Kaya: An American Girl : 1764 (American Girls: Kaya)

Rating:
Summary: Kaya Boxed Set
Review: I have this set. It is enjoyable because you don't have to take the books out from a libray. I took the first book out and I also took out the third( the second was taken out). Its nice to have a boxed set so you know where they all are. The books---I enjoyed them alot. But the only thing is that some of the books(like book 1) I didn't enjoy as much as the others. I give this boxed set a high 4 stars!

Rating:
Summary: I'm stunned!
Review: Kaya is currently the newest addition to the American Girls Collection. A nine-year-old Nez Perce girl growing up in the Northwest in 1764, Kaya's stories differ in many ways from the rest of the characters in the series...but are alike in many ways to the rest of the characters. Kaya starts out as a girl who only thinks of herself and thusly earns the nickname of "Magpie" after a bird known only for caring about itself. Like in the Josefina stories, foreign words appear in Kaya's books, but are explained in the back of each book with a brief glossary. An explanation for this is also in the front of the book, where readers are also taught the proper way to say Kaya's name. However, Kaya's books are longer and are a slightly harder read than some of the other books in the series. I would recommend them for children age 8 and over. As a 19 year old, I at times had a hard time following through with the story, as Kaya's parents aren't called the typical "Mom" and "Dad" like the other characters. My main gripes with her books were that some appeared to be filler. Sure, the Nez Perce had routine in their lives. But so did Felicity, Josefina, Kirsten, Addy, Samantha, Kit, and Molly. It just seems that Kaya's stories are somewhat flat. My favorites were books 3 and 4: Kaya's Hero and Kaya and Lone Dog. These two books had more adventure to them than the rest and showed a different side to Kaya and her tribe. Having some Cherokee anscestry in my veins, I had a hard time believing that the Nez Perce were that boring! I can, to some point, understand why the books do not follow the patterns of the rest in the series: Kaya did not go to school--she was taught by her family. Kaya and her tribe had probably never heard of Christmas, either, since Christmas is a holiday of the Christian variety. As for the quality--Kaya's boxed set is very nice--I bought the... hardcover set. Like all the rest of the books, they are well made. The box stands by itself--it's hard cardboard. The books are sewn tight and the covers and jackets are nice. I work in a library, and have often heard the children's librarian remark about how well made the American Girls Collection books are--they can circulate (check out) for over 100 times before being discarded. That's a rare feat--most books end up being thrown out by the time they are checked out 50 times! Despite the fact that Kaya's story is lackluster, Kaya herself was really well written about. But it's the other things that aren't explained in the book. I would have loved to hear more about what the Nez Perce think of Coyote, of whom most of their legends are devoted to. It was little unexplained things like that that had me lost--since in some of the stories, Kaya and her family and tribe say and do things that are not explained very well to the reader.

Rating:
Summary: Excellent Books
Review: Last Christmas, just after she turned 5, my daughter received the present she wanted most--the complete set of Kaya books, her first experience of the American Girls. We began reading them together right away, and she loved them. While the reading level is higher than most of the American Girls books, she had few problems with comprehension as I read the text aloud. She began using many of the Nez Perce words she learned from the story--for some time, her daddy became "Toe-Ta" and I was "Eetsa." Another reviewer complained about the Native American religious beliefs scattered about the text. I found these to be in context for the character (after all, what would one expect given the culture and the time?), and when our faith differs from what is written in the book, it made for some good discussion. Kaya is a character who comes across as real--she makes mistakes, she has doubts, frustrations, and fears. What makes her a great character is that she learns from her mistakes and meets her fears head on with courage. Katie and I look forward to reading more American Girls books together over the years. Our introduction to them has made us eager for more.

Rating:
Summary: I'm stunned!
Review: My nine-year-old daughter and I read the Kaya stories several months ago. Now I'm ordering an extra set for her school library.

This is one of the two or three best American Girl series. The stories couldn't be more gripping and believable; and Kaya couldn't be more delightful. The stories also do a wonderful job of teaching about the Nez Perce.

Now, placing my order, I'm stunned to discover that your two featured reviews are critical of these books. Very idiosyncratic reactions. Go to the children's section of any bookstore and ask the staff what their customers think. Girls love these stories.

Also, you might include in your "If you liked this book . . ." listings Kathleen Ernst's "Trouble at Fort LaPointe."

Fie on the reviewers who panned Kaya. They're mistaken.

Rating:
Summary: Exciting New Series!
Review: Pleasant Company has broken the mold of the format they have always used for their traditional American Girl stories in order to bring their readers a Native American character with courage, pride, and cultural integrity. You will not find school lessons, birthday parties, or Christmas celebrations in this series because they are all a product of European culture. What you will find in this series are stories that are full of fresh ideas for both the American Girl series and other similiar historic fiction for this age group.

The characters and the setting vividly draw you into the 1764 world of the Nez Perce. All of the stories are fast paced with interesting and original plots and characters. Because of the low predictability of the plot and the unfamiliarity of the setting, I would highly recommend these books for readers over age 8, and not younger. The first few books are particularly difficult to read. As an adult reader, I periodically had to reread a sentence or two to pick up on why or how something a few sentences later had occured. I found that Books 3-6 did get easier to read then the the first two books were, but this is still not a series for young children.

What I liked the most about the Kaya series was watching the development of her character. She makes poor choices in the first book because she does what is right for herself instead of looking after others. As the series progresses, you see Kaya learn from her mistakes and develop her own character from one who is immature to one who possesses many admirable qualities. She deals with many losses and changes with courage and by the last book, she is greatly rewarded for it. She learns to be more patient, to listen to the wisdom of her elders, and to make better choices for herself that include looking after others. These are all important messages for today's youth that I have not seen often in children's books. Kaya is a likable character in an interesting world and it is a pleasure to see her grow into her potential.