Meet Julie (American Girl Collection Series: Julie #1) Book

After having read some of the negative reviews I kind of imagined reading this book and thinking it wouldn't have terribly much for my daughter. Having been born after Julie, I'm not sure I have the same problem with feeling old and that the 1970s aren't really history as some parents. Julie would only be 47-48 this year, so for some parents it's entirely possible that their children have read these books and learned about their mother's childhood, but not mine. When I was in school we learned about classic rock (rock from the 60s and 70s) and that entire era was before my time. I would think the book might have some kind of historical significance to kids because it's hitting the point that this might be their grandparents' generation, not theirs.

This book clearly illustrates that things were different in the 1970s than when even I was growing up. Just looking at some of what was going on then, it's understandable how a child might take some part of American history out of it. They touch upon the Vietnam War. They talk about women's rights. Title 9 was still a pretty big and new thing. As much as I hear parents outraged that Julie didn't just demand to play because it was federal law to allow her, that's not exactly how things worked. From my own research there were a lot of girls that wanted to play and weren't allowed to because the schools didn't really care about Title 9. Unless a complaint was made or someone made a fuss, it often got ignored. In today's level of equality that's something hard to understand. It helps for girls to know exactly how hard of a fight women had to gain equality so they appreciate the rights they've been granted.

Not only is Julie's story about a period of history, but it's also just like all the other American Girl stories. Julie has a huge challenge in her life, even if it is something we take for granted in modern America. She has to fight to overcome that challenge in the face of everyone looking down on her. Playing basketball on the boys' team means going against a coach who doesn't want her to play. It means her father's disapproval. The girls in school call her a tomboy. She ends up losing her friendship with her best friend. On top of that, she's already got it rough because her parents are divorced. This has meant moving across town for starters. As if that wasn't enough, the girls in school whisper behind her back and she's completely embarrassed by the business her mother started to support them, even though the other kids unexpectedly find it cool.

What I like best about this book is how well you can almost feel the changes going on in the country. It's right in the middle of women gaining more acceptance. As Julie's mom pointed out, it was only 40 years prior that women were finally granted the right to vote. Now women are starting to fight to gain their independence from men to the point where they can be self-sufficient creatures. Divorce, while still not common and highly looked down on is becoming more prevalent. Women are starting to not only be able to accept the same jobs as men with better pay than their previous jobs afforded, but they're also able to run their own businesses. It's one of the first periods in history where a woman truly doesn't need a man in her life to be successful. It's obviously not easy on Julie's whole family, but you get to see a role model of a strong, independent, and self-sufficient woman for the first time in possibly the whole American Girl's series, at least the series I've read so far.

The American Girl books aren't just about creating interesting characters from history. They're also about teaching girls not to settle for less than the best. They teach girls that they truly can be anything they want to be, and to fight against the oppression women have faced through the ages. All of these girls are strong willed, daring, and have beliefs that they stand for. Sure, Julie's struggle to be treated equally as a boy may not sound as impressive as dealing with child labor laws, being a run-away slave, or refusing tea in support of the Boston Tea Party, but she stood up for something she believed in, and this time period was the first time in history where a woman was able to make such a bold move. Once again I'm impressed with the American Girl series and their ability to show girls that whatever their goals are, they can find a way to make it happen. They just have to work hard enough.