Juliet: A Dream Takes Flight (Girlhood Journeys) [Paperback]

Anna Kirwan (Author)

Book Description

Series: Girlhood Journeys

When Juliet learns that her friend, Marguerite, has been engaged to be married against her will to a stranger who recently came to town, she devises a courageous plan to set things right and save a her friend from a tragic event.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

The Girlhood Journeys Collection makes a lukewarm debut with these slim novels, set, respectively, in medieval England and Victorian San Francisco; two other novels, one set in Nigeria in 1440 and the other in 1775 Paris, are due for simultaneous release. While the series premise is derivative, the adolescent heroines, if not rendered with particular flair, are credible enough, and plots are suitably dramatic. Juliet retrieves an escaped falcon and discovers why a mysterious horseman has stolen the handkerchief of her best friend; Shannon rescues a Hong Kong orphan from a miserable existence as a slave to a Chinatown merchant. The girls' adventures are slated to continue-unfortunately, each of these two tales reads as a slice of a larger saga rather than a satisfying novel in itself, leaving the reader neither satiated nor, curiously, really hungry for more. The overall flavor is of an American Girls Collection wannabe, with an international reach added; the final page of each volume advertises tie-in dolls from Ertl Collectibles "available where quality toys are sold." However, the books' plots are significantly less compelling and the factual background skimpier than in the Pleasant Company's historical fiction. Ages 7-11.
Copyright 1996 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From School Library Journal

Grade 3-6?These titles offer glimpses of a period in history through a young girl's eyes. Juliet's story, set in England, illustrates the limited number of choices available to a girl in 1339. Juliet exhibits unheard-of bravery and courage, especially when she rescues a trained peregrine accidentally set free by her younger brother. She envies her best friend, who comes from an upper-class family, but soon discovers that even wealth cannot insure happiness?Marguerite's father betroths her to an unknown man. Shannon's story, set in San Francisco in 1880, begins with her family's move to America from Ireland. Deeply homesick, Shannon must recognize that America is now her home. While accompanying her father on a trip to a Chinese-owned pet shop, she observes a crying young girl who mysteriously disappears before Shannon can help her. Exhibiting courage and willfulness, Shannon enlists some of her newfound American friends to come to the girl's rescue. Yes, the plots are fairly predictable, but the books do have suspense, likable characters, and, without a doubt, a ready-made audience in readers of the "American Girls" series (Pleasant).?Julie Shatterly, York County Public Library, Rock Hill, SC
Copyright 1996 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Product Details

• Paperback: 72 pages
• Publisher: Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing (November 1, 1996)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0689811373
• ISBN-13: 978-0689811371
• Product Dimensions: 8.3 x 5.9 x 0.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 5.6 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,838,043 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Quality Historical Fiction for the Younger Set, March 23, 2002

By 

Sharon E. Cathcart "Why, yes, I am an author" (San Jose, CA United States) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: Juliet: A Dream Takes Flight (Girlhood Journeys) (Paperback)

The Girlhood Journeys series, written in the late '90's, is something that I've long wanted to see -- a series of books about kids in different historical periods, that talks about what their life was really like. This book fits the bill perfectly: Juliet is a freeman's daughter in medieval England, and her friend is the manor-holder's daughter. There is an excellent contrast shown between Juliet's lifestyle and that of her friend Marguerite. The book also has an excellent lesson about honesty ... teaching the importance of this value without preaching about it is perfectly executed here.
I'm a reenactor by hobby, and wish that books like this had been available to me when I was a young girl growing up. Parents who want their daughters to have a sense of history while still being entertained by good story lines should definitely investigate the Girlhood Journeys books.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Juliet is cool!, May 29, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Juliet : A Dream Takes Flight, England, 1339 (Girlhood Journeys Book 1) (Paperback)

I really like this book! The old-english dialect was a little hard to understant though.Juliet must lead a really cool life!

3 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Girl Hood Journeys Juliet A Dream Takes Flight ENGLAND,1339, November 1, 2001

A Kid's Review

This review is from: Juliet: A Dream Takes Flight (Girlhood Journeys) (Paperback)

This story is very good.It is about a girl name Juliet. She is ten years old and she is also a falconer.She is also a peasent.But one day Marguerite leaves Juliet to go to court.After she leaves a stranger steals Marguerite's kerchief.Juliet doesn't want to blame herself for it.Her brother makes a mistake by releasing one of the falcons.Juliet needs to try to find the preious bird.She doesn't want to lose her job being a falconer.I gave this book five stars because this is a very good book.I want to encourge you to read so you can be a very good reader.You should really read this book.It is very awesome!