Customer Reviews

Nellie's Promise: 1906 (American Girl)

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

 

 

I don't know who to be more steamed at - Valerie Tripp, or Mattel. Like many other people, I agree that this book didn't seem...well, all quite there, to be exact. It seemed flat, like the whole "Samantha Spark" was gone.

It starts off with Nellie happily skipping around on the streets of New York City, reveling in the fact that she now has a home. But her happiness is short-lived, for when her oaf of an uncle finds her, he threatens to take away all she loves. Nellie, with her fear of being found out, distances herself from her new-found family. How can she ever be happy with her new family and figure out how to elude herself from her uncle's clutches?

Personally, I think that how the two main girls, Nellie and Samantha, were handled were all wrong. I really regret the fact that both Susan Adler and Maxine Rose Schur stepped down from writting Samantha's books and left it up to Valerie Tripp. Samantha is the only American Girl whose books have been written by over three authors, most of them are written by none other than Valerie Tripp. Now, let's count how many books Valerie Tripp has written...All of Felicity's books, All of Josefina's, all of Kit's, all of Molly's and six- no, seven- no, eight!- of Samantha's books. I'm starting to think of Miss Tripp as a tyrant, if you ask me. Miss Adler did a beautiful job portraying Samantha, and Miss Schur as well, but Miss Tripp's work has been becoming...well, to be frank, shoddy. I thonk she's getting her other charecter's mixed up, because somethings were very unSamntha-ish. Like the widely used example of Samantha's wish to be president. now, out off all of Samantha's preceeding books, did she ever even seem to act like that, AT ALL? Samantha may be good at telling the truth and being fair and kind, but she never seems to strike me as a girl who would even dare to think of that. And the realtionship of her and Nellie doesn't seem to fit. Samantha wouldn't let such a huge gap enter their lives like that! And the whole thing is patched up in only a few pages, no regrets and hard feelings left over what soever. Very unrealistci, if you ask me. And the idea of a promise to your dying mother is fine, but that's what this books only seems to be about, and thank gooness that was rightly done.

Personally, I feel like I can't really trust American girl with a new girl, because she'll be in danger of Valerie Tripp writing her books, and to be honest - we need some new authors. I will not read any books written by Valerie Tripp about any other new characters without taking it with a grain of salt and some remorse - and that's a promise.

In this book parts of it could be the basis for a good story but then a rift develops between Samantha and Nellie and the "rift" does not make any sense at all! Samantha would never treat her friend Nellie like that and Nellie would never treat Samantha like that - actually there is no reason for the rift to be there at all - it is so weird! This rift goes on and on and is the basis for the developing story and then in the blink of an eye it is all talked over and gone. It seems a poor choice as a basis for the story to me. A disapointment as it leaves a negative feeling about their friendship that appeared to be so deep and special at the beginning.

I spend a considerable amount of time working with children, and I thoroughly enjoy the American Girls series. I think they are both interesting and educational, and this book is a worthy addition to the Samantha collection. I especially liked the fact that the story was told from Nellie's point of view. Samantha seems to be an especially popular American Girl. I am sure that girls admire her caring personality, but I also think that Samantha's life seems like so much fun because of her family's wealth. She wear's pretty clothes, she eats great-tasting food, she goes on fun vacations, and she has wonderful toys. Nellie's Promise shows the other side of the story, so to speak. Not all girls lived comfortably in the early 1900s. This book tells the timeless story of a family coming together, but it also describes the unique lives of working-class girls and women.

One of the other reviewers thought it was inconsistent with the times that Samantha express a desire to become the first woman President. Actually, a woman named Belva Lockwood ran for President in the late 1800s. I don't know if Samantha knew that, but I don't think the idea of her becoming President is as farfetched as the other reviewer believed it was. Also, in one of the earlier books, Samantha was nervous about speaking at the school contest because she changed her speech after talking to Nellie. She was never afraid of speaking in general. She also displayed leadership qualities when she organized the talent show for the new library. I think Samantha's remarks were actually consistent with her behavior in the previous books.

Being a big fan of Samantha, I was excited when American Girl announced they would be adding Samantha's friend Nellie to their collection of dolls, and, of course, had to read the book that went with the Nellie doll, Nellie's Promise.
In this book, Nellie O'Malley is happy living in a safe, secure, and wealthy household with her friend, Samantha; sisters, Bridget and Jenny; and Samantha's uncle Gard and aunt Cornelia. Her life with Samantha's aunt and uncle is a far cry from her life in the past, during which she worked in a thread factory, worked as a maid, and lived in an orphanage. However, when Nellie's no-good, drunken Uncle Mike runs into Nellie on the street and threatens to take Nellie and her sisters away from Uncle Gard and Aunt Cornelia, Nellie isn't sure how much longer her perfect world is going to last, and she knows she needs to find a way to keep the promise she made to her late mother that she would take care of Bridget and Jenny.
I enjoyed reading this book, and found it to be a good sequel to the six books in the Samantha series. I also liked reading a book that was from Nellie's point of view, as all of the other books are more centered around Samantha. I did find it a bit unusual that Samantha said she wanted to be the first woman president of the United States, being a girl who had been brought up by a grandmother who didn't believe women should even vote, although I was interested by what another Amazon reviewer wrote about a woman running for president in the 1800's, which would make Samantha's ambition seem less far-fetched. A small problem I have with the book is that all of the loose ends seemed to be tied up a bit too quickly and a bit too perfectly in the end. Overall, this book was an enjoyable read, and I would recommend it to fans of the American Girls who have already read the six books in the Samantha series.

This is another of the great American Girls series, but is a little bit of a departure. This book takes the characters of the Samantha series, but tells the story from the vantage point of Nellie O'Malley. It is 1906, and Nellie and her sisters are quite happy living with Samantha, and her Uncle Gard and Aunt Cornelia. However, darkness seems to descend on Nellie's world, when her drunkard Uncle Mike shows up, promising to take the girls and force them into factory work. Nellie is too afraid to tell anyone her worries, even Samantha, and before she knows it her relationship with Samantha seems to be suffering. Nellie needs to start thinking about the future, and where she is going.

The final chapter of this book is a bonus, a fascinating look at adoption in 1906 America. (If you are interested in reading about the orphan train, read Orphan Train Rider by Andrea Warren.) My thirteen-year-old daughter has been a fan of the American Girl stories for years, and was quite glad to get this book. Overall, we found the misunderstanding between the girls to be understandable, and enjoyed the story immensely. So, if have a young fan of the American Girls, then you should get this book - my American Girl highly recommends it, and so do I!

Now, I am seeing these reviews, and I don't necessarily agree with them. I believe that Nellie's story is wonderful, she is learning to be strong (especially with Uncle Mike around), while also trying to get used to her new life living with Samantha and her family. One part I love is that when Samantha sees the girls that are the same age as Bridget and Jenny (Nellie's sisters) at the settlement house, and gets so emotional about it for the rest of the book. I like that we get to see that side of Samantha. Plus, you have to remember that American Girl doesn't discuss how "wrong" something may have been in a certain time frame very often (although this does happen in 'The Stolen Sapphire'), like Gard and Cornelia adopting Nellie and her sisters and Uncle Mike giving up his rights to the girls. I do hope I have helped those of you that may be skeptical about the reviews (I am not saying not to listen the reviews at all! Don't get me wrong!!) I give this book an A+++++!

With the phenomenal success that American Girl has seen over the years, it is only natural that this incredibly executed franchise is in need of brand-new developments to keep up with demands from the general public. What began in 1986 as a simple introduction of three American Girl dolls (Kirsten, Samantha, and Molly were the ones that started it all) has since metamorphosized into a huge (and still growing!) collection of dolls, books, and outfits for both dolls and girls, among other things. Contemporary "Just Like Me" dolls were introduced a few years ago, but most recently, is Nellie O'Malley who began a rich, vibrant, and unprecedented new tradition for all American Girl fans to enjoy.

As a brand-new tactic to continue reeling in public appeal, the company has started taking the original American Girl books, manufacturing a new doll in honor of a special friend from each character's story, formulating a unique book to accompany that doll, and--perhaps best of all--bringing it all to life in a made-for-TV movie that airs in November. In 2004 they launched this idea with Samantha's servant friend-turned-adopted sister Nellie O'Malley. The year after that it was Felicity's best friend Elizabeth Cole who received a special spotlight. Now, for the 2006 holiday season, Molly will be accompanied by her English friend Emily Bennett in an all-new book and on-screen story.

Now on to "Nellie's Promise"...this was the book that was specially written and included with the Nellie doll that came out in 2004. It picks up right where Samantha's stories left off: orphaned Nellie and her two younger sisters Bridget and Jenny have been adopted by Samantha's loving Uncle Gard and Aunt Cornelia. Samantha is absolutely delighted to have three new sisters and a best friend living with her, and Nellie is truly grateful for the opportunities of this enriching new life, but things take a turn when her abusive Uncle Mike returns out of the blue for custody of his nieces. The strain of the situation puts a crimp in Nellie's relationship with Samantha, and when push comes to shove it is only when the girls learn to communicate and listen to one another that they learn what makes their bond so important.

I have given this book four stars instead of five because, as some other reviewers have said, it seems to lack some critical spark regarding the friendship between Nellie and Samantha. The story appears to focus more on their differences than anything else, even after they reconcile, and it leaves the reader with a feeling that these girls basically lead separate lives. It is however, a very well-written story and holds up the timeless message of all American Girl characters: love, respect, tolerance, honesty, and friendship in the most difficult times. What is especially admirable about Nellie is her self-sufficiency and refusal to feel sorry for herself as she independently copes with an issue that impacts her whole family. I enjoyed reading this story, and I look forward to seeing what is in store for Molly's tale in November. Judging from the success these books and films have found, it certainly will not be the last!

When I got this book, I read it right away. I've read it at least three times. Nellie is living with Samantha and one day she sees her Uncle who had abandoned her and her sisters! Nellie is worried the he will come and take them away from Samantha. I loved the ending, but I'm not going to give it away!

When I purchased both "Nellie's Promise" and "Very Funny, Elizabeth!" as reading for a road trip I was expecting to enjoy Nellie's Promise more. Surprisingly, I found it to be a very weak and unrealistic story.

American Girl has gotten into the bad habit of taking one historical element from a time period and building a story around it. In this case, it's the settlement house whose role in the story is unclear, yet somehow pivotal.

The characters are completely altered from the Samantha books. Nellie is an unemotional workaholic, while Samantha is an ice queen. These portrayals of the characters are completely wrong and make for a very confusing read.

However, the one area this book succeeds "Very Funny, Elizabeth!" in is illustrations. They are simply gorgeous. In these paintings Nellie and Samantha are recognizable as the bright, cheeky girls that they are. The colors are bright and enticing, adding life to this very flat story.

Loyal fans of Samantha will want to read this book, but fans of the other American Girls would be better off with "Very Funny, Elizabeth!"

What a promising book! I love it! It's so... well... promising! That's why I like it. It's a book full of promises, about a girl who made a promise! And it has such a lovely time preiod! I like the turn of the century because it make's me feel like everyone was working together to make their world a better place. It's fiction, yet non-fiction at the same time! All the American Girl books are like that! Great! Read it, you'll love it!