School Library Journal Review
Gr 2-5-In Meet Marie-Grace, the child and her physician father move to New Orleans in 1853, where she begins voice lessons with the opera singer Mademoiselle Oceane. She meets Cecile, an outgoing African American girl, and, although the girls are total opposites, they form an unlikely bond and Cecile educates her friend about race relations in the South. In Orphans, the protagonist finds a baby boy on her doorstep and wants to keep him. When a slave catcher comes for him, Marie-Grace and Cecile come up with a plan to keep the infant safe. Finally, in Difference, yellow fever has hit the city. Mademoiselle becomes ill and the orphanage where Marie-Grace and Cecile volunteer is full of children who lost their parents to the sickness. As the fever spreads across the city, the girls do their best to help those in need. Full-color illustrations are scattered throughout, and concluding sections offer relevant information about the events and include photos and reproductions. Fans of the "American Girl" books will dig right into this new series and seek out the titles told from Cecile's point of view.-Sarah Polace, Cuyahoga County Public Library, Parma, OH (c) Copyright 2012. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Booklist Review
It's 1853, and when Marie-Grace and her physician father move to New Orleans, she is ready for adventure in the exotic city. Parades, the sound of French in the air, markets, steamboats, the French Quarter, and, best of all, Mardi Gras promise lively contrast to her former little Massachusetts hometown. Now if the quiet little girl could just figure out how to enjoy it all. When she meets Cecile at a music lesson, opportunity beckons. Friendly, outgoing Cecile welcomes Marie-Grace and the two opposites click. Cecile's family is black and she educates her new friend about how the color line plays out in seemingly freewheeling New Orleans. When they concoct a daring experiment to briefly switch places at separate Mardi Gras costume balls, Marie-Grace notices keenly how the costumes make racial differences invisible. This first story in a new American Girl series is followed by Meet Cecile, with events told from Cecile's point of view, and four succeeding titles, presenting history with a charming personal touch.--O'Malley, Anne Copyright 2010 Booklist
