Nellie's Promise (American Girl (Quality))
Grade 3-5–Nellie O'Malley lost both of her parents to influenza and she is charged with caring for her younger sisters, Bridget and Jenny. Forced to live with their vile Uncle Mike, who took their money and abandoned them, the girls ended up in an orphanage, where Nellie's friend Samantha found them and took them to live with her at her Uncle Gard and Aunt Cornelia's house. In this companion to the "Samantha" books (Pleasant Company), the sisters are not only taken care of, but also surrounded by a loving family. When Uncle Mike reappears and threatens to take them away, Nellie fears that she may lose her happy new home. The plot has just the right amount of action and suspense to keep the story moving. Nellie struggles mightily to solve her problems on her own, and is a strongly developed protagonist. Samantha is also a fully realized character, and the girls' interaction is realistic. The ending comes to a fitting conclusion that will leave readers satisfied. An enlightening historical endnote describes "Adoption in 1906" and the plight of orphans. Interspersed throughout the text are charming and vibrant, full-page color paintings as well as tiny scenes of people and places. Another winning entry and a natural progression from the "Samantha" series (Pleasant Company).–Kristen Oravec, Cuyahoga County Public Library, Strongsville, OHCopyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.