Customer Reviews

Lanie (Girl of the Year (Quality))

5 star:		(3)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

My daughter is 5 and loves American Girl dolls. Historical stories go over her head a bit, but this one is perfect. Chapters are long enough to read before bed time, yet short enough for mom to last trough them. One some nights when she gets read 2 chapters she feels like she scored extra treat.
Lanie is a wonderful character. She loves nature, science and learning. Your daughter can learn a lot from her about monarch/catepillars, birds and their churping, orangutans, bunnies etc. Lanie is a good sister, wonderful niece and great daughter. She is hungry for knowlege. She's awere of nature and preserving environment. The book is well written with lots of interesting details (Lanie's mom is an architect so their house has "bunny elevator" and each room has a balcony). It is funny in parts (my daughter loved that Lanie's bunny Lulu terrified neighbor's cat Ceasar). It is realistic in parts (Lanie being jelous that her best friend Dakota got to live a read adventure and take care of real orangutans). It is heartwarming, educational and so very wholesome. I love that Lanie planted her own garden (which didn't look that pretty, but will serve the purpose). I think that the best way for kids to learn about (healthy) food is to help grow it (organically preferably). Although Lanie is "green" kid, she's not preachy nor tree hugger. It comes naturally for her as it will for you and your daughter. I hope you two snuggle up and enjoy this wonderful book just as much as two of us did.

This is a delightful American Girl book presenting a new character for 2010. Lanie is a balanced young lady who is fascinated with nature, and has a healthy relationship with members of her family. Suitable for young readers and especially those who enjoy the American Girl doll for 2010, Lanie.

Lanie is so real and fresh and honest; I just love her! Her character is accessible and feels real emotions. To me, some characters are too "ideal" in that they behave perfectly all the time, whereas others are just too obnoxious and drive you crazy. Lanie was a perfect blend, and I hate to use the world real so many times, but that's what she is: real. When her bff gets to journey to a far off land to do the fun science-y things her and Lanie have always dreamed of doing together, Lanie is excited for her, but she's also a little jealous. Very real. Her little sister is afraid of pests and can be one too, and her big sister keeps playing the same song on her cello - over and over and over and over. Although Lanie loves them, they also drive her up the wall. Totally real. Aunt Hannah comes for a visit, then dashes off to another country on a special project and Lanie misses her a lot. Her new neighbor loves flowers and gardens just like Lanie does, but she's using products harmful to the environment and Lanie has trouble getting her to change her mind. Real and real. I think Lanie is possibly one the best AG*GOTY because she is so identifiable and (hang in here with me) real. I love having and honest character that is relatable, and she has a great message too. Way to go American Girl, and way to go Lanie!

I think the gardening part is cute and the doll herself (as well as the little girl on the cover) is beautiful, pas that---it's more than a bit cloying and unrelatable. Lanie has two professional/creative class parents, who are just incredibly supportive and devoted--her biggest problem seems to be that they don't want to go camping. Oh that she's understandably envious of her far off friend, having an adventure.

At a time when 50% of marriages end in divorce and 1 in five children go hungry, somehow it's more than a little irritating to have these presented as "issues". In fact, a child with her own outside deck (as designed by architect mommy), like her two sisters, already lives in a fairly rarified world. I get that perhaps American Girl didn't want to go too "dark", but really, try some "real" kid problems. They did so in Chrissa (bullying AND a homeless friend) and it worked.

I also hate how all AG Girls of the Year are typically super athletic and outdoorsy--ironically, their audience isn't. They're little girls who LIKE "indoor" things like dolls, fashion and reading.

Lastly, Lanie doesn't really talk like a 10 year old---especially her "balanced diet" obsession. Yes, it's a good example, but it adds to an already rather sugary, Mary-Sue-ish quality. AG WAS able to put out a series of books about a wealthy, incredibly kind and giving girl---all wihtout making her irritating. That was Samantha...and despite money she had REAL problems. Oh---the other great drama seemed to be "would she get some stuff planted on time". Really??? Was the next book about the high drama of cleaning her room or feeding her bunny?