Meet Julie (American Girls: Julie, #1)

Meet Julie (American Girls: Julie #1)

3.87 of 5 stars 3.87  ·  rating details  ·  1,006 ratings  ·  87 reviews
Julie Albright doesn t want to move away from her San Francisco neighborhood near Chinatown, even if her new apartment is just a few miles away. Moving means leaving her best friend, Ivy, and her pet rabbit, Nutmeg. Worst of all, it means leaving Dad, now that her parents are divorced. Julie tries to make the best of her new situation by joining the school s basketball tea...more
Paperback, 92 pages
Published September 1st 2007 by American Girl Publishing Inc
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Jen
I decided to "Meet Julie" when my daughter, who is rapidly approaching her eighth birthday, scanned through the "Historical Character" section of the American Girl website and got all excited about this character and the year 1974 . . . the year I was born. Well. That's enough to plunge anyone into a midlife crisis: I mean, seriously, "historical"? Looking at Julie, I noticed that she comes wearing a turtleneck I used to actually own, has the same hair I had, and is living in San Francisco, just...more
Jennifer
This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.
Erica Rhodes
After having read some of the negative reviews I kind of imagined reading this book and thinking it wouldn't have terribly much for my daughter. Having been born after Julie, I'm not sure I have the same problem with feeling old and that the 1970s aren't really history as some parents. Julie would only be 47-48 this year, so for some parents it's entirely possible that their children have read these books and learned about their mother's childhood, but not mine. When I was in school we learned a...more
Ciara
julie is one of the newer historical american girls. i believe she was introduced in 2007. the fact that she is historical is a source of some controversy, as her era in 1974. yeah. five years before i was born. it's weird. the idea of little girls in the year 2011 going out & buying a 70s-style doll with a long side braid & a tacky turtleneck & then outfitting her with a lava lamp, an awful rug shaped like a foot, & a basketball set straight out of the harlem globetrotters' lock...more
Courtney
The book I chose for popular series was from the American Girl series and is "Meet Julie". Julie is a girl from 1974, whose parents divorced and made her move across town, away from her friends. She plays basketball and wants to play on the school team, but it is for boys only, and her Dad does not think it is a good idea. So, she starts a petition, which her best friend helps her fill out, but Ivy gets upset and deserts Julie. But Julie keeps going, and takes the petition to the basketball coac...more
Kate
This is the first in another of the American Girl historical series, if we're calling things set eight years before I was born historical. Which I suppose we are. This is set in 1974, in California, maybe San Francisco? Julie's parents are divorcing, so she and her sister are moving with their mother to an apartment over her mother's shop - I want to call it a hippie gift shop, but I guess it's a little late for that. Anyway, Julie has to leave her best friend and go to a new school, where she h...more
Lindsey
I'm a long-time fan of the American Girl series, despite my age, but I didn't feel like I was stepping very far back into history with this one. It's set in 1974 and I was born just 8 years later, so obviously it wasn't a huge leap for me. Julie herself is interesting, though, as are her family and friends. I think she will make a good role model for girls. Overall, it's a nice series so far and a more familiar world than any described in previous American Girl books.
Chrissy
In one word? ADORABLE!

I totally grew up on the American Girls. I remember my favorites -- Samantha and Molly, and as I moved on to other books through my childhood years, I guess I assumed that the American Girls thing died away.

It was my sister who showed me that I was terribly misinformed. Apparently she's been collecting these American Girls over the years, which is how I got the opportunity to MEET JULIE.

Basically, Julie is a historical character in the 70's and as we meet her and get a glim...more
Luci
Jul 05, 2011 Luci added it
This AmericanGirl doll book is called Meet Julie. It's about a spunky, groovy girl who lives in California during the year 1974. It is a great book for young girls who like to read about realistic fiction. Julie's full name is Julie Albright, she has a sister named Tracy, a handy and crafty mother, and a dad who is a pilot. She also has a pet rabbit. Her best friend's name is Ivy Ling. Julie's parents got divorced so now her her, her sister, and her mom have to move to a new house. And moving a...more
Becky
My first American Girl book, read so I could present Erin's American Girl book club! I actually really liked it! This one was written by Megan McDonald of Judy Moody fame, and though its simple, optimistic writing is appropriate for its audience, this introduction to Julie of 1974 still deals with divorce, a new school, gender bias, and Title Nine (detailed in the "Looking Back" note at the end). The oil paintings and full-color spot illustrations (most of which visually explain an of-the-time d...more
Taylor
Julie doesn't want to move from her favorite place ever even jsut a few miles away would make her cry. Moving would mean leaving her best friend Ivy and her pet rabbitt Nutmeg. The worst of all is she would have to leave her dad now that her parents are divorced. Then Julie is pumoed when she finds out that the new school has a bsketball team until the coach says "NO GIRLS ALOUD!". Julie has to fight her place on the team,some of her classmats tease her, and now even her best friend ivy wont tal...more
$hanel
Julie Albright lives in the 1970`s and is about to move away from San Fransico near ChinaTown. This means that Julie must leave behind her best friend Ivy and her bunny NutMeg. Now that Julie`s parents are divorced this means that Julie has to visit her Dad on weekends and live with her Mum. She also has to make new friends at her new school which seems like starting over for Julie. On the plus side Julie is determined to make it to the basketball team at her school (Julie isnt that girlie) but...more
Penny McGill
Oh my, we love the American Girl books at our house. Each series is a delight - bringing you closer to the doll you love - and Julie is one our favourites. I don't think the Julie doll is one my daughter would ever want - she is just too modern - but this series comes out of the library again and again. We were thrilled to see that Megan McDonald wrote this series - she who brought us Stink and his sister Moody - and think every girl would love to make friends with Julie even if they aren't inte...more
Audra
I read this to my daughter when I purchased her first American Girl doll. Julie grows up in 1970's San. Francisco and is the child of divorced parents. She experiences the separation from friends, school, and neighborhood that many children of divorce experience when they move to a new location with a parent. She also fights for equal rights for girls in sports as Title Nine becomes law. Theres nothing earth shattering that happens in this book but it teaches good lessons with decent historical...more
Madalyn H
Julie is a girl who is growing up in the 1970s (1974 to be exact).
In this story we learn that Julie is moving from her house because her parents got divorced. We also learn that Julie was not allowed to play on her school basketball team just because she was a girl. I don't think this was fair at all. She did get to play on the team at the end because made a petition and got 150 signatures and talked to the basketball coach and the principal who let her play.
Laura
Maybe I don't like this as much because it's an American Girl I'm reading while I'm older? Whatever the reason, this book seemed a little boring to me. It had some interesting points, but mostly it's just her running around trying to be on the basketball team. It wasn't exciting at all. The big climax wasn't very engaging. Mostly when I was reading I was thinking, "Huh, that stinks. Well, I guess that's cool. When does this chapter end? I want to get back to my Star Wars book."

The writing itself...more
Hattie
I definitely didn't like this American Girl. The others deal with slavery, death, moving 6000mi to never return to their homeland, etc. she deals with a divorce.which i get is hard, but seriously. or if they want a character with a divorce, i would be interested what a divorce would be like in the 1800's or something. not the 70s, which is hardly historical, if at all
Bronxcarolina
Madelyn and I have been reading these books together for a while now. She really likes them, but they are below her reading level, so she prefers to read them at night, just for fun and has asked me to read them to her. It's kind of fun to read these, since this American Girl grew up in the 70's. It kind of brings back some memories of the "old days" :-)
Ashley
Abby and I are reading these books right now--this is the first book and just introduces Julie as a character, as well as her family and friends. It addresses 70's issues like divorce and feminism, and is peppered with 70's cultural references and sayings. And the lesson Julie learns about equality and activism is still relevant today.
Sesana
I'll do a proper review when I finish the whole series, but I liked this one more than I had expected to. I was worried that McDonald would take a heavy hand with the 70s slang and trend, but she was actually pretty restrained.

ETA 11/5/12: After reading the rest of the series, plus Ivy's tie-in, I'm still pretty impressed. By the third book, I felt pretty confident in saying that the timeframe (mid-70s) was chosen so they could show a family navigating divorce. Here's the sad thing: the main sto...more
Aubrie
It was a good book because Julie couldn't get on the boys basketball team. It is a story about courage because she talked to the principal even though she was scared to. She talked to the principal about if she could get on the basketball team. A couple weeks later, she got to be on it! I love Megan McDonald she writes amazing stories!
Marykate
julie's parents just got devoriced. not only does she have to leave her best friend, she leaves her pet rabbit with her friend.

at julie's new school she cant play basketball. so she had the idea of a petition and...you will have to read the rest.
Sam
I love Julie! She's my absolute favorite American Girl, and I've got the doll and all these outfits for her to prove it. In "Meet Julie", we meet Julie Albright. She's a girl living in New York City in 1974. Her parents recently got divorced, and she is still coming to terms with the whole thing. In the book, her best friend Ivy is moving away and Julie must learn to accept change. Plus, she has taken an interest on playing on the all-boys basketball team at school and won't stop until she has a...more
Amanda
My daughter is in love with this book. She recieve this book for Christmas. Whenever she stop reading, she would tell me what she had read about unlike the other books she has read in the past. This is definately A PLUS!
Lori
An enjoyable introduction to Julie and this series. They seem to get even better as they go. This, being the first one, was okay. It's also fun to reminisce about the seventies, since I was a kid then too:)
Kathleen
Very surprising! A childrens book that tackles, if tangentially, Vietnam and draft dodgers, war vets, Nixon and Watergate, Ford v. Carter. And there is an entire story devoted to Title IX!
Beth O'Connell
I've been reading so much 60s stuff about the civil rights movement and the Cold War that I forgot about the women's movement and Title IX. I hope I can get more of these soon.
Ggprincess101
It is an amazing americangirl book.It is about Julie's parents get divorsted and Julie has to move away from her Best Friend Ivy.Will Julie make a new Best Friend in a new school?
Maureen Saltarelli
This book brought me back to the days of old, so many of the references were on the mark. I have not had those kinds of "bring me back" feelings in a while, what a treat.
Annmarie
My daughter got Julie for Christmas one year. Together we have been reading through the stories about her adventures. We have been enjoying the time together.
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What I think 1 4 Apr 02, 2011 04:16pm  
Meet Julie (Hardcover)
Meet Julie: 1974 (Hardcover)
13589
"Sometimes I think I am Judy Moody," says Megan McDonald, author of the Judy Moody series, the Stink series, and THE SISTERS CLUB. "I'm certainly moody, like she is. Judy has a strong voice and always speaks up for herself. I like that."

For Megan McDonald, being able to speak up for herself wasn't always easy. She grew up as the youngest of five sisters in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Her father, an...more
More about Megan McDonald...
Judy Moody (Judy Moody, # 1) Judy Moody Gets Famous! (Judy Moody, #2) Judy Moody Saves The World! (Judy Moody, #3) Stink: The Incredible Shrinking Kid (Stink, #1) Judy Moody, M.D.: The Doctor is In! (Judy Moody #5)

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