "When the teacher announces the Lend-a-Hand Contest to help the war effort, Molly is determined that the third grade girls will plan the winning project. Instead, they choose an idea that Molly knows will never work out. So she talks two friends into planning their own project and keeping it a secret from the rest of the girls in the class. But the secret project turns out to be harder than Molly thought it would be. She begins to worry that it might not win after all and decides to spy on the other girls to see how they are doing. When Molly and her friends get caught peeking in a window, they learn some important lessons."
Molly Marches On Collection
by Valerie TrippMolly is disappointed. The hike is nothing like she imagined. The girls sound like a herd of elephants, the trail is marked, and even the leader blows a bugle to get their attention. Nothing is being done the way Sacagawea would have done it.
When Molly's team comes to a split in the trail, she breaks the rules of hiking and sets out on her own.
This file should make an excellent embossed braille copy.
Molly's A+ Partner
by Valerie TrippEveryone in Miss Campbell's class has to give a report on George Washington or Abraham Lincoln. Molly is thrilled that her good friend Susan is her partner, until Susan insists on presenting the report by doing more than reading!
This book contains historical notes on George Washington and his time.
It ends with a delicious recipe for cherry cupcakes.
This file should make an excellent embossed braille copy.
Other books about Molly are also available from Bookshare.
Molly Saves the Day
by Valerie Tripp"Everyone loves Camp Gowonagin, but Molly loves it most of all. She spends two wonderful weeks there singing, hiking, canoeing, and making arts and crafts projects with her friends Linda and Susan.
When the camp director announces the beginning of Camp Gowonagin's Color War, Molly is afraid that the fun may end. Molly and Susan are on the Blue Team. They have to capture the flag hidden on Chocolate Drop Island by the Red Team. Linda is on the Red Team. She is their enemy and their friend.
Will the Color War ruin camp for everyone, or can Molly think of a way to save the day?"