Award-winning author Jacqueline Dembar Greene spoke to a sold-out crowd of girls, parents, and their historical doll friends at the Boulder JCC on Sunday afternoon.  The kids sat attentively on the floor in front of the author while she told how she was chosen to write the six new American Girl™ books about Rebecca Rubin, a Russian-Jewish girl.  Ms. Greene wowed the girls by giving an inside perspective on the details behind writing the books.  She had to research the time period thoroughly, reading over 100 books about the lives of immigrants in the United States in 1914.  She even visited the lower east side of New York City, where Rebecca could have grown up.  It took three years to write the six books.

The doll-loving girls in the audience seemed particularly interested when the author read various passages from the new books, never giving away the endings of course.  After the talk, the girls settled into craft-making, tea and snacks.  Ms. Greene signed copies of her books in the lobby and was happy to pose for photographs.  Rose Goodman, age 10, said, “I thought it would be boring with just someone talking, but it turned out to be really fun.”