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Just in time for Valentine's Day,
the Guardian in London has
reviewed and raved about
The Secret Language of Sleep.
And, for the rest of the week,
you can buy it for $5!
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- - - - MIDDLETON, Wis., Aug. 16 /PRNewswire/ -- This September, girls across America will step into the 1930s and the world of Margaret "Kit" Kittredge(TM). Kit, a nine-year-old girl growing up in Cincinnati, Ohio, during America's Great Depression, is the newest fictional heroine to join The American Girls Collection(R) of historical books, dolls, and accessories. Through Kit's stories, girls today will learn about a time in America's history when banks failed, people lost their jobs, and families struggled -- but Americans opened their hearts to help each other. Like the other characters in The American Girls Collection -- Felicity, Josefina, Kirsten, Addy, Samantha, and Molly -- Kit will be featured in six books of historical fiction designed to give girls ages 7 to 12 an understanding of a pivotal era in American history. The first three books, Meet Kit, Kit Learns a Lesson, and Kit's Surprise, will be released in September 2000, and three more books will be published in 2001. The stories are brought to life with a beautifully crafted 18-inch Kit doll and a collection of historically accurate clothes and accessories that help girls understand how material culture has changed since the 1930s. "The Great Depression was a formative experience for our country and our culture. By reading Kit's stories, girls today will learn how the Depression affected not only government, businesses, and families, but even nine-year-old girls like Kit," says Julia Prohaska, brand director for American Girl(R). "Through Kit's trials and triumphs, girls will begin to understand this time period in a personal way. By comparing Kit's life to their lives today, girls can see that while much has changed, many of the experiences and emotions of girlhood are still the same." Kit's story begins in 1932, three years into the Depression, when unemployment was at its peak. Like millions of Americans during this time, Kit's father loses his job because of the Depression. To save their home, Kit's mother turns it into a boarding house -- a common practice during the 1930s -- but the family continues to struggle, both financially and emotionally. What happens to Kit's family parallels what happened to the country during the Great Depression. As did those who actually lived through the hard times, Kit's family is forced to use their own strength, determination, and resourcefulness to carry on in spite of adversity. The six books about Kit Kittredge are written by Valerie Tripp, author of 21 books in The American Girls Collection and numerous American Girls short stories and plays. In writing the books, Ms. Tripp drew upon her research, her conversations with people who remembered the Depression, and her parents' experiences. "My parents were exactly Kit's age," Ms. Tripp explains. "They never forgot the lessons of thrift, caution, neighborliness, self-reliance, and compassion they learned during the Depression. By their example, my parents inspired Kit's stories." To introduce Kit, American Girl is launching Kit's Care and Share Party(TM), a fund-raising program that will be hosted by 25 nonprofit organizations across the country to raise money for children's charities. Kit's Care and Share Party blends learning and entertainment through a lively video presentation and hands-on activities that will help girls today imagine what growing up was like in the 1930s. And, for girls whose friends or relatives remember the Depression, this fund-raising event provides an ideal opportunity for an intergenerational experience. As part of the launch campaign this fall, American Girl will promote community awareness and the spirit of giving through Kit's Can-Do Challenge, a national food drive. Beginning on September 15 and running through November 22, girls and their friends and family members are encouraged to donate at least five cans of food to their local food pantries, with the goal of collecting one million cans of food nationwide. Participants can track the progress of the food drive and check out the final results at its Web site. The Kit books, doll, and related accessories will be available this September through the American Girl catalogue, American Girl Place(R) in Chicago, and its Web site. For a free consumer catalogue, call 800-845-0005. The Kit books will also be available nationally in bookstores and libraries throughout the country. Since Pleasant Company introduced The American Girls Collection in 1986, it has sold more than 50 million books and nearly 5 million dolls, bringing history alive for girls ages 7 to 12. Pleasant Company was founded in 1985 by its former president, Pleasant T. Rowland, and became a subsidiary of Mattel, Inc. (NYSE: MAT) in 1998. The mission of Pleasant Company's leading brand, American Girl, is to educate and entertain girls with high-quality products and experiences that reinforce positive social and moral values. SOURCE Pleasant Company
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