The Bottom Line
Mia, the companion book for the 2008 Limited Edition American Girl Doll Mia St. Clair, will inspire young people to consider ice skating. From a figure skater's point of view, some of the situations in the book are not quite accurate; however, the book is a fun read and will give readers of all ages a glimpse into the ice skating world.
Readers of this book who are not interested in pursuing figure skating will learn about values such as commitment, good sportsmanship, and hard work. The importance of a close and supportive family is also stressed in this writing.
Pros
- "Mia" is a easy to read book.
- Mia's story encourages readers to try figure skating.
- A happy and supportive family is described in this book.
- The reader will learn about good sportsmanship and hard work.
- Mia's story teaches about life's values..
Cons
- Not all the situations in the book are quite accurate when it comes to the figure skating world.
Description
- Mia is written by Laurence Yep, one of children's literature's most respected authors.
- Published by American Girl Publishing, Inc.
- Published in 2008
- 130 pages
- The book is written in a first person format: It seems that a real life "Mia" is talking to the reader.
- There is a second book available, Bravo, Mia!, that continues to tell Mia's story.
- Some colorful illustrations are included throughout the book.
- Some letters about real life situations (from real girls) similar to Mia's are included at the end of the book.
- Paperback
Guide Review - "Mia" - Review of the Book That Goes With the American Girl Figure Skating Doll
Mia is an ice skating book that brings the 2008 Limited Edition American Girl Doll, Mia St. Clair, to life. Readers will learn about the figure skating world and will also learn about life's values.
Mia's Story
Mia is a ten year old who lives in a small town in New York State. In the past, she has played ice hockey with her three older brothers who are competitive ice hockey players. Mia's family is really into hockey and Mia is quite talented at hockey. Even though she could excel at hockey, she feels as if she is skating in her brothers' shadows, so she decides to pursue figure skating. In this book, she begins training hard at figure skating with a new coach and she learns lessons about hard work, commitment, and good sportsmanship.Not a Completely Accurate Story
Not all the situations in Mia's story are true to life. For example, in one part of the book, Mia is asked to be a substitute teacher for a young beginners' learn-to-skate class. Ice arenas DO NOT have ten year olds, even very accomplished ten year old figure skaters, substitute for paid and trained figure skating instructors.Also, Mia's parents are interested in Mia's figure skating, but are just too busy to be at the rink with Mia. Rarely do skaters advance at figure skating unless one parent is present and involved on a daily basis. In Mia's story, Mia carries much of that responsiblity on her own.
