Grace Stirs it Up

American Girl: Grace #2

by Mary Casanova, Sarah Davis (Illustrator)

Back home in Massachusetts, Grace is excited to start a new French baking business with her friends, and to have an adorable new dog to train, too! But she quickly learns that both the business and the dog are big responsibilities, especially when her energetic pup has difficulty adjusting to her new home. Grace does her best to give her pet what she needs to be happy. Can she also help her friends blend their unique talents, and whip up a recipe for a successful business?

Genres: Middle Grade, Contemporary, Childrens, Juvenile, Fiction, Friendship, Historical Fiction

184 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2015

About the author

Mary Casanova is an award-winning children's author of novels and picture books. Many of her books stem from her life on the Minnesota-Canadian border; yet some of her stories have taken her as far away as France, Norway, and Belize for research. Whatever the setting for her books, Casanova writes stories that matter--and stories that kids can't put down.

Her book awards include: American Library Association "Notable," Aesop Accolades by the American Folklore Society, Parents' Choice "Gold" Award, Booklist Editor Choice, and two Minnesota Book Awards. Her books frequently land on state children's choice book master lists across the country. "The greatest reward for me," Casanova states, "is when a young reader tells me she or he loves one of my books. For me, it's all about communicating writer-to-reader through a character and story."

Casanova grew up in a family of ten children in St. Paul, Minnesota. In a bustling camp-like atmosphere, Casanova found that writing became her voice. "Words are my paintbrush," she explains, "my way of exploring the world around me."

Now, with 19 books published and many more under contract and forthcoming, she divides her time between writing and traveling. Nationally and internationally, at schools and conferences, Casanova shares her love of writing and reading with children and adults.

Her newest novel, The Klipfish Code, makes use of Mary's on-site research in Norway. The story explores an important facet of Norwegian history through the experiences of Marit, a 12-year-old Norwegian girl who finds a way to fight against the 5-year Nazi occupation of Norway. Marit and her brother Lars are separated from their parents (who are working for the Resistance) and sent to live on an island with their gruff grandfather and school teacher aunt. During the course of the story, Marit's aunt is one of the Norwegian school teachers that gets sent to a concentration camp for refusing to integrate Nazi propaganda into her classroom. With potential danger waiting every turn, Marit finds a way to help the Resistance and eventually reunite her family.

Mary's series, Dog Watch (Simon and Schuster) is based on her northern Minnesota village where dogs are allowed to roam free—as long as they don't get in trouble. If they get in trouble, they earn a sticker on their page at the village clerk's office; too many stickers and a trouble-making dog must remain at home. "I never know where the next story will come from. It’s a delight when the stories come right from this corner of the world I call home." She makes her home in a 100-year old house on Rainy Lake with her husband, Charles, and their three "above average" dogs and spends free time with their horses, Jay and Midnight.

Reviews

[Olivia · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great ways to make money

[Katt Hansen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Grace is home from Paris and nothing is the same. Her friends have grown distant and don't always agree with her ideas. Everyone has some growing up to do as they explore a brand new business and how differences are sometimes also strengths.

Loved this one as much as the first book, amazed at how much story was packed into such a short book. Now I'm being driven crazy waiting on book three!

[Karol · Rating 5 out of 5]

Grace Stirs It Up is a great story about taking on more mature responsibilities.
Grace learns and adapts to caring for a dog and the in's and out's of operating a business with friends.
A nice representation of team work and a family support system.

[Cha Cha · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is mostly about a girl named Grace and her friends Ella and Maddy doing a cooking business. I felt sad when Grace had no cooking business because her friends left. My favorite part was when Grace saw her mother doing the half-marathon.

[Jessica Arend · Rating 2 out of 5]

So disappointed after such a stellar first book! But if you take away the magic of Paris and replace it with bratty, arguing frenemies, the book will definitely land in the category of sophomore slump.

[Laura · Rating 4 out of 5]

Grace learns an important lesson on balance in her life.

[Sania E. · Rating 5 out of 5]

I like it a lot.

[Lindsey · Rating 5 out of 5]

Grace stirs up is a good book but it is not as relatable because it is mostly about this girl having her own baking business and a little kid cannot have their business. Overall it is an interesting book because it kinda keeps you hanging like if she is gonna be able to make the money and make all of the deserts.

[Bora · Rating 5 out of 5]

So I have read this book and I tjink it's an amazing book about a girl named Grace and starting the bussines with her friends but she also has to take caring for the dog BonBon and that a big responsibility but she tries it I haven't read the first one yet but this one is amazing recommended to yall📚
Hope you all good and take care hope you will like this book,don't forget wear a mask 😷❤️

[Tammy Landgren · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a really sweet story. My daughter and I adore Grace. I feel like she's a really realistic girl with her own strengths and weaknesses. I liked how they showed Grace and her friend Maddy having a fight and then working through their differences to keep their friendship intact. All of the French treats made us hungry too!

[mary · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a girl book! I loved the book and had to say that there were a little (no a lot) of ups and downs throughout this book! Friends ditching Grace and then Ella getting sick.🤒 The story was good but not the best book I've ever read. 😉

[Lisa · Rating 3 out of 5]

An American Girl book. This story follows Grace as she travels to Paris and learns to navigate the city, the language, and new friendships. She even befriends a French bulldog and names her Bonbon. A nice story.

[Kelly · Rating 2 out of 5]

Wow. This one was pretty bad. Grace is surprisingly fine, it's her friend Maddy that ruins the whole book for me. She's a literal brat and makes conflict where there shouldn't be. Also the dog is a second storyline in this and it's also bad. A very weak AG book.

[Shani · Rating 3 out of 5]

*Review to come*

[Grace · Rating 3 out of 5]

mmmmmmmmm sweets!

[Caoilinn Moroney · Rating 1 out of 5]

I liked the ending, but the rest was kind of boring.

[Mojo]

Would be good for fourth graders. But it was to young for me.

[Aliza Heslop · Rating 3 out of 5]

It took long to read and the girls were fighting. I don't like to read about fights.

[Evelyn · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really enjoyed the first book of this series and I thought this one was also quite good. Although I prefer fantasy novels, this book held my interest and was inspiring. I really appreciated how it touched on realistic topics like the loss of a parent’s job and the struggles of friendship, that usually aren’t included in kids books. I thought the author did a really good job of outlining problems with friendships, which creates an entertaining book that isn’t all just sunshine and rainbows. I would suggest this book if you are looking for a fun, light read.

[Marian · Rating 2 out of 5]

Grace is back home with her new dog, Bonbon, and the adjustment is difficult for both of them. Bonbon has lived on the streets for at least a few months, probably longer, and isn't adjusting as well to needing to go outside to do her business and Grace is having to deal with that as well as the weird shift in her friendship dynamic.

I was so hoping we'd make it one GOTY series without the friend fight. Just one. But no.

Maddy and Ella are away when Grace returns and that just gives Grace extra time to feel left out so that when they do get back (the next day), she's just that much more hyped up to present her Brilliant Idea. Neither of her friends are immediately thrilled with the idea but eventually they come around in varying degrees.

Unfortunately, Grace's intense need to plan everything clashes horribly with Maddy's preference to go where the mood takes her and things explode, leaving the business in the lurch.

On the plus side, at least the dog drama doesn't hold back on the realities of having a new responsibility for a pet. So often books for kids kind of gloss over that and kids don't realize how much time a new pet takes and then are horribly surprised when things don't work out the way they do in fiction.

But that combined with the friendship drama? It's a little much to read about page after page. I think this is one of those books that would have fared well with illustrations to break up the stress induced freakouts on page.

Grace Stirs It Up is not a bad book and it's entirely possible that when the third book comes out in what, May, that reading all three together will improve the rating for book 2. As it stands, the most interesting elements are brushed aside (Ella's summer of worry for one) for now.

[Rachel · Rating 5 out of 5]

I think this is one of my favorite American Girl books yet. While I'm not familiar with Grace's story in general, I was able to get into the setting with her family as she had just returned from a trip to see family in Paris. In the story, Grace talks her two friends into starting a bakery business with her, but they soon encounter personality conflicts as well as the typical problems of one friend having more or less money to put into the business than the others do. The friends have to learn how to give one another the space to do individual jobs well, instead of all three doing the same thing together at all times. Additionally, I appreciated the lesson that the girls learned to ask the adults in their lives for business advice. The story made it very clear that the girls' business was more successful, and they ended up having more fun doing it, as a result of involving their advisers. All in all, a great, feel-good story for the middle age crowd with excellent life lessons to be learned.

[Xyra · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a nice story. It centered around the youth themes of jealousy, envy, bossiness, teamwork, and friendship.

The story itself is well crafted and straightforward. An easy read for an adult, not so easy for a young reader - which is good. There is a glossary at the back to help with the pronunciation and description of the French words.

This one had a few glitches with regards to the business. My first issue centers around Grace's grandparents and their bakery...is she not concerned about taking business from them? Also why not ask them if she and her friends can meet, plan, and bake in their kitchen after hours? It's already been cleared by the department of health.

I really liked getting to know Grace's family, her friends, and their parents too. It was good to see parents who are interested and supportive of their children.

It was fun and I enjoyed seeing how the story evolved and resolved.

[Rachel · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was pretty good. I already read the third book in the series to I kind of knew how it turned out, but it was fun to read. Grace has to figure out how not to be bossy and controlling in the baking business with her friends. They work it out with each girl using her strengths and still having fun. They talk so much about French treats that every time I read the book I wanted to go to a bakery and by some baked dessert. It would have been nice if they had illustrations, but they only do that with the first book in the series.

[Madison · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a great book! I am usually not a big fan of the American Girl of the year series, but this was a great book. I love the french dictionary in the back of the book. I recommend this book to anyone who is a fan of the American Girl books, is currently or wanting to learn French, and anyone who is looking for a good book to read.

[Cara · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fun little story that I ended up reading all in one sitting. These books have such useful hints about how to solve your life-problems! For this one, it was giving people (and dogs) the freedom to be who they want instead of trying to force them into your mold. Also, the trials of starting a business when you're not yet old enough to use the oven by yourself. <3

[Nathan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amazing

This book was SO good the way the story line could just go from one topic to the next and myself being able to figure it out amazing job by Mary Casanova. Definitely worth re-reading,

[DD · Rating 4 out of 5]

this book was a little bit good it is really long there are a ton of French words. review written by Annabelle

[Ashley Bowen · Rating 3 out of 5]

I think this was the second book but I read it first. I have also seen the movie, it was pretty good.

[Carol · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ava loves it.ztezegD,glibly

Love it.123456789)cxscccvfgg()()5)()()()()()())()()54321$ thing's for sure to read more about the other
Xoxoxoxo and a good time at work today and

[Elle Wood · Rating 5 out of 5]

Grace is home from Paris and nothing is the same .She has a dog to take care of, her friends are disagreeing with her. What is Grace going to do?

I loved this book I recommend this book to any one!