Welcome to World Books

Welcome to Samantha's World.

Welcome to World Books are illustrated non-fictional historical books focusing on a 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.^[1] 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 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.