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Kirsten Larson in her St Lucia gown ft. little Sari

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-Kaya snuggles into her soft fur pillow and holds her doll tight. Another day of unforgettable adventure comes to a close.

-Marie-Grace and Cecile share a quiet moment amid the fun and festivities of New Orleans.

-Addy admires the beautiful plaid dress from Mrs. Ford’s dress shop—the fine sewing done by Momma’s own hand! Truly, this is a Christmas gift that she will never forget.

-Josefina cheerfully prepares for tonight’s fiesta, warmed by the oven and the memories of holidays spent with Mama.

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Happy December! A whole year after I got the CD and scanned the booklet, I finally got the songs ripped & uploaded! Sorry for taking so long!!

As you can see, I have the album uploaded on Youtube (I set it to Kids, so no comments are allowed, sorry!). I don't think I'll have any copyright issues on youtube since I don't plan to make any money off of the video, but as a precaution I also have the album on Archive.org as well.

I hope you get a chance to listen & enjoy the album this holiday season!

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American girl fanart by SOLAR-CiTRUS  on deviantArt. 

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My Favorite Illustration

I think I have to go with this as my favorite AG illustration.

Mama and Kirsten are making bread. Kirsten is asking a question about getting the trunks; she’s impatient, frustrated, we have two books worth of that desire to see her old things. With the context, this illustration does its job at carrying the story forward.

But take it out of that context and you have an incredibly meaningful illustration still. You have Kirsten kneading a smaller loaf with more flour on her apron- she’s still learning, and she’s messier than her mother. Her mother has the motion down. Her hands are in a uniform position. Their height difference. Kirsten’s a pretty tall girl but Mama is from Southern Sweden; she’s at least 5’8”. Kirsten’s probably about 5 feet tall.

What really hits me, though, is the way their faces meet.

Mama’s eyes crinkle at the corners and her lips aren’t quite smiling but you can tell something about Kirsten is making her happy. She looks down at her daughter, she’s thinking of something that makes her feel good. She’s entertained. This conversation is interesting to her; she’s curious and excited by her daughter’s perspective. Mama is ready for whatever Kirsten says, maybe trying to anticipate it. 

Kirsten is clearly asking a question. Her lips are parted, eyes raised to meet her mother’s, distracted from her work. She’s arguing her point and trying to be reasonable. She has a softer jaw and nose than her mother, but you can see that she’s going to grow into her same features. They are clearly mother and daughter, from their almond shaped eyes to straight noses to thin lips and red cheeks.

This illustration is full of love. It captures domestic simplicity, the moments of bonding between parent and child. You can really feel like you’re there, watching these two get to know each other as Kirsten learns to express complex feelings. Her mother is there for her. She loves her. She’s ready to hear what she has to say, even if it isn’t realistic, and she knows that Kirsten has been through a lot and has something to say about it. And that’s okay. 

Kirsten’s mother consistently allows her daughter to express her feelings in complete honesty. She takes Kirsten seriously- she doesn’t allow her to get away with things, but when Kirsten has something to say, Mama lets her say it, and she considers it with the same weight she considers adult opinions. And this illustration perfectly captures that dynamic. 

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One of the cool things about the American Girl books is how they focus on the domestic side of history. Other books set during wartimes might have done plots like, "Felicity helps George Washington" or "Molly tracks down a German spy". But this series stays grounded in the daily life that was still going on amid all these big events. It focuses on the things that kids can relate to in daily life--school and holidays and birthdays--which helps sell the idea that people have always been people, even while history was happening around them.

It also has a uniquely feminine view of history--which shouldn't be a surprise in a series called American Girl, but I want to appreciate how the books, for the most part, engage with female life in those eras on their own terms. The history sections at the back might mention that girls had a harder time getting an education or had certain restrictions, but within the stories themselves, the girls aren't sitting around complaining about it. They're not lamenting how terrible it is that they don't live in our modern times, which so much historical fiction can do. They're just living their lives and even finding fulfillment. Felicity doesn't get the same education as the boys, but the skills she learns are useful in her society and she likes her lessons. Samantha gets to learn from all Cornelia's suffragette leanings, but she still wears bows and ruffles and frilly dresses instead of, like, insisting that girls should wear trousers. It presents a clear-eyed view of history that teaches kids about these eras without imposing too much of a modern, judgemental lens upon it. And that makes these books a surprisingly good intro to American history.

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Ezra's little 'I've missed you' Was the highlight of the entire episode for me ngl. The love in his eyes just filled me with emotions

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I am not a Jack O Lantern.

My name is Lewis!

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Dear reader, there are people in the world who know no misery and woe. And they take comfort in cheerful films about twittering birds and giggling elves. There are people who know that there’s always a mystery to be solved. And they take comfort in researching and writing down any important evidence. But this story is not about such people. This story is about the Baudelaires. And they are the sort of people who know that there’s always something. Something to invent, something to read, something to bite, and something to do, to make a sanctuary, no matter how small. And for this reason, I am happy to say, the Baudelaires were very fortunate indeed.

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This story is about the Baudelaires. And they are the sort of people who know that there’s always something. Something to invent. Something to read. Something to bite. And something to do to make a sanctuary, no matter how small. And for this reason, I am happy to say, the Baudelaires were very fortunate indeed.

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asoue ➡ missed me, missed me

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“Maybe we can make this our home after all…”

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How in the world does a child know a word like “inordinate”? These brats know all kind of words. They’re book addicts.

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Barbie (Barbie and the Rockers and Oscar de la Renta) display at the Glendale Galleria (1985)

These Barbie outfits were showcased by local designers as part of the Theatre de la Mode exhibit presented by Billy Boy.

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The Golden Trio