Isabel: My Journal

American Girl: Isabel & Nicki #0.5

by Julia DeVillers

"My name is Isabel Hoffman, I am 9 years old, and I live in Seattle, Washington. I wrote this journal in December 1999. It used up all the ink in my pink gel pen!!" (Back of book description)

Genres: Historical Fiction

80 pages, Paperback

First published February 22, 2023

Reviews

[Laura Jerrolds · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really loved this book! As an American Girl fan since basically my birth, it’s so magical to read about a historical character from my time!! I love all the 90s references and Girl Power!

[Harlyn Rengel · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have the doll and the book! My sister has Nicky Isabel’s twin I love Isabel and Nicky

[Madison Merkel · Rating 4 out of 5]

Read this out loud to my little cousin, and it was so sweet! Girl power and educating the youths on Y2K

[Grace · Rating 1 out of 5]

The worst American girl book by far. Makes no narrative sense. Doesn’t even read like a historical character’s book. Nothing traumatic happens to her and everything is awesome all the time.

[Panda Incognito · Rating 4 out of 5]

At this time, the Isabel and Nicki journals are only available from American Girl if you purchase the dolls, but I was able to find someone selling both books on eBay, and I was so pleased to get them! The 1999 nostalgia is fun, and the journal style for the books makes me think of popular series from that era, like the Amelia Writes books.

This truly reads like a journal, and there are lots of cute illustrations. I liked Isabel's story about dealing with changes in her friend group, learning to stand up for herself, and coming to better understand her twin's different personality and interests. This was sweet and charming, and although I think the author should have actively explained more historical details for the target audience, she did a great job weaving in lots of nostalgic references. I especially loved that Isabel was reading Ella Enchanted!

The story includes casual Jewish representation through references to Isabel and Nicki celebrating both Hannukah and Christmas with their families. I don't love the fact that Jewish representation is almost always secular, and I wish that authors would try to weave in Jewish faith elements in an authentic and meaningful way, but this is a fine representation of secular kids with a Jewish cultural background enjoying the holiday season.

The book ends with the twins celebrating the New Year and the turn of the millennium, and the plot element related to their countdown checklist was a fun way to pack in lots of different adventures and tie subplots together. I hope that there will be more books about Isabel and Nicki in the future, because I really enjoyed the characters.

Instead of a traditional historical note at the end, this book features a school assignment from Isabel's perspective where she reflects on significant events from the 90s involving women and girls. This was mostly all familiar to me, but I learned a few things, and it's a great way to introduce cultural and historical details to kids now.

[Amie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really wanted to love this book. I still think the 90s girls should've been from the mid-nineties, like the original girls were always from the middle of the decade. That would make Isabel and Nicki my age.

This book is 'Isabel's' journal, and written in Amelia's Notebook style. There's an interesting 'report' at the end of the book that tells more details about the turn of the century. I was surprised to learn a few things from that!

[Addy Canzano · Rating 5 out of 5]

For my final Christmas as a kid (hello 20 year old addy.) I got a final American girl doll and she is my new best friend. I LOVE YOU ISABEL.

this book was actually adorable and I love the whole y2k new years and the journal style it was just such a comfort to have this

[Paris · Rating 4 out of 5]

Super cute. I miss the old narrative style of AG historicals, but this is a super fun new year's read and absolutely reminds me of how i wrote as if i had an audience when i was growing up as well.

[geekoutonreading : Tiffany · Rating 5 out of 5]

Was this a journal written by my younger self, because it certainly felt like it. The nostalgia was strong! Loved it!! (My daughter got this journal with her American Girl doll.)

[Charlie - disableddaydreamer | itsbarbieparis (looking for mutuals) · Rating 5 out of 5]

isabel is for the pink obsessed 90s kids

[Epichorsegirl · Rating 2 out of 5]

I would hardly call this a book. I don’t know why American Girl decided to do this instead of giving these two an actual story.

[Laura Alley · Rating 5 out of 5]

I actually enjoyed Isabel’s journal a bit more than Nicki’s. I felt Isabel a bit more relatable, largely in part to all of the 90s toys she mentions playing with - Bop It, beanie babies, Tamagotchi, Furby, Miss AG Bear! As a 10 year old in 1999, these brought back many happy memories for me.

Although the same basic story as Nicki’s, it was nice to read the same events from Isabel’s point of view.

[Amanda Kay · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have a complete AG historical book collection so this was needed to fill it out. It’s a cute addition to Isabel and Nicki, and reminded me of the old Amelia diaries.