Kirsten Larson
Maryville, MN – 1854
Kirsten Larson is a Swedish American immigrant who comes with her family to live in a fictional town of Maryville, Minnesota. They move to live with Uncle Olav, who has a farm there. The hope is that Kirsten’s Papa will someday earn enough to be able to buy his own farm nearby. At first, Kirsten fears she’ll never belong in America, struggling with the language and feeling far from the tiny Swedish village where she knew everyone. She’s endlessly curious and loves to explore, often wandering into places she shouldn’t and letting her daydreams carry her away. As the oldest daughter, she works hard alongside Mama—cooking, cleaning, and taking on even more once baby Britta arrives. Kirsten acts before she thinks, and her strong will and stubborn streak land her in trouble, but she’s also caring, thoughtful, and quick to make friends. She’s easily frightened by unfamiliar things and hates being cooped up indoors, longing instead for open space and new adventures. Above all, she admires her mother and hopes to grow up just as brave and steadfast, carrying a true pioneering spirit as she builds a new life in America.
Books
Central Series
- Meet Kirsten
- Kirsten Learns a Lesson
- Kirsten’s Surprise
- Happy Birthday, Kirsten!
- Kirsten Saves the Day
- Changes for Kirsten
Short Stories
- Kirsten on the Trail
- Kirsten Snowbound!
- Kirsten and the Chippewa
- Kirsten’s Promise
- Kirsten and the New Girl
- Kirsten and the Thief
- Kirsten’s New Teacher
Mysteries
- The Runaway Friend
More Information
When BeForever was introduced in 2014, they retired Kirsten and her collection. They never combined her classic series stories into longer books, like with the other characters.
For more details about Kirsten’s books, or to see additional versions of books, please see the Official Fandom Page for Kirsten’s books.