Book review: Marie-Grace and the Orphans by Sarah Masters Buckey

Marie-Grace and the Orphans by Sarah Masters Buckey (Published by American Girl, August 30, 2011)

This book picks up in May 1853, several months after the first two books about Marie-Grace and Cécile. Nine-year-old Marie-Grace Gardner, whose father is a doctor, is working on her schoolwork in his office one night when a baby boy is abandoned on the doorstep. Marie-Grace quickly becomes attached to the baby, who reminds her of her own little brother, who died when he was a baby. She wishes her father would adopt the baby, but he says they must eventually either return him to his family, if they can be found, and if not, take him to an orphange.

When a slave catcher comes to the office claiming the baby is a slave, Marie-Grace is terrified he will be taken away. To protect the baby, Marie-Grace takes him to an orphange, where she often visits him and plays with the other children there. But then a yellow fever epidemic strikes, and Marie-Grace is forced to make a difficult choice to keep the baby safe.

I loved the American Girls books as a child, but even now as an adult I am really enjoying the series about Marie-Grace and Cécile. I love the unusual historical setting of New Orleans in 1853. I think young girls will enjoy this series while hopefully learning about about a very unique place and time from American history.