Meet Molly is the first book in the Molly Series created by American Girl. As a child I would receive American Girl catalogs and, even though I never had nor wanted an American Girl doll, I would enjoy looking through it. I've been interested in history since a young age so it's not surprising that the girl's stories and settings appealed to me. Molly was my personal favorite due to her time period. I did end up getting her cooking and crafting books back then but never any of her book series which I was kind of sad about until I realized I'm an adult now and I can buy them for myself if I want.
Molly McIntire is a 9 year old girl living in the United States in 1943. As the book starts Molly is pouting at the kitchen table with a plate of mashed turnips in front of her. She doesn't like turnips and is mad at the war for having to eat them, as the turnips came from her family's Victory Garden. She is also upset that her father, a doctor stationed in England, has been gone for 7 months so her family no longer gets to have family dinners together. Molly's mother arrives home after working a shift at the Red Cross and doctors up Molly's plate to taste better which lets us know Mrs. McIntire is a kind and understanding mother.
The next day Molly's two best friends, Susan and Linda, come home with her after school to discuss group costumes for the fast approaching Halloween. When Jill, Molly's 14-year-old sister, comes home with her friend Dolores the 9 year old girls notice Ricky, Molly's 12-year-old brother, has a crush on Dolores and embarrasses him about it which causes him to ride off on his bike swearing revenge.
The three girls decide to be hula dancers for Halloween and make their costumes out of newspaper and crepe paper. After a night of trick or treating for rationed goodies they arrive back at Molly's house where Ricky attacks them with buckets of water and a hose, destroying their costumes and treats.
The girls plot their revenge that night and enact it the next day; they steal Ricky's laundry, with an emphasis on his underwear, then dump it from a window on top Dolores' head right in front of Ricky. Ricky declares war between him and Molly but it turns out Mrs. McIntire has been watching and is absolutely appalled. She lectures the children on how there is already enough war in the world and everyone makes up and agrees to get along.
This book was much shorter than I had expected. Although I knew it was going to be short I thought it would be closer to 100 pages. It is 52 pages with lots of pictures and big text. Needless to say the story is very quick.
I really don't have too much to say about it except that it was nice to finally read it. I had seen those pictures of Molly in a grass skirt and lei so many times as a child that it is nice to know the backstory of it.
I always pictured Molly as timid and kind so it was a surprise seeing her written as a leader who wants to be in the spotlight and is kind of mean. She is rude to a friend named Alison simply because Alison is rich and Molly is jealous.
