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American Girl: Chrissa #2
Chrissa Stands Strong
Chrissa's had a good summer, practicing for swim team tryouts. Then her world is shaken when she and her friends get mean text messages and there's an accident at the pool. Can one girl put an end to the bullying?
124 pages, Paperback
First published December 2, 2008
21 people are currently reading
338 people want to read
About the author
Mary Casanova
49 books204 followersMary 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.
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.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 40 reviews
November 30, 2020
This look at cyberbullying is interestingly dated, with references to "Web sites," message boards, and hyphenated "e-mail." Even though this American Girl book was incredibly modern and up-to-date in 2009, it is now an interesting look into the past. It intrigued me to realize that even many of the contemporary books are historical in a way now, and I appreciate the level of detail that the author and illustrator captured regarding the clothes, technology, and school social norms of the time.
December 19, 2025
read this entirely out loud to my gf while she was driving us to her parents' house in alabama. thank you chrissa for getting me to my book goal in the nick of time!!!
January 31, 2016
Bullling may be some what over for Chrissa at lest she thing he world has turned upside down for her agian. Her best friends from school want to take break from her Tara wants to friends with her and now somone is posting rude cooments about Chrissa and her friends ont the swim team website. What will Chrissa do and who can she trust?
January 9, 2020
Not a great literary work, but wrestles with complex preteen female relationships and cyber bullying. A good one on the topic.
March 5, 2024
**2.5**
Considering the movie is named after this book, it’s weird to see how much of this book didn’t make it into the movie. Yes, it was mostly only 3 plotlines, but a lot of time was spent at the lake
Chrissa is a sweet girl, but she’s being stubborn should listen to her friends. They’re the ones who have known tara longer
Even though she may have been right, chrissa should have listen to her friends and actually considered the possibilities. But even better, she should have learned from the previous semester and just TOLD!! She annoyed me so much in this book
However, this book did have 2 very important lessons: first was from nana about how words can hurt too. The second is that every friendship starts with “hello”. If it weren’t for these lessons, my rating would have been a star lower
- new school year
- Tara was at the same store shopping for clothes. And being nice??
- Practice swimming over the summer
- Mean text about chrissa
- Preparing for baby llama
- Chrissa is convinced the text is from Tyler and actually wants to give tara a second chance
- Mr beck offered gwen to be his assistant
- Tryouts. Tara approached chrissa again
- Online posts about sonali
- Chrissa still defending tara. Sonali and gwen decide to take a break from chrissa. THEN she still invites tara over
- Baby llama is born
- Practicing dives
- More mean messages on swim board page. Coach addressed it
- Confronted tara about the messages. She swears no. Was it jayden, maybe? Jealous?
- Opened up about the bullying to mom and dad
- Chrissa was joking about Tyler but tara went with it. Told Tyler about a corkscrew dive
- Hit head on board
- Chrissa knows she messed ip and part of it is her fault too
- Tara and chrissa are both suspended for 2 weeks!
- jadyn’s parents invited chrissa’s family over for an apology
- Want to work with the school to make an anti-bullying program
Considering the movie is named after this book, it’s weird to see how much of this book didn’t make it into the movie. Yes, it was mostly only 3 plotlines, but a lot of time was spent at the lake
Chrissa is a sweet girl, but she’s being stubborn should listen to her friends. They’re the ones who have known tara longer
Even though she may have been right, chrissa should have listen to her friends and actually considered the possibilities. But even better, she should have learned from the previous semester and just TOLD!! She annoyed me so much in this book
However, this book did have 2 very important lessons: first was from nana about how words can hurt too. The second is that every friendship starts with “hello”. If it weren’t for these lessons, my rating would have been a star lower
- new school year
- Tara was at the same store shopping for clothes. And being nice??
- Practice swimming over the summer
- Mean text about chrissa
- Preparing for baby llama
- Chrissa is convinced the text is from Tyler and actually wants to give tara a second chance
- Mr beck offered gwen to be his assistant
- Tryouts. Tara approached chrissa again
- Online posts about sonali
- Chrissa still defending tara. Sonali and gwen decide to take a break from chrissa. THEN she still invites tara over
- Baby llama is born
- Practicing dives
- More mean messages on swim board page. Coach addressed it
- Confronted tara about the messages. She swears no. Was it jayden, maybe? Jealous?
- Opened up about the bullying to mom and dad
- Chrissa was joking about Tyler but tara went with it. Told Tyler about a corkscrew dive
- Hit head on board
- Chrissa knows she messed ip and part of it is her fault too
- Tara and chrissa are both suspended for 2 weeks!
- jadyn’s parents invited chrissa’s family over for an apology
- Want to work with the school to make an anti-bullying program
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 2, 2021
A great read following the first book ''Chrissa''. This time things change for Chrissa and her friends Gwen and Sonali in terms of bullying.
This time they are victims of cyber-bullying, though the person behind it is not who they think it is. The search for who is behind the nasty text messages and posts nearly breaks up Chrissa and her friends' friendship, as Tara has taken a change for the better in Chrissa's eyes but her friends do not want to believe it at first due to last year's drama. Ends with unpredictability and everyone unites, including the parents, to put an end of bullying at the girls' school.
Overall a great story for exploring the power of bullying through the Internet and the power of friendship and uniting as one to put an end to bullying.
This time they are victims of cyber-bullying, though the person behind it is not who they think it is. The search for who is behind the nasty text messages and posts nearly breaks up Chrissa and her friends' friendship, as Tara has taken a change for the better in Chrissa's eyes but her friends do not want to believe it at first due to last year's drama. Ends with unpredictability and everyone unites, including the parents, to put an end of bullying at the girls' school.
Overall a great story for exploring the power of bullying through the Internet and the power of friendship and uniting as one to put an end to bullying.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 18, 2025
I enjoyed the book for the most part, but I think it's unfair at the end that Chrissa recieved the same punishment as Tara for what happened. Chrissa said something slightly unkind and didn't alert the coach because of fear. Tara caused a dangerous situation that made a kid get a concussion, and could have *killed* him. There is a large difference in severity here, and both being suspended for the same amount of time doesn't add up
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 27, 2020
Ok, I do like Chrissa's stories. I didn't like this one as much as the first, but it was still good. They are very realistic. You get annoyed with her for not approaching her parents sooner, but she is a kid and her thought process is reasonable.
October 22, 2022
Full series review for Chrissa:
This is definitely an "it's not you, it's me" situation. I hate hate HATE "bully books", or books where the sole premise is that the MC is being bullied, and I've hated them ever since I was a child. I do like Gwen (the controversy around her doll was so stupid--although in hindsight the fact that the woman who started the drama getting mad about a doll who *checks notes* teaches kids to have empathy for homeless people ended up being as far right as she was completely checks out) but I dislike how little we actually saw of Chrissa, Gwen, and Sonali's friendship, especially since the second book focuses more on Chrissa trying to befriend her former bully than actually spending time with her friends.
This is definitely an "it's not you, it's me" situation. I hate hate HATE "bully books", or books where the sole premise is that the MC is being bullied, and I've hated them ever since I was a child. I do like Gwen (the controversy around her doll was so stupid--although in hindsight the fact that the woman who started the drama getting mad about a doll who *checks notes* teaches kids to have empathy for homeless people ended up being as far right as she was completely checks out) but I dislike how little we actually saw of Chrissa, Gwen, and Sonali's friendship, especially since the second book focuses more on Chrissa trying to befriend her former bully than actually spending time with her friends.
July 8, 2022
Not as good as the first book, but still great. The only thing I wish would have changed is that if they'd been able to explore Chrissa and Tyler's relationship more.
May 13, 2023
Overall enjoyed. The ending was ok, Imyconfused as why Chrissa would want to be friends with Jadyn after everything that happened. Other than that it was entertaining.
June 23, 2024
AG tackles cyber bullying! And does it well.
October 2, 2025
nice low pressure book
March 8, 2009
A nice complement to the American Girl movie, the stories have a bit more detail, particularly around cyber-bullying (in Chrissa Stands Strong). The books also have letters from girls experiencing bullying and AG responses, as well as discussion questions.
April 12, 2009
There was cyber bullying. It was not good. Chrissa found out it was Jaden. She made it be a good summer. Even though there was cyber-bullying. She told her mom and dad that's how she stopped it. She was very brave.
June 13, 2012
I watched the movie in between reading the first and second books, which kind of screwed me up. But a good look at the other side of bullying and that people can change. My favorite part of the book was the parents working together to make some changes at the school alongside the faculty.
May 21, 2015
This second Chrissa book follows the first and deals with cyber bullying instead of physical bullying. It was nice to see that Tara, the bully in the first book, is learning her lesson and wants to be nicer to people.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 10, 2016
I read this as a request of one of my students. It was fairly predictable but I think that it touched upon an important topic for kids. The approach the adults took in this book was far better than the approach in the first book. I liked that there were letters written by real kids at the end.
May 2, 2009
You don't have to be ten and in fourth to know what it is like to be Chrissa.
February 14, 2009
There are a couple of glaring mistakes in the story line that any editor should have caught, which I find very frustrating.
Read
April 12, 2009i learned that it is a good book
Read
August 23, 2009I have NEVER read this book.
March 29, 2011
Loved It!
June 24, 2011
a perfect book about friendship and bullling
July 28, 2011
It was really cool 2 c how the movie relates 2 the book!:)
January 5, 2012
A great book!
March 31, 2012
i found it useful, bullies are going DOWN!
May 8, 2012
Great book! All about how to deal with bullying! It'll make you think!
Read
January 7, 2013Sydney book club book :)
Displaying 1 - 30 of 40 reviews