Samantha's Surprise: A Christmas Story (American Girls Collection)

Rating:
Summary: I think this is a great book.
Review: Not the best of all the Samantha books, but really great. Samantha is so excited about Christmas and preparing for the holidays. Her plans are foiled when her Uncle Gard announces he is bringing his girlfriend Cornelia home for Christmas. Samantha wants to be nothing but hostile towards her, but as she gets to know her she likes her more and more. A great story about family, people, and the Christmas spirit.

Rating:
Summary: Change of Heart
Review: Samantha's Surprise is the third book in a series of books about Samantha. Samantha is invited to A Christmas party put on by her good friend Ida Dean. At the same time she plans to make a large gingerbread house with Mrs. Hawkins, and decorate the house herself. But Samantha's Christmas plans start to fall when her Uncle Gard announces that he plans on bringing his friend Cornelia along for this Christmas. Now, it seems that all of Samantha's plans are destroyed--and Samantha blames Cornelia for ruining everthing. But there's more than one surprise in store for Samantha on Christmas day!
While Samantha's Christmas story isn't neccessarily the best in the series, her story has it's good points, and Samantha learns to accept change as a result. The book is a recommended read to those who are big fans of the American Girls Collection series. The Peek into the Past section at the end of the book tells about Victorian Era Christmas, and how it differed for the rich and the poor.

Rating:
Summary: Change of Heart
Review: Samantha's Surprise is the third book in a series of books about Samantha. Samantha is invited to A Christmas party put on by her good friend Ida Dean. At the same time she plans to make a large gingerbread house with Mrs. Hawkins, and decorate the house herself. But Samantha's Christmas plans start to fall when her Uncle Gard announces that he plans on bringing his friend Cornelia along for this Christmas. Now, it seems that all of Samantha's plans are destroyed--and Samantha blames Cornelia for ruining everthing. But there's more than one surprise in store for Samantha on Christmas day!
While Samantha's Christmas story isn't neccessarily the best in the series, her story has it's good points, and Samantha learns to accept change as a result. The book is a recommended read to those who are big fans of the American Girls Collection series. The Peek into the Past section at the end of the book tells about Victorian Era Christmas, and how it differed for the rich and the poor.

Rating:
Summary: Very good
Review: This is another in the American Girls series about Samantha Parkington, a nine-year-old orphan girl living with her grandmother in the America of 1904. In this book, Samantha is all excited, preparing for the coming Christmas. But, when the family finds out that Samantha's Uncle Gard is bringing his girlfriend Cornelia to visit (a serious matter back then), the whole household is turned upside down, along with Samantha's plans. Samantha begins to resent Cornelia, but before Christmas Day arrives, she might just learn a lesson.

The final chapter of this book is a highly informative look at Christmas in 1904 America. Also, I must say that I did enjoy the wonderful illustrations provided by Nancy Niles and R. Grace.

This is another very good American Girls book. Unlike the other Samantha books that my daughter and I have read, this one does not set out to show any of the less savory details of life in 1904 America, but it is nonetheless and enjoyable book with a nice lesson. My daughter and I both enjoyed this book and highly recommend it to you.