Chrissa Maxwell, Gwen Thompson, & Sonali Matthews
Edgewater, MN – 2009
Official Fandom Page: Chrissa Maxwell
Official Fandom Page: Gwen Thompson
Official Fandom Page: Sonali Matthews
Chrissa Maxwell is a creative, kind-hearted girl who has just moved with her family from Iowa to fictional Edgewater, Minnesota, to live with her grandmother, Nana. Quiet and a little hesitant, she finds it hard to make friends at her new school and quickly becomes the target of a clique of bullies called the Queen Bees. Chrissa loves to knit, sew, and help her dad with his pottery, and she’s a strong swimmer and diver. Through a rough start, she learns to stand up to meanness and to build true friendships with Gwen and Sonali.
Gwen Thompson is a quiet, gentle girl in Chrissa’s class who is quietly weathering hard times at home—her family has lost their housing. Often overlooked and sometimes picked on by the Queen Bees, Gwen keeps to herself, but she and Chrissa slowly form a genuine, caring friendship.
Sonali Matthews starts out as one of the Queen Bees, going along with the group’s unkindness even when it doesn’t sit right with her. Over time, Sonali finds the courage to break away from the mean-girl crowd and choose kindness instead, becoming a loyal friend to Chrissa and Gwen.
Chrissa’s story centered on bullying, and Gwen and Sonali were released as companion dolls alongside her at the same time as Chrissa’s release. American Girl also released a feature film, Chrissa Stands Strong, in 2009.
Books
- Chrissa
- Chrissa Stands Strong