View source for Welcome to World Books

[[File:WelcomeSamanthasWorld.jpg|thumb|350px|''[[Welcome to Samantha's World]]''.]]
'''Welcome to World Books''' are illustrated non-fictional historical books focusing on a [[Historical Characters|Historical Character's]] era. Retail cost was ''$14.95.'' 

==Overview==

The books--generally titled ''Welcome to [Name]'s World: Year: Growing Up in [Era]''--are large non-fiction books focused on each character's historical era. The majority of books were released in 1999, with Kit and Kaya's being released later after their character releases. While some character events from the [[Central Series]] are interspersed and mentioned at the front (including reinforcing that the characters are fictional), the book focuses mostly on real data from the era, expanding on factual data and historical events and angles similar to the [[Looking Back]] sections. 

Books often open with maps of a section of the continental United States or world at the time of the era, with the section relevant to the era emphasized.<ref>Molly's shows a whole world map.</ref> Photographs (from the era when possible), images of historical artifacts, illustrations, paintings, and historical facts are interspersed among the pages, along with paragraphs of historical events or vignettes. A single two-page spread tends to focus on a specific topic, such as colonial women's businesses, women and girl's fashions on the prairie, celebrations in New Mexico, or the importance of church life to free African Americans. Diagrams and illustrations also include places such as housing/homesteads, buildings, and/or maps of generic locations. (e.g. Addy's book has a diagram of a boarding house; Kirsten's has an image of a Dakota village.) Books also discuss less positive events of the era that are not heavily discussed in the series. (e.g. Felicity's book discusses the oppression enslaved people lived under; Molly's book discusses the bombing of Nagasaki and Hiroshima, and life in Japan.) 

Books have extensive photo and illustration credits, stating where all non-series images and photographs are sourced from.

The last section of the book, ''A Peek Into the Future,'' theorizes the possible adult life of the character, including what they might have achieved or sought when older. 

No books were produced for any characters after Kaya, and all the books are now [[Retirement|retired]].

==''Girl's World''==

In ''2009,'' Samantha and Kit each received ''Girls World'' books. These were simplified versions of the Welcome to World Books; factual data was included, but there was more emphasis on the character herself and the characters of her world as related to the facts. Interactive elements were also included, such as lift-the-flap, rotational diagrams, or removable play items. 

No other characters received this style of book, and both books were later retired. 

==A Keepsake Guide==

When Samantha was rereleased prior to the 40th anniversary, she was paired with the book ''[[A Keepsake Guide to Samantha's World]]'' instead of her meet book; the book goes over books and items in her collection. The same was done when Felicity returned for the anniversary, and she received ''[[A Keepsake Guide to Felicity's World]]'' in place of her meet book. 

==List of Welcome To World Books==

===[[Kaya'aton'my|Kaya]]===

* [[Welcome to Kaya's World]]: 1764: Growing Up in a Native American Homeland

===[[Felicity Merriman]]===

* [[Welcome to Felicity's World]]: 1774: Growing Up in Colonial America

===[[Josefina Montoya]]===

* [[Welcome to Josefina's World]]: 1824: Growing Up on America's Southwest Frontier

===[[Kirsten Larson]]===

* [[Welcome to Kristen's World]]: 1854: Growing Up in Pioneer America

===[[Addy Walker]]===

* [[Welcome to Addy's World]]: 1864: Growing Up During America's Civil War

===[[Samantha Parkington]]===

* [[Welcome to Samantha's World]]: 1904: Growing Up in America's New Century
* [[Samantha's World]]: A Girl's-Eye View of the Turn of the 20th Century

===[[Kit Kittredge]]===

* [[Welcome to Kit's World]]: 1934: Growing Up During America's Great Depression
* [[Kit's World]]:  A Girl's-Eye View of the Great Depression 

===[[Molly McIntire]]===

* [[Welcome to Molly's World]]: 1944: Growing Up in World War Two America

==See Also==

* [[Introduction to Williamsburg]], a book focused specifically on Colonial Williamsburg that is connected to Felicity's collection.

==References==
{{Refs}}

[[Category:Historical Characters]]
[[Category:Books]]
[[Category:Historical Books]]
[[Category:Retired Books]]
[[Category:Welcome to World Books]]

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''This page incorporates text from [https://americangirl.fandom.com/wiki/Welcome_to_World_Books the source wiki] ([https://americangirl.fandom.com/index.php?oldid=129309 exported version], [https://americangirl.fandom.com/index.php?title=Welcome+to+World+Books&action=history contributor history]), under [https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/ the original text license].''