Book-It 'o14! Book #39
Oct. 5th, 2014 04:11 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
alivemagdoleneThe Fifty Books Challenge, year five! (2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, and 2013) This was a library request.
Title: Meet Cécile by Denise Lewis Patrick, illustrated by Christine Kornacki
Details: Copyright 2011, American Girl
Synopsis (By Way of Back Cover):
"Cécile Rey can't wait for Mardi Gras-- New Orleans' dazzling season of parties and costume balls. For the grandest event of all, the Children's Ball, Cécile is determined to come up with a fantastic costume like no other. Everyone will notice her! And after Mardi Gras, Cécile's beloved brother, Armand, will finally come home after two long years in faraway France. But Mardi Gras season turns out to be even more exciting than Cécile expects when she meets a new girl named Marie-Grace Gardner. Together they form an unlikely friendship... and share a daring adventure!"
Why I Wanted to Read It: Remember my remembrances of the American Girl franchise? And my reviews of the character Kit's six-book series? And my reviews of the character Rebecca's six-book series? Okay then.
How I Liked It: Of the characters American Girl has created, Cécile Rey and Marie-Grace Gardner are among the most curious.
Whereas other characters were single main characters that were later (or not, as the case may be) augmented by a "best friend" character that was made into a doll and given her own book, the company decided to produce a series that was completely shared, from the six book story arc to the clothing. They picked the Yellow Fever Epidemic of 1853 (New Orleans) for their setting and made one half of this duo one of their only historical characters of color (the fifth, including "Best Friend" characters).
Cécile Rey and Marie-Grace Gardner made their exit to the American Girl Archives just this year, making their availability so far the shortest of any characters ever (created in 2011, only three years). There are numerous reasons why people believe this series was archived so quickly. Some cite the relatively obscure period of history (unlike, say, the Civil War, World War II, pioneer days, colonial times, et cetera, which all have solid bases of enthusiasts and frames of reference). Some suggest that collectors/parents didn't buy the idea (or rather, didn't want to believe the idea) of a multi-racial friendship in the 1850s. Others see a failing in the marketing of two characters having to share everything (the idea of the "best friend" doll line is kind of an interesting examination of how children play the way they do). Some see a combination of all those factors. At any rate, as the "best friend" dolls are now discontinued, so is this line wherein both are the "best friend."
I was interested in their taking of an "unpopular" part of history as well as the fact one of their only historical characters of color, and she's rich with lots of fancy clothes and accessories.
The books in the six book arc have two authors, one for Cécile and one for Marie-Grace. Cécile seems to be a brighter, livelier character, a true New Orleans native, while Marie-Grace is returning for the first time since her birth, speaks little French, and is incredibly shy. This makes for a great contrast for friends and characters, but when one book focuses more on one than the other, it's bound to be more interesting.
Cécile's "meet" book is a lively jump through various New Orleans traditions and an excellent education. Cécile's a sharp role model who speaks her mind (white patrons at a shop cut in front of her grandfather and makes disparaging remarks about how the French train their slaves; Cécile hotly informs them that she and her grandfather are gens de couleur libres, free people of color) and dares to try (curious about the white ball her friend is attending and eager to show her more of New Orleans, Cécile has the idea for them to wear identical costumes and switch places for one dance), but still has enough frailties and "kidness" to make her relateable (in the same breath she eagerly awaits her brother's return, she resents and envies her mother fawning over him).
The "Looking Back" section is richly informative and also has a glossary of French terms (including pronunciation).
The illustrations, however, are easily the worst I've seen in all the books I've read. They look like kind of poor Sims with sloppy backgrounds and details. The inset pictures, usually charming, are some kind of scribbly sketchy watercolor mess.
A mixed bag, this first of the NOLA books, but it largely comes out positive.
Title: Meet Cécile by Denise Lewis Patrick, illustrated by Christine Kornacki
Details: Copyright 2011, American Girl
Synopsis (By Way of Back Cover):
"Cécile Rey can't wait for Mardi Gras-- New Orleans' dazzling season of parties and costume balls. For the grandest event of all, the Children's Ball, Cécile is determined to come up with a fantastic costume like no other. Everyone will notice her! And after Mardi Gras, Cécile's beloved brother, Armand, will finally come home after two long years in faraway France. But Mardi Gras season turns out to be even more exciting than Cécile expects when she meets a new girl named Marie-Grace Gardner. Together they form an unlikely friendship... and share a daring adventure!"
Why I Wanted to Read It: Remember my remembrances of the American Girl franchise? And my reviews of the character Kit's six-book series? And my reviews of the character Rebecca's six-book series? Okay then.
How I Liked It: Of the characters American Girl has created, Cécile Rey and Marie-Grace Gardner are among the most curious.
Whereas other characters were single main characters that were later (or not, as the case may be) augmented by a "best friend" character that was made into a doll and given her own book, the company decided to produce a series that was completely shared, from the six book story arc to the clothing. They picked the Yellow Fever Epidemic of 1853 (New Orleans) for their setting and made one half of this duo one of their only historical characters of color (the fifth, including "Best Friend" characters).
Cécile Rey and Marie-Grace Gardner made their exit to the American Girl Archives just this year, making their availability so far the shortest of any characters ever (created in 2011, only three years). There are numerous reasons why people believe this series was archived so quickly. Some cite the relatively obscure period of history (unlike, say, the Civil War, World War II, pioneer days, colonial times, et cetera, which all have solid bases of enthusiasts and frames of reference). Some suggest that collectors/parents didn't buy the idea (or rather, didn't want to believe the idea) of a multi-racial friendship in the 1850s. Others see a failing in the marketing of two characters having to share everything (the idea of the "best friend" doll line is kind of an interesting examination of how children play the way they do). Some see a combination of all those factors. At any rate, as the "best friend" dolls are now discontinued, so is this line wherein both are the "best friend."
I was interested in their taking of an "unpopular" part of history as well as the fact one of their only historical characters of color, and she's rich with lots of fancy clothes and accessories.
The books in the six book arc have two authors, one for Cécile and one for Marie-Grace. Cécile seems to be a brighter, livelier character, a true New Orleans native, while Marie-Grace is returning for the first time since her birth, speaks little French, and is incredibly shy. This makes for a great contrast for friends and characters, but when one book focuses more on one than the other, it's bound to be more interesting.
Cécile's "meet" book is a lively jump through various New Orleans traditions and an excellent education. Cécile's a sharp role model who speaks her mind (white patrons at a shop cut in front of her grandfather and makes disparaging remarks about how the French train their slaves; Cécile hotly informs them that she and her grandfather are gens de couleur libres, free people of color) and dares to try (curious about the white ball her friend is attending and eager to show her more of New Orleans, Cécile has the idea for them to wear identical costumes and switch places for one dance), but still has enough frailties and "kidness" to make her relateable (in the same breath she eagerly awaits her brother's return, she resents and envies her mother fawning over him).
The "Looking Back" section is richly informative and also has a glossary of French terms (including pronunciation).
The illustrations, however, are easily the worst I've seen in all the books I've read. They look like kind of poor Sims with sloppy backgrounds and details. The inset pictures, usually charming, are some kind of scribbly sketchy watercolor mess.
A mixed bag, this first of the NOLA books, but it largely comes out positive.
