Felicity Learns A Lesson (American Girl Collection) [Paperback]

Valerie Tripp (Author)

Book Description

Age Level: 8 and up | Grade Level: 3 and up | Series: American Girl Collection

Felicity is sent to Miss Manderly's house to learn to be a polite gentlewoman. She practices stitchery, dancing, penmanship, and the proper way to serve tea. Two sisters from England join the lessons, and one of them, Elizabeth, becomes Felicity's best friend. Learning to serve tea is great fun, until Felicity's father decides that the king's tax on tea is unfair. He refuses to sell tea in his store or to drink it at home. How can Felicity continue the tea lessons she loves and still be loyal to her father?

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 8 and up
  
• Paperback: 88 pages
• Publisher: American Girl; 1st edition (September 1, 1991)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1562470078
• ISBN-13: 978-1562470074
• Product Dimensions: 8.5 x 6.1 x 0.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 6.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (10 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #205,132 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Felicity Brings History to Life, September 15, 2010

By 

Jennifer E. Johnson "Jennifer" - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Felicity Learns A Lesson (American Girl Collection) (Paperback)

Even if some of the children reviewing this book find it "boring", as a parent and home educator I can't imagine more engaging historical fiction for girls, and I imagine these stories enhance their understanding of history in a meaningful way.

My homeschooled daughter (age 8) loves the book. We are reading all of the American Girl books, in chronological order, as part of our social studies. "Felicity Learns a Lesson" is, in my opinion, the best one yet, and we loved ALL the Kaya books as well as "Meet Felicity". My daughter and I had studied the American Revolution in July as part of understanding the meaning behind the holiday, and she thought THAT was somewhat boring. But when we read this book, my daughter was alight with revelation as she realized all that "boring stuff" we learned applied to real people that were people like the characters portrayed in the Felicity stories.

The tension between Felicity (from a Patriot family) and her best friend Elizabeth (from a Loyalist family) as they learn about the events happening in the world around them could not have been more artfully woven in to a story that illustrates the lives of young girls. If you are someone who finds the story of the American Revolution emotionally moving (as I do), you'll find "Felicity Learns a Lesson" moving too.

I find that these books are building a wonderful foundation of American History with a girl-centered perspective that will serve her well with more serious study later in life. The books, being girl-centered, cannot help but inspire her to ask the question; "What if *I* lived then? What would life be like for *me*?" in a way that brings history to life.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Wonderfully entertaining and educational, July 1, 2002

By 

Kurt A. Johnson (North-Central Illinois, USA) - See all my reviews
(HALL OF FAME REVIEWER)    (VINE VOICE)    (TOP 100 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Felicity Learns A Lesson (American Girl Collection) (Paperback)

This is another one of the American Girls Short Stories series about Felicity Merriman, a nine-year-old girl living in the America of 1774. In this book, Felicity's mother decides that it is time to send Felicity for lessons in being a gentlewoman. At first, she does not wish to learn such things, but as her lessons progress she comes to enjoy all of the little things that she is being taught. However, as the colonist begin to chafe under British rule, Felicity finds her ability maintain politeness tested.

The final chapter is a wonderful look at school in 1774. Indeed, my daughter (eleven-years-old and still an American Girls fan) and I loved this book. I especially liked the way that the author artfully combined the story of the simple life of a young girl, with the happenings of the greater world around her. This is a wonderfully entertaining and educational book, one that my daughter and I both recommend.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Not the best, but not bad either...a bit boring, September 20, 2007

A Kid's Review

This review is from: Felicity Learns a Lesson- Hc Book (American Girl) (Hardcover)

Unlike Meet Felicity, nothing really exciting happens. This was a huge disapointment to me.
It starts as Felicity is picking apples, which is a pretty good start. But later, Felicity brings up the subject of going to college, her sister Nan says "Girls don't go to college", Felicity says, "I don't see why they can't", Mother says girls should be educated as gentlewomen, then she annouces that Felicity will be learning to be a gentlewomen like girls (at least in her opinion) should be. Pretty dull, and it doesn't get much more exciting later, either.
Felicity, to her great surprise, auctally enjoys the lessons. She meets a girl named Elizabeth, and fiesty Felicity soon takes a disliking to her snobby older sister Annabelle.
Elizabeth's family, the Cole's, are Loyalists. Felicity's are Patriots (I don't remember this being mentioned in the first book), and her Father stops selling tea in his general store.
Meanwhile, the girls are learning to properly serve tea, and Felicity, or Lissie as she is called, isn't so sure about whether she wants to drink it or not. Should she drink tea or stay true to her family's beliefs? I'm not giving away the ending, but I will say compared to the action of Meet Felicity, this is a bit boring.