As some readers know, American Girl is giving the Caroline books, and books about their other historical characters, a new look. Here’s the scoop.
A company spokesperson explains the update: “Our new BeForever books feature our beloved historical characters in a new format designed to appeal to girls who like high adventure and contemporary fiction.”
The first six Caroline books will be repackaged as two longer volumes. Meet Caroline, Caroline’s Secret Message, and A Surprise For Caroline will be presented as Captain of the Ship: A Caroline Classic.
And Caroline Takes a Chance, Caroline’s Battle, and Changes for Caroline will be presented as Facing the Enemy: A Caroline Classic.
Those titles will be released on August 28.
On the same day, American Girl will release my brand new Caroline book!
Have you ever wished you could travel back in time and meet Caroline? A modern girl gets to do just that in Catch The Wind: My Journey With Caroline.
What if you suddenly found yourself in Caroline’s world, right in the middle of the War of 1812? How would it feel to know your home is under attack—and how would you stay strong during such a scary time?
Join Caroline on adventures where the two of you could find ways to help the Americans win, confront a possible spy, or even plunge headfirst into ice-cold Lake Ontario! Your journey back in time can take whatever twists and turns you choose, as you select from a variety of exciting options in this multiple-ending story.
I’ll have lots more to share about Catch The Wind as the publication date draws closer. And as always, you can find information, photos, and behind-the-scenes news about the books on the American Girl page of my website. Happy reading!
Tags: Captain of the Ship, Caroline Abbott, Caroline Classic, Catch The Wind, Facing the Enemy, My Journey With Caroline
Sites and Stories 
June 17, 2014 at 8:25 pm |
i don’t like it at all. too old of a look. these books are for young girls. they are not meant to look like torrid romances. you are changing the brand for money. shame on you american girl. shame on you. the covers are awful. one of the things i loved about the american book series were the covers. now you have ruined them. who decided to do this? they should be terminated.
June 18, 2014 at 7:23 pm |
One of the things I love about American Girl readers is that they passionately care about the books.
June 18, 2014 at 9:24 am |
I am so excited to read a new Caroline story!!! Congratulations, Kathleen!
June 18, 2014 at 7:23 pm |
Thanks, Laurie! It was a new structure for me, and so a bit of a challenge, but fun.
June 18, 2014 at 2:20 pm |
I think the choose-your-own adventure type of story will be a great idea for these books. Kids really enjoy that format and will allow them to imagine other historically correct situations. The characters in these books are action oriented, children don’t want to sit back and let only adults participate in life’s important events, they are affected also. The photos kind of move away from the dolls and into more of the characters activities. It could become more personal for the readers. The stories already take you there.
June 18, 2014 at 7:25 pm |
Kathleen, thanks for sharing your thoughts. I love the idea that the new books might become more personal. I enjoyed writing the choose-your-own format, and I think many readers will have fun with it.
June 24, 2014 at 7:30 am |
I’m pretty excited to read these! I’ve been a fan of AG for 20 years (my entire life), and look forward to being able to share these stories with my younger cousin. She also adores AG and loves to read!
June 24, 2014 at 7:11 pm |
I’m glad you still love AG after 20 years! And what fun to share some of your favorites with your younger cousin. I hope you both enjoy Catch The Wind, which is written in a fresh new style.
January 20, 2015 at 12:29 pm |
My 7 year old daughter LOVES the Caroline book! We are reading it right now together and she keeps begging to read more. She has apraxia of speech and reading is difficult for her, this book has made her excited about reading. She cannot wait to be able to read it by herself one day. Thank you for writing this series! 🙂
January 22, 2015 at 10:17 am |
Thank you for connecting! I am delighted to know that your daughter is enjoying Caroline’s story. I learned to love history and reading as a child because my mom found great books (especially historical fiction) for me. It makes me very happy to think that I’m able to pass a bit of that on to girls like your daughter. I had a wonderful time imagining Caroline and weaving her tales.