Samantha's Friendship Fun

by Ann Boyajian

Crafts, recipes, and games are designed to give a sense of the early 1900s, or the period setting for books in the American Girls collection which feature the character named Samantha. This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1584855878
• ISBN13: 9781584855873
• Release Date: January 2002
• Publisher: American Girl Publishing Inc
• Length: 95 Pages
• Weight: 1.15 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.3" x 8.5" x 10.8"
• Age Range: 7 years and up
• Grade Range: Grade 2 and higher

Customer Reviews

Samantha's Friendship Fun

"Samantha's Friendship Fun," by the Editors of American Girl, features the activities, recipes, and games that girls and their friends did in the Victorian Era, as well as discusses the mannerisms and "proper" ways to pay a call and how to dress and such. Samantha, the sixth character in the American Girls Collection, is used as the example of what life it was like for girls and young women growing up during the turn of the century. One activity I find quite interesting and fun to make is the "Calling Card," which is a card you leave at the home of whom you are visiting when no one is there. Rather than writing a little note on the calling card however, for it is considered impolite of one, ladies are to fold certain areas of the card to leave a message. For instance, folding the upper left corner of the card means "Congratulations!" where as creasing the lower left corner expresses sympathy of the death of a loved one. Among my favorite elements in "Samantha's Friendship Fun" is "Sunday Brunch," which features simple yet yummy breakfast meals to make. Some of the delectable dishes include the following: blueberry muffins, Sunday ham, strawberries with cream, and cheesy omelet. Fortunately for those who are somewhat bewildered when it comes to preparing a refined, formal table, the chapter devoted to cooking delicious meals thoroughly explains what exactly the seven and plus pieces of silverware are used for (i.e. meat fork, salad fork, fork for raw oysters, etc.), along with the directions for folding an elaborate stand-up napkin. Children who had lives similar to that of Samantha's knew that vacationing in the mountains or the beach meant temporary fun and freedom from their critical, mannerly lives. Some outdoor games listed in this book involve painting outdoor scenery, making a bug collection, creating a seashell picture frame, and designing a pretty pressed-flower bookmark. This chapter, titled "The Piney Point Adventure," also provides you with the quick-to-make, fun to eat "Nut Crunch Apples," the all-time favorite outdoor snack for people of all ages! Scattered throughout "Samantha's Friendship Fun" are photos and paintings of men, women, and children from the middle 1800s to the early 1900s, and includes short summaries of the pictures. Some photos are that of Queen Victoria, Prince Albert, and their children, which the outline explained the affect Victoria England had on America, from clothes to etiquette to afternoon teas. Another picture depicts a young gentleman who once worked in a drugstore. According to the summary, "Victorians believed that soda water, or carbonated "fizzy" water, could improve their health. Drugstores featured soda fountains, so customers could buy plain soda water and flavored sodas, like Coca-Cola and root beer, along with their medicines." (American Girl, 39) "Samantha's Friendship Fun" is definitely the book for any American Girl fan who is fascinated with the two bases this book i