Rereading the Addy books as an adult I realize that they’re really the best of the original historical doll books. Addy and her family dealt with very real, very difficult experiences in their lives and the author doesn’t shy away from that. 

Addy was enslaved and abused by an enslaver and others in power over her before she and her mother emancipated themselves. When they arrived in Philadelphia, Addy realized that life wasn’t going to be easy now that she was free. She still dealt with racism, separation from her father and siblings, as well as bullying from her classmates. 


The themes are all presented in a way that’s appropriate for younger readers but doesn’t pull any punches. If reading with a younger child—or even an older child—be prepared to talk to them about what enslaved peoples experienced  before, during, and after the Civil War.