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Changes for Molly is the sixth book in the Molly series. It is now included in Stars, Stripes and Surprises.

Characters[]

Only in Changes for Molly[]

Chapter by Chapter Summary[]

Chapter One: Hurray For The U.S.A![]

Molly and her friends Linda and Susan are waiting for the bus after their dance class. It is a cold, rainy March afternoon so they are waiting under the movie theater sign. They are talking about the Hurray for the U.S.A! show that their dance class is performing in. All the girls are going to try out for the part of Miss Victory, the soloist in their dance. Linda and Susan both agree that Molly will get it because she is the best dancer. There is only one problem, Molly’s hair is straight and it needs to be curly for the part of Miss Victory.

Chapter Two: A Hair-Raising Experience[]

Chapter Three: The New Molly[]

Chapter Four: The Show Must Go On[]

Looking Back: Changes For America[]

Discusses changes for America after the end of World War Two. Topics include:

  • How soldiers were welcomed home after the war and the reunification of families, and the belief that the world would be a better place because of the victories that America was believed to have had a major part in.
  • How life returned to normal for most Americans, with rationing ending and factories returning to producing consumer goods instead of war materials; additionally how, after years of being unable to replace items, people purchased new ones.
  • The widespread manufacture of newer goods such as televisions and cars (as only half of families owned cars prior to the war)
  • How women who had worked in factories and other careers were pressured to give up their jobs to returning soldiers and return to what was considered a woman's "most important work" of marriage, family and domesticity in the home.
  • The start of the post-war baby boom, leading to the development of suburbs and prefab houses.
  • The movement of residential areas from the urban to the suburban, the start of commuting to work, and how women and children rarely went to to cities and were expected to dress well to do so--but that fashion changed post-war, including the more frequent addition of pants to women's clothing.
  • The after effects of the war--the large numbers of soldiers and citizens killed, the devastation in Europe, the aftermath of the German-led Holocaust, and the high number of post-war refugees; and America's part in leading the rebuilding of Europe.
  • The bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki and how the aftermath led to American fears of nuclear attack
  • The post-war formation of the United Nations, known as the UN, in 1945, with the intention of preventing worldwide war again

Items associated with Changes for Molly[]

Later combined into Molly's Winter Outfit

Book Covers[]

References[]

  1. Pg. 11. "And March eighteenth is only two weeks from now," said Jill. Chapter Two mentions that Molly had to wait two more days for Saturday, which means Dr. McIntire's letter arrived on March 1st in order to correspond to Jill's statement.
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