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117-473: American Girl is a line of dolls, books, and accessories. American Girl ( s ) may also refer to: American Girl Pleasant Company was founded in 1986 by Pleasant Rowland in Middleton, Wisconsin, and its products were originally purchasable by mail order only. In 1998, Pleasant Company became a subsidiary of Mattel after Mattel purchased the company for $ 700 million. The company has been awarded

234-409: A Motown singer; her oldest sister, Yvonne, is a student at Tuskegee University ; her sister, Lila, is in middle school and lives at home. In her character's first book, No Ordinary Sound , Melody's cousins move to Detroit from Alabama ; this is when Melody learns more of racial prejudice. When the 16th Street Baptist Church bombing occurs, Melody becomes fearful of going into her church, because

351-684: A Lesson, (doll name's) Surprise, Happy Birthday (doll name), (doll name) Saves the Day, Changes for (doll name). Some of the American Girl Dolls also have Best Friend books which are books following the storyline of the best friend of one of the American Girl Dolls – a spinoff to the original series. Examples of these include Nellie's Promise by Valerie Tripp (2004), Very Funny, Elizabeth by Valerie Tripp (2005), and Brave Emily by Valerie Tripp (2006). In 2004, American Girl teamed up with Julia Roberts 's Red Om production company to create

468-465: A boycott of the brand. American Girl Doll News continued to show support for Kira, publishing an article titled "Why Kira's Aunts Mean The World To Me", which discusses the joy of admin Sydney Satalino to see representation. American Girl Dolls were created to provide young girls with role models that were connected to historical events. American Girl Dolls and their stories are written with

585-673: A business decision, as they decided to "move away from the character-friend strategy within the line". The company has also drawn criticism for its recent focus on the contemporary line, specifically the Girl of the Year characters and their backstory, to which was viewed as lacking depth and more critical issues in comparison to the Historical/BeForever characters' backstories. My Little Pony: Friendship Is Magic series creator Lauren Faust also expressed her concern and criticism of

702-414: A lack of recognition of injustices, maintaining that all Americans share the same privileges regardless of race or ethnicity. Kaya'aton'my, a Nez Perce character set in 1764, has a story that takes place before American colonization which has been criticized for avoiding the issue of colonialism through pre-Western contact settings. American Girl worked with a Nez Perce advisory board in creating Kaya;

819-460: A live-action feature with Lindsey Anderson Beer serving as the screenwriter and producer. American Girl Place is a brick-and-mortar store selling American Girl dolls, clothes, and accessories. The first store, the 35,000 square-foot American Girl Place, designed by Nancye Green of Donovan/Green, debuted in Chicago, Illinois, in 1998. The original American Girl Place on Chicago Avenue also had

936-544: A manner appropriate for the understanding and sensibilities of said market. The first dolls in the American Girl/Historical line (Samantha, Kirsten and Molly) shared the same face mold but had different hair and eye colors. The first dolls were created with white muslin bodies, but these cloth bodies were changed in 1991 from a white muslin to a matching flesh tone. This accommodated the low necklines of Late Colonial/Revolutionary period gowns produced for

1053-568: A nine-year-old girl who lives in Seattle, Washington , with her fraternal twin sister Nicki Hoffman. Isabel Jane Hoffman was born on May 22, 1990, to Robin and Dave Hoffman. Isabel was released in 2023 along with her twin sister Nicki Hoffman. Nicki Hoffman (born May 22, 1990) is the nineteenth historical character representing the turn of the millennium to the early 2000s. She is a nine-year-old girl who lives in Seattle, Washington , with her fraternal twin sister Isabel Hoffman. Nicki Pearl Hoffman

1170-635: A planned theatrical release; as of 2015, the musical has remained in development limbo . In lieu of this, a short independent film was uploaded on American Girl's YouTube account, starring Jolie Ledford in the title role. Ivy Ling (born February 28, 1966), Julie's best friend, is a Chinese American girl living in San Francisco . Good Luck, Ivy by Lisa Yee focuses on Ivy's conflict with her love of gymnastics and family traditions and responsibilities, and its "Looking Back" section discusses Chinese-American history. The Ivy doll debuted with Julie and

1287-481: A poor servant girl named Nellie O'Malley. Eventually Samantha, Nellie and Nellie's young sisters are adopted by Samantha's uncle Gardner Edwards and aunt Cornelia. The themes of Samantha's books include women's suffrage , child labor , and classism . Red Om Productions produced Samantha: An American Girl Holiday , in cooperation with American Girl. The show premiered on WB Television Network in November 2004 and

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1404-433: A post from brand strategist Adam Padilla. Shortly after, American Girl issued a statement on Twitter saying that they had no intention to censor the parody. In February 2017 the company announced that they were changing the certain doll's bodies to incorporate permanently stitched panties . Public reaction to the change—the first since the transition to flesh-colored bodies in 1991—was overwhelmingly negative, as fans of

1521-914: A restaurant and 150-seat theater. It was followed by stores in New York City. One of the services the stores provide is a doll hair salon where dolls can get their ears pierced and their nails done. The stores also provide a doll hospital service where customers can bring in their doll for repair. Pretend "hearing aids" are also available to be added on for 18-inch dolls. In May 2014, American Girl opened several new stores in Toronto, Ontario and Vancouver, British Columbia in Canada in partnership with Indigo Books and Music . All American Girl shops in Indigo stores were permanently closed in July 2023. In 2015,

1638-419: A single-room schoolhouse near her home, and she and her family do their best to preserve their traditions from Sweden while adapting to American life. More changes include making a new friend outside of her own "world" and the arrival of a new baby. Kirsten was one of the first three dolls produced by American Girl in 1986. Unlike many of the dolls, Kirsten's books have maintained their original illustrations (with

1755-567: A six-book series from the perspective of a girl living in that time period. Rowland came up with the idea after she returned from a trip to Colonial Williamsburg , where she noticed there was a significant void in the toy market for younger-aged dolls and saw an opportunity to provide an alternative to baby and adult dolls. Although the books are written for girls who are at least eight years old, they endeavor to cover significant topics such as child labor , child abuse , poverty , racism , slavery , animal abuse and war in appropriate manners for

1872-477: A tribute collection. Marie-Grace Gardner is a girl from 1850s New Orleans . Similar to Josefina, her mother died before the events of the series. She makes a friend with Cécile Rey in her first days in New Orleans, although the latter is not interested at first. However, changes are in the air. Soon, Marie-Grace's singing teacher is found sick with yellow fever . Her father, who is a doctor, saves not only

1989-526: A tribute collection. Samantha Parkington is one of the first three dolls produced by American Girl in 1986. Samantha is an only child growing up during the Edwardian period (although American Girl designated her as Victorian ). Samantha's parents were killed in a boating accident when she was five. She was then raised by her wealthy Victorian-era grandmother, Mary Edwards, whom she called Grandmary, in fictional Mount Bedford, New York, Samantha befriends

2106-592: Is Kit Kittredge's best friend. The only daughter of a banker, Ruthie (and her family) is not financially affected by the Depression. Although they did at times offer help to the Kittredges, it was mostly in ways that would not hurt their pride. She is depicted to have an affinity for princesses and fairy tales, most especially Andrew Lang's Fairy Books and Grimms' Fairy Tales , in contrast to Kit's more tomboyish personality. Despite their major differences, Ruthie

2223-580: Is a fugitive slave who escapes with her mother from a plantation in North Carolina to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania , in 1864, during the American Civil War . Addy's stories explore themes of freedom, familial love, prejudice and racism . The six-book series was written by Connie Porter and originally illustrated by Melodye Rosales and Bradford Brown, but were later redrawn by Dahl Taylor. A stage adaptation of Porter's Addy book series

2340-514: Is a loyal and courageous friend who will go to great lengths to help Kit. Ruthies accessories included a black purse, a hankie, two rose-shaped barrettes, and a watch. Ruthie, along with Ivy, Cécile and Marie-Grace, was retired in August 2014 following the company's decision to discontinue the Best Friends line. Nanea Mitchell (born April 11, 1932) is the sixteenth historical character and

2457-612: Is a nine year old girl from 1812 Sackets Harbor, New York . The only daughter of a shipbuilder who owned a shipyard near Lake Ontario , Caroline enjoys outdoor activities, like sailing and ice-skating, and dreams of being a captain of her own ship. One day, while Caroline and her father are sailing with her cousins, the War of 1812 breaks out and her father is captured. Before he is taken away, he makes Caroline promise to be brave and to take care of her family. Later, she visits him in prison and gives him clues to how he may escape. While out in

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2574-534: Is a nine-year-old girl who faces the hard times of the early-to-mid years of the Great Depression in Cincinnati , Ohio , as her family struggles to adjust to the realities of the economy after her father's job loss. Kit was named after her mother and her Aunt Millie. Unlike her best friend Ruthie, Kit is a tomboy who cares less about dresses, chores and things that she considers as "flouncy", and

2691-508: Is also shown to be somewhat wealthier, as evidenced by having a larger home, a larger garden, and fancier clothing. The Elizabeth doll was introduced in August 2005 as the second Best Friend doll with a book written by author Valerie Tripp , and the character was prominently featured in Felicity: An American Girl Adventure . In the original Felicity book illustrations, Elizabeth had brown hair and eyes but

2808-496: Is an enthusiastic and imaginative girl, longing to stand out but often feels lost in the shuffle of her big, busy family. Her favorite TV shows include Davy Crockett and The Lone Ranger , and she dreams up episodes where she gets to be the hero. Maryellen has strawberry-blonde hair with bangs up in a ponytail and green eyes. All three of her books, written by Valerie Tripp, were released on August 27, 2015. A short film based on her stories, with newcomer Harlie Galloway playing

2925-496: Is befriended by Samantha. Living in a New York City settlement house, she personifies the working-class immigrant experience of the time and teaches Samantha about the conditions faced by children who are part of the work force. Nellie and her sisters, Bridget and Jenny, are orphaned and later adopted by Samantha's relatives, Gardner and Cornelia Edwards. In 2004, American Girl introduced a new line of Best Friend dolls; Nellie O'Malley debuted as Samantha's Best Friend in conjunction with

3042-416: Is interested in photography and making stop motion videos. In December 2019, there was a report indicating declining sales for brand. Following four years of declining sales at Mattel, American Girls sales rose 13% in the fourth quarter of 2020. Following Mattel's commitment to diversity, growing calls from consumers to include more racial diversity in the brand, and the 2020 racial justice protests in

3159-540: Is more inclined toward baseball , especially Ernie Lombardi of the Cincinnati Reds , the great outdoors, such as country life, and typing up her own news reports. Kit hates change, and dislikes being dependent on charities, instead preferring to learn how to catch the big fish herself, which spurs her fascination with Amelia Earhart . She dreams of becoming a reporter one day. The books also depict her as being stubborn and somewhat fussy, as she finds chores around

3276-491: Is of split Hawaiian and European ancestry, so American Girl consulted with Nicholson, a woman with the same heritage, as part of an effort to share more inclusive perspectives and authentic stories with their audience. The 2021 Girl of the Year, Kira Bailey, has a storyline that "focuses on her journey to Australia with her mom, where she plans to work at an animal sanctuary" which is owned by her married aunts Mamie and Lynette. The conservative group One Million Moms called for

3393-487: Is the fifteenth historical character and was released in 2016. She is a nine-year-old girl living with her family in Detroit, Michigan , during the civil rights movement in the early 1960s. Her parents are Will, who works in an auto assembly line, and Frances. Frances' parents (Melody's grandparents) are Frank Porter, a florist; and "Big Momma" Porter, who teaches piano and voice. Melody's older brother, Dwayne, wants to be

3510-521: Is the fourth historical character. Felicity is an auburn haired, horse-loving girl living in 1770s Williamsburg, Virginia , who is caught between Patriot and Loyalist family and friends at the onset of the American Revolution . Themes in her core books include loyalty and staying true to one's ideals. Felicity is depicted as spunky, brave, and free-spirited, and is often fed up with the customs that young women are expected to observe at

3627-491: Is the only doll in the series not to show teeth, per tribal custom. Kaya is also the first doll in the series to not follow the book naming customs established by previously-released characters – the second book in the series is titled Kaya's Escape instead of Kaya Learns a Lesson . In the book series readers are introduced to Kaya's blind adopted sister, Speaking Rain, her older sister named Brown Dear, and her two twin brothers named Sparrow and Wing Feather. Felicity Merriman

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3744-583: The BeForever branding from Historical Characters and by early 2020 most BeForever Central Series books were replaced with abridged Central Series books. American Girl also discontinued the My Journey books, the historical mystery books, and any remaining Best Friends books. In 2021, American Girl launched limited edition Anniversary Dolls of the first six Historical Dolls for their 35th Anniversary. They were discontinued by 2022. Kaya (pronounced Ky-yah)

3861-581: The Harlem Renaissance . Claudie is surrounded by talented musicians, painters, and performers. The Claudie collection includes furniture, a bakery, a plush dog, a kick scooter, a Baby Ruth candy bar, three special-edition outfits, and several other accessories. The character was created in 2022 by Brit Bennett and American Girl. The American Girl team approached Bennett about writing for them after seeing tweets of Bennett's about wanting to write an American Girl book. Bennett has said that she

3978-559: The Historical Characters line dubbed as BeForever was launched in August 2014, complete with redesigned outfits, a two-volume compilation of previously released books, and a " Journey Book " for each character, with players taking the role of a present-day girl who found her way to the past and met up with one of the Historical girls. The line also coincided with the relaunch of Samantha Parkington , whose collection

4095-683: The Oppenheim Toy Portfolio Award eight times and was inducted into the National Toy Hall of Fame in 2021. The Historical Characters line of 18-inch dolls, which were derived from the 18-inch dolls made by Götz in West Germany (known as Germany from October 1990) during the late 1980s to the 1990s, were initially the main focus of Pleasant Company, founded by Pleasant Rowland in 1986. This product line aims to teach aspects of American history through

4212-484: The Red Cross . She and her three siblings Jill, Ricky, and Brad are all cared for by their neighbor and housekeeper Mrs. Gilford, and she must cope with the many changes that the war has brought. Molly also realizes that she, too, has a part of helping soldiers. Despite those changes, Molly has some leisure activities as well, such as skating, tap-dancing, movies and summer camp. Molly's series focuses on patriotism and

4329-460: The University of Michigan, Dearborn ; Thomas Sugrue , professor of history at New York University; Rebecca de Schweinitz, professor of history at Brigham Young University; and the late Julian Bond , former NAACP chairman. A live-action web special based on her stories entitled Melody, 1963: Love Has to Win, an American Girl Story was released by Amazon Studios , starring Marsai Martin as

4446-421: The disability rights movement . The America's Bicentennial celebration is also emphasized later in the series. Julie was released September 10, 2007, and is the first character portrayed from a divorced family by American Girl. In 2008, Elaine Goldsmith-Thomas reported that she was outlining a movie proposal based on Julie's story. In December 2009, Julie: An American Girl Musical was officially announced as

4563-494: The "chronology of American history", introduce them to some key events, an understanding of historical change, and give them an understanding that people of different ethnicities and socioeconomic backgrounds have often been treated differently. In 2015, the practice of creating and uploading American Girl doll-based stop motion videos (AGSM for short) was featured in a news report for BBC News ' Trending site. Besides stop-motion animations and music videos set to popular music ,

4680-699: The "two most significant elements" in the creation of their stories is authentic specificity and universality. The Vice President of Marketing for American Girl has said that "the doll industry has a very heavy responsibility in reflecting what is true about our society". Valerie Tripp, author of many of the books in the American Girl series, says that her goal is to teach children to "challenge assumptions" and to teach them tolerance and compassion towards everyone; she promotes optimism and "cheerful skepticism" rather than "anger, resentment, bitterness, and jealousy." Some critics have argued that these narratives lead to

4797-401: The '80s, including Care Bears pajamas, a Caboodles case, a Walkman , miniature Lisa Frank "like" school supplies, belt bag , and a mini Pac Man arcade game . Courtney also came with their own music video for their release date on September 15, 2020. Isabel Hoffman (born May 22, 1990) is the twentieth historical character representing the turn of the millennium to the early 2000s. She is

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4914-502: The 3rd BeForever exclusive. She is from Honolulu growing up in the early 1940s representing the bombings at Pearl Harbor that ushered the U.S. out of the Great Depression and into World War II . She may be the youngest in her Ohana (family), but she still wants to be useful and help. But before she can prove that she is ready for more responsibility, Japan attacks the military base in Pearl Harbor where her father works. Nanea

5031-485: The American Girl series, although the Bitty Baby and Bitty Twin lines have had boy dolls in their respective collections. Hailing from Nashville, Tennessee , Tenney Grant is an aspiring young songwriter who dreams to express herself through music. The eponymous first book in the series by Kellen Hertz focuses on her efforts at songwriting and the opportunity to perform at the famed Bluebird Cafe . Unlike dolls from

5148-569: The Best Friends line. Rebecca Rubin is the tenth historical character, debuted on May 31, 2009. She is a nine-year-old Russian Jewish girl whose maternal grandparents and parents immigrated to the Lower East Side of New York City in 1914. Rebecca is fascinated by both various new American customs and the then-budding film industry , and aspires to become an actress despite her family's disapproval, though she treasures and celebrates her family's Jewish traditions. Her six book series

5265-564: The Felicity Merriman character (also introduced in 1991). Additional face molds were later developed for other dolls, and the line to date includes ten characters covering the period 1764 to 1999. The "Best Friends" line was introduced in 2004; supplemental characters from the core book series were created in doll form and marketed as "best friends" for some of the Historical Characters. These Best Friend dolls share

5382-742: The Girl of the Year doll for that respective year. The series began with An American Girl: Chrissa Stands Strong and was followed by McKenna Shoots for the Stars (2012), Saige Paints the Sky (2013), Isabelle Dances Into the Spotlight (2014), Grace Stirs Up Success (2015), and Lea To The Rescue (2016). In October 2016, American Girl began releasing new films on the Amazon Prime Video streaming service, beginning with An American Girl Story - Melody 1963: Love Has to Win . This

5499-456: The Girl of the Year line, Tenney, along with Logan Everett, were marketed as regular characters to be sold for an extended period of time than as limited edition dolls sold only for a year before being discontinued. Tenney comes with a graphic t-shirt, denim vest, maroon pleated skirt, a pair of brown boots, and her paperback book. Tenney and Logan were eventually discontinued at the end of 2018. Tenney's sidekick and bandmate, Logan Everett is, in

5616-656: The Innerstar University website was shut down. The launch was simultaneous with Shine on Now, a fund-raising effort for Kids In Distressed Situations , National Association of Children's Hospitals and Related Institutions , National Wildlife Federation , and Save the Children charities. The company has also donated "almost $ 500,000" over several years to national non-profit homeless housing group HomeAid. These contributions are mainly through its Project Playhouse program. The company has drawn criticism for

5733-600: The McIntires in the book Happy Birthday, Molly! , Emily's character was expanded in a book by Valerie Tripp called Brave Emily for her debut as the third doll in the Best Friends collection on September 5, 2006. Emily's debut coincided with the premiere of the Molly made-for-TV movie . The movie aired on Disney Channel in November/December 2006. Since Emily is a minor character and not Molly's best friend, she

5850-596: The Middle East had closed by 2020. As of March 2024, the company has eight remaining retail stores. The Los Angeles flagship store reopened in summer 2023 at Westfield Century City after moving from its original location in The Grove . In March 2024, the store formerly located at Galleria Dallas in Dallas moved to The Shops at Park Lane . The American Girl magazine was run by the American Girl company. It

5967-537: The My American Girl contemporary doll line, on July 13, 2010. Access to the online world was via a Campus Guide, bundled with the purchase of a My American Girl doll, which contained an access code for the creation of a doll avatar that then navigated to various games, shops, and challenges offered on the virtual campus of Innerstar U. In 2015, when the My American Girl line was renamed Truly Me ,

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6084-479: The Samantha DVD release. Nellie was marketed with a small collection of clothing and a book written by Valerie Tripp , Nellie's Promise , which chronicles the character's growth and adjustment to her recent adoption. As Nellie was part of Samantha's collection, she was archived at the same time as Samantha. In 2014, with the return of Samantha and the release of BeForever, American Girl decided to move away from

6201-657: The United States , American Girl released a new line of 18-inch dolls called World by Us . The dolls and their books promote messages of various social justice issues that are age-appropriate for the line's target audience and cover relevant subjects such as racism, immigration , and climate change . The line debuted in September 2021 with three dolls: Makena Williams, Maritza Ochoa, and Evette Peeters. The line also features doll outfits designed by Harlem's Fashion Row fashion designers . In 2021, American Girl rereleased

6318-433: The Year for 2005, was a dancer. Girls of Many Lands was released by American Girl in the holiday season of 2002. Each doll was 9 inches tall and represented a 12-year-old girl from a time in history; in addition, each doll came with an accompanying book. Along with specific ethnicities, the dolls were given a home country and time periods, such as 1592 England, 1711 France, 1846 Ethiopia, and more. Sculpted by Helen Kish,

6435-650: The Year is Lila Monetti. Listed below are the dolls who have been Girl of the Year from 2001 to 2024. In 2019, American Girl launched the Collector Doll Series. The first doll was the Holiday Collector doll in partnership with Swarovski of which three were produced. In 2020, American Girl again partnered with Swarovski and released three collector dolls; the Sweet as Rose , Boho Chic , and Fuchsia Feathers collector dolls. Only one of each doll

6552-567: The Year, Gabriela McBride, who is portrayed as a dancer, artist, and poet. In 2005, residents of Pilsen (a neighborhood in Chicago, Illinois ) criticized a passage in the book associated with the Latina-American doll Marisol, claiming it inaccurately depicted their neighborhood as dangerous. A senior public relations associate for American Girl responded to critics saying: "We feel that this brief passage has been taken out of context in

6669-649: The advisory board requested that her storyline take place prior to western settlement, when the culture of the Nez Perce tribe was flourishing. According to senior designer manager Heather Northrop, Kaya's face sculpt was crafted specifically for her according to the Nimiipuu's people's beliefs that baring teeth is considered to be impolite. Nanea, a character set in 1941, has a story based on Dorinda Makanaonalani Nicholson, author of Pearl Harbor Child: A Child's View of Pearl Harbor from Attack to Peace . Nanea's character

6786-432: The book." The 2009 limited-edition release of Gwen, an American Girl character experiencing homelessness, was also deemed as controversial. In May 2014, the company was met with criticism on social media over its decision to discontinue four characters from the historical collection, two of them, namely African-American Cécile Rey and Chinese-American Ivy Ling, who represented ethnic minorities. They defended their move as

6903-533: The changes that come with wartime. Molly was one of the original three dolls offered by Pleasant Company that was released in 1986 and is the only historical character sold with eyeglasses . In early July 2013, American Girl announced plans to archive Molly and Emily. Both were archived on December 31, 2013, though Molly's mini doll and books were re-released in February 2018 as part of the BeForever line. Molly

7020-612: The character's appearance was revised to have blue eyes and blonde hair with the release of the Felicity DVD and Elizabeth doll. Later editions of the Felicity books were re-illustrated to reflect these changes and edit Elizabeth's physical description. On August 27, 2010, American Girl announced that Elizabeth and her collection would be archived with Felicity, which took place in March 2011. Caroline Abbott (born October 22, 1802)

7137-561: The classic, Götz-derived American Girl dolls. The line was released on June 23, 2016. The names of the Wellie Wishers are: Willa, Camille, Kendall, Emerson, Ashlyn, and Bryant. In February 2017, American Girl released a new line of 18-inch dolls called contemporary characters. The first doll in the line was Tenney Grant, a young aspiring country singer, and songwriter. Other dolls of the modern line include Logan, Tenney's bandmate and American Girl's first-ever boy doll, and Z Yang, who

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7254-494: The collections of the main characters, but each has her own book, and additional products were marketed under their names. However, in May 2014, American Girl announced that Ruthie, along with Ivy, Cécile and Marie-Grace, will be retired from their historical roster, citing business reasons as they decided "to move away from the character-friend strategy within the line". A reboot of the Historical Characters line dubbed as BeForever

7371-760: The company announced that they were expanding operations in Mexico with two stores at El Palacio de Hierro 's Perisur and Interlomas in Mexico City , and a third in Polanco . All three Mexico stores closed in January 2018. In collaboration with Emirati shopping mall conglomerate Majid Al Futtaim Group , two American Girl stores opened in Dubai in 2017 along with one in Manama, Bahrain in 2018. All three stores in

7488-476: The cultural and societal changes and influences that occurred once Mexico opened trade routes in collaboration with the US. Josefina's family speaks Spanish and there are Spanish words and phrases in her books that are defined in the glossary. Josefina was released in 1997. Josefina is American Girl's first Latina doll. In May 2024 it was announced that Josefina would be re-released with her original outfits as part of

7605-471: The death of their mother before the books and the introduction of their mother's sister, Tía Dolores (who later marries Josefina's widowed father), to the family circle. Josefina dreams of becoming a healer like her grandmother and is taught this by her aunt, Magdalena, her father's sister. Josefina has a pet goat named Sombrita. Themes include adjustment to loss, the day-to-day life of the Mexican people, and

7722-544: The doll's characters and history have also provoked controversy. Some observers questioned why Addy, American Girl's first African-American historical character released in 1993, was portrayed first as a slave (in later stories Addy and her family gain their freedom after the Civil War ), while Cecile Rey, American Girl's second black historical character, was portrayed as a well-to-do black girl in New Orleans. In 2017, American Girl released their first African-American Girl of

7839-560: The dolls were meant for display only and were priced from $ 48 to $ 54. The doll line lasted until the Fall of 2005. Bitty Baby is a line of 15-inch baby dolls targeted to children aged three and older. They are cheaper than the 18-inch dolls and as of 2024, retail at $ 60 each. In 2013, American Girl Publishing released Bitty Baby books, picture books aimed at girls ages 3–6. The Bitty Twins line debuted in 2003 to represent slightly older toddlers and/or preschoolers. The Bitty Twins were

7956-399: The earliest of the historical characters. Kaya is depicted as brave and outgoing, but careless and thoughtless, and wants to be a leader of her people. Her role model is a female warrior named Swan Circling. She was created in collaboration with a consultation team that included representatives from the Nez Perce tribe. Kaya is the only Native American doll made by American Girl to date. Kaya

8073-446: The exception of the covers). In the fall of 2009, American Girl announced that Kirsten will be retiring soon. Kirsten was officially archived on the American Girl website on January 1, 2010. Kirsten was brought back for a short time in 2021 for the 35th anniversary release, and in May 2024 it was announced that Kirsten would be available again with her original outfits. Addy Walker is the fifth historical character released in 1993. She

8190-510: The expense of the dolls, which cost as much as $ 125 without accessories as of June 2024 and $ 161 for a doll, book, and basic accessories. Buyers can easily spend more than $ 600 for a doll, outfits, accessories, and lunch in the company's store in New York. One critique of the doll line is that due to the price tag and limited purchase locations, the dolls are often inaccessible to the communities they are intended to represent. Some aspects of

8307-493: The first American Girl direct-to-video movie, Samantha: An American Girl Holiday . The film spawned a franchise that was followed by Felicity: An American Girl Adventure (2005), Molly: An American Girl on the Home Front (2006), and the theatrically released 2008 film Kit Kittredge: An American Girl , starring Abigail Breslin . In 2009, American Girl began releasing direct-to-video and television films based on

8424-615: The first being Addy and the third being Melody. Cecile was archived with Marie-Grace, Ivy, and Ruthie in 2014, three years after her release, to make room for BeForever and the return of Samantha. Kirsten Larson (born June 8, 1845) is a Swedish immigrant who settles in the Minnesota Territory with her extended family in 1854. She faces the hardships, challenges, and adaptations necessary to adjust to life in America such as learning to speak English. Kirsten begins to attend

8541-507: The first new character released after the discontinuation of the BeForever line. She is a nine-year-old girl who lives in a fictional city of Orange Valley, California in 1986 (the year that American Girl was founded) along with her two best friends. Courtney enjoys hanging out at the mall, the restaurant, school, and the arcade, where she is a top scorer in Pac Man . The Courtney doll is styled in an '80s outfit and comes with other items from

8658-523: The form of a parody advertisement for a fictional Girl of the Year character depicted as a personification of the " Karen " stereotype, wearing a track suit , bob haircut, and openly carrying a semi-automatic pistol while defiantly violating face mask guidelines mandated by the government due to the COVID-19 pandemic , provoked criticism from American Girl who took umbrage to the use of their name and trade dress , stating that they were "disgusted" by

8775-516: The four little girls were in their church when they died. In time, Melody overcomes her fear. The first book was released in January 2016, although the doll wasn't released until summer 2016; a preview of the Melody doll was aired in CBS News in February 2016. The book's advisory board included: JoAnn Watson , NAACP executive committee member; Gloria House, professor of African American Studies at

8892-553: The franchise complained that it stifles customization and devalued a well-established brand "from heirloom quality to be passed down for generations to low-quality retail." The company reversed its decision in May 2017, and customers who bought a doll with permanent underwear were eligible for an exchange to have the dolls retrofitted with conventional torsos. Critics have discussed the issue of representation in American Girl Doll narratives. The company has stated that

9009-509: The girls. Originally the stories focused on various periods of American history, but were expanded in 1995 to include contemporary characters and stories. From 2014–2019, the Historical line was branded as BeForever. Below is a list of characters from the Historical series, Contemporary Characters, Girl of the Year, World by Us, and WellieWishers lines. Notes The Historical Characters (originally known as "The American Girls Collection" or, colloquially, "Historical Characters") were initially

9126-451: The house to be rather tedious, but eventually regrets it after realizing her family's misfortunes, and learns to be more supportive and helpful. Kit was released in 2000. In 2023, American Girl rereleased Kit in her original meet outfit along with some of her original outfits to honor Kit's 100th birthday. Kit's core series of books was written by Valerie Tripp and illustrated by Walter Rane . A feature film Kit Kittredge: An American Girl

9243-404: The individuality and diversity of today's American girls." A wide variety of contemporary clothing, accessories, and furniture is also available, and there are regular releases and retirements to update this line. Each year, a Girl of the Year doll is released who has her own unique talent; for example, Mia St. Clair, the Girl of the Year for 2008, was an ice skater, and Marisol Luna, the Girl of

9360-425: The journey of one American Girl Doll character. American Girl Dolls were created with the goal of educating young children on history, morals, and life lessons through the stories accompanied with each doll. The classic American Girl Doll books follow the journey of one of their historical characters and each series follows a standard structure through six books. This structure is: Meet (doll name), (doll name) Learns

9477-592: The line in a Twitter post, stating it "was once radically positive for girls before it was homogenized for money". The American Girl Place store in New York City was the center of a labor dispute with Actors' Equity Association (AEA). On August 3, 2006, 14 of the 18 adult actors at the store's now defunct theater went on strike together. AEA reached a two-year contract effective April 1, 2008. All American Girl Place theatres were subsequently closed in September of that year. In July 2020, an internet meme in

9594-458: The loss of family and caring for others in need, and volunteering. Cecile speaks French and her French words are described in the glossary in the back of her book. Though Cécile Rey and Marie-Grace are best friends, they shared the same level of importance and a few items in their collection as well as a book, unlike other Best Friend characters. Cecile was released in 2011, making her the second African American character introduced by American Girl,

9711-425: The main focus of Pleasant Company. This product line aims to teach aspects of American history through a six book series from the perspective of a nine-year-old girl living in that time period. Although the books are written for a target market of eight-to-thirteen-year-old girls, they endeavor to cover topics such as child labor , child abuse , poverty , racism , slavery , alcoholism , animal abuse , and war in

9828-440: The mission of encouraging each child to "follow their inner star." The author says that, "we take pride and care in helping girls become their very best today, so they'll grow up to be the women who make a difference tomorrow." Readers have shared expectations that the stories portrayed in these books will reflect this message of feminism. Readers have also voiced disappointment in the way in which feminism specifically in relation to

9945-465: The professional world is addressed through the books. A critique of readers is that the brand offers empowerment through "girl power" and "self-determination" without addressing the system that leads to gender discrimination and inequalities in the workplace. The books address feminism in the professional world through teamwork, leadership, and talent but critics dislike how the books provide limited resources to work through real life issues females face in

10062-420: The report covers recurring subject matters in said clips, such as cyberbullying and other social issues among children and teenagers, along with doll customization, photoshoots, and unboxing videos. Social media services such as Instagram and Facebook serve as platforms for fans of the toy line, spawning a community called AGIG, or American Girl Instagram, who photograph their dolls and post their photos on

10179-504: The same size as the Bitty Baby dolls. They were discontinued in June 2016. Hopscotch Hill School was released by American Girl in 2003. The dolls were 16 inches (41 cm) tall, came with jointed limbs and painted eyes, and had a slimmer overall body shape. They, along with the stories which came with the dolls written by Valerie Tripp, were aimed at elementary-age girls from four to six years old and were sold until 2006. A reboot of

10296-578: The series; however, she is still quite active. Felicity was originally first released in 1991. Many items from Felicity's collection were retired in the early 2000s, but when Felicity's core books were dramatized for Felicity: An American Girl Adventure on November 29, 2005, new products were introduced in her collection. On August 27, 2010, American Girl announced on its website that the Felicity and Elizabeth collection would be archived. On March 28, 2011, Felicity, Elizabeth and their respective collections were officially archived. In February 2017, Felicity

10413-589: The service. In 2019, the American Girls Podcast , a book-by-book exploration of the series, was launched. Co-hosted by historians Allison Horrocks and Mary Mahoney, each episode discusses one book from the series, contextualizing the story presented and making connections to elements of relevant pop culture. The podcast received positive attention from The New York Times . In May 2022, the American Girl Podcast Network

10530-400: The six original historical dolls for their 35th anniversary. The release included Felicity, Kirsten, Samantha, Addy, Josefina, and Molly. Girl of the Year is a line created by American Girl where it features one doll all year around. The doll has its accessories and merchandise and her own story. The first Girl of the Year was in the year 2001, which was Lindsey Bergman and the latest Girl of

10647-452: The teacher, but others with his help. Marie-Grace also rescues a baby and forms a close bond with other children. Themes include the loss of family and caring for others in need. Both Marie-Grace and Cécile were released in 2011 and archived in summer 2014. Though Marie-Grace and Cécile are best friends, they shared the same level of importance and a few items in their collection as well as a book, unlike other Best Friend characters. Marie-Grace

10764-415: The time, much to her mother's disappointment. She can be a little brash, impatient and foolish sometimes, and sets her heart on things often. She is also quite outspoken, but will stand up to bullies, as she did with Jiggy Nye. Felicity also is not afraid to tease Annabelle Cole, her best friend Elizabeth's older sister, coming up with the name "Bananabelle". She eventually learns to be more ladylike throughout

10881-467: The title character, was uploaded on the video sharing site YouTube in November 2015 as part of American Girl's venture into digital content and independent film production. In addition to the short, a direct-to-video special entitled An American Girl Story - Maryellen 1955: Extraordinary Christmas , starring Alyvia Alyn Lind as Maryellen Larkin and was released by Amazon to Prime subscribers on November 25, 2016. Melody Ellison (born January 1, 1954)

10998-611: The title character. Melody is the third African American character made by American Girl, the first being Addy and the second being Cecile. Julie Albright (born May 1, 1966) is the ninth historical character. She is a 9-year-old girl growing up in San Francisco, California , in 1974–75. Her six book series, written by Megan McDonald and illustrated by Robert Hunt , focuses on various changes and societal upheavals in American society during that time period: divorce , feminism , gender equality in school sports, environmentalism , and

11115-573: The understanding and sensibilities of their young audiences. In 1995, Pleasant Company released a line of contemporary dolls called American Girl of Today . In 2006, the product line was renamed Just Like You ; it was changed again in 2010 to My American Girl , and in 2015 to Truly Me . This line has included over one hundred different dolls over the years. Each doll has a different combination of face mold, skin tone, eye color, hair color, length, texture, and/or style. American Girl states that this variety allows customers to choose dolls that "represent

11232-425: The woods one day, she discovers her father, desperately ill, and nurses him back to health. She also helps her mother defend Sackets Harbor when it is attacked by British troops. Caroline learns about courage and pride and about making wise decisions throughout the stories. Themes include bravery, family, and making wise decisions. Caroline was released in 2012 during the 200th anniversary of the War of 1812 . Caroline

11349-404: The workplace such as imposter syndrome and workplace harassment. Historical Accuracy The books have been praised for teaching children about different time periods. However, some critics point out that this interpretation of the past is superficial and inaccurate. In response to this, authors have pointed out that these books are meant for children and at most are meant to give them an idea of

11466-428: Was a fan of the American Girl book series and dolls as a child, especially the character of Addy, and the book series written by Connie Porter . She collaborated with a board of researchers and historians to create the character and her stories. She has written two books in this series, Meet Claudie (2022) and Adventures with Claudie (2023). Kit Kittredge (born May 19, 1923) is the seventh historical character. She

11583-489: Was archived along with her collection in 2015. Her Mini Doll and books are still available for purchase. American Girl has already created her BeForever version books. Josefina Montoya is a young Mexican girl living on a ranch in 1824 Santa Fe, New Mexico , with her extended family. She and her family (including her oldest sister, Ana who is married to Tomas and has two sons, and her two other sisters, headstrong Francisca and practical and sensible Clara) must adapt following

11700-541: Was archived with Cecile, Ivy, and Ruthie in 2014 to make room for BeForever and the return of Samantha. Cécile Rey is from a rich African American family from New Orleans, Louisiana in the 1850s. She loves listening to her grandfather's tales about the sea. She meets Marie-Grace during one of her singing lessons. At first, she is not fond of her because she is white, but eventually warms up to her and becomes her best friend. When yellow fever strikes her brother, she decides to use her gifts to help him and others. Themes include

11817-502: Was born on May 22, 1990, to Robin and Dave Hoffman. Nicki was released in 2023 along with her twin sister Isabel Hoffman. Introduced in 2017, the Contemporary Characters line features characters and stories set in the present day, but unlike the limited edition Girl of the Year dolls, they are available for at least a few years before being discontinued. The line also marks the introduction of an 18-inch boy doll in

11934-542: Was commissioned and produced by the Seattle Children's Theater in 2007. Addy: An American Girl Story was subsequently taken on a limited national tour from January through May 2008 through Kids Entertainment, Inc. Addy was the first African American historical character made by American Girl, the second being Cecile, the third being Melody and the fourth being Claudie. In May 2024 it was announced that Addy would be re-released with her original outfits as part of

12051-415: Was discontinued in 2008. In June 2016, American Girl unveiled Wellie Wishers , a separate doll line similar to Hopscotch Hill School aimed at younger children and with a focus on nature and the outdoors, positioning it between Bitty Bab y and the BeForever / Girl of the Year / Truly Me dolls. As the name implies, dolls from the line wear Wellington (wellie) boots and have a body design distinct from

12168-522: Was followed by three more films: Maryellen 1955: Extraordinary Christmas that November, Ivy & Julie 1976: A Happy Balance in March 2017, and Corinne Tan in July 2023. In February 2019, it was reported that Mattel Films and MGM announced the development of a live-action children's movie based on the doll line. Following the success of the live-action Barbie film, in December 2023, Mattel Films partnered with Paramount Pictures on

12285-459: Was launched in August 2014, complete with redesigned outfits, a two-volume compilation of previously-released books, and a " Journey Book " for each character, with players taking the role of a present-day girl who found her way to the past and met up with one of the Historical girls. The line also coincided with the relaunch of Samantha Parkington , whose collection had been discontinued in 2008. On October 1, 2019, American Girl officially removed

12402-401: Was launched. List of American Girl characters#Samantha Parkington This is an accepted version of this page American Girl is an American line of 18-inch (46 cm) dolls released originally in 1986 by Pleasant Company (now Mattel ). The dolls portray eight to thirteen-year-old girls of a variety of backgrounds. They are sold with accompanying books told from the viewpoint of

12519-435: Was marketed instead as "Molly's English friend". As Emily was a part of Molly's collection, she was archived along with Molly in 2013. Maryellen Larkin (born May 7, 1945) is the fourteenth Historical Character by American Girl, representing the 1950s. She was released on August 27, 2015, and is the first exclusive BeForever character, and was made to replace Caroline Abbott. Hailing from Daytona Beach, Florida , Maryellen

12636-580: Was originally released in 2002 and a part of the BeForever collection. In her collection, she comes with a knit blanket sweater, a deerskin outfit, a tepee and bedroll, a saddle, and a mare named Steps High, a foal named Sparks Flying, and a dog named Tatlo. Her story is based in the 1700s as a nine year-old girl from the Nimiipuu or Nez Perce tribe living in the pre-contact Northwest . Themes in her core series focus on leadership, compassion, courage, and attachment. Chronologically, Kaya's adventures are

12753-571: Was produced, each of which had a gown that included 1,000 or more Swarovski crystals. In August 2023, American Girl released three Disney Princess dolls: Jasmine , Belle , and Rapunzel . In September, they released a toy soldier collector doll in partnership with FAO Schwarz , and in December, they released The Classic Barbie by American Girl collector doll. In February 2024, American Girl released three more Disney Princess dolls: Cinderella , Tiana , and Ariel . The American Girl books have many different variations; each book series shares

12870-411: Was re-introduced as part of BeForever, but then archived again in December 2019. Elizabeth Cole is Felicity's best friend, despite her Loyalist family leanings during the American Revolution . In spite of being quiet and shy, she is known to poke fun at her older sister Annabelle with Felicity – this stems from being teased at by Annabelle, who gave her younger sister the nickname "Bitsy". Elizabeth

12987-531: Was released in 2017. Nanea Mitchell was inspired by Dorinda Makanaonalani Nicholson, who lived in Hawaii and was six years old at the time of the Pearl Harbor attack. Molly McIntire (born April 22, 1934) is a young girl living in a fictional city named Jefferson, Illinois during the later years of World War II . Her father is stationed in England as a doctor caring for wounded soldiers, and her mother works at

13104-497: Was released to DVD soon thereafter. American Girl introduced the concept of "archiving" in October 2008 when it announced plans to cease production of Samantha and her collection (including Nellie). Samantha was then officially archived on May 31, 2009, but was later re-introduced in August 2014 as part of the BeForever reboot. Nellie O'Malley is Samantha's best friend, is an Irish immigrant who works for Samantha's neighbors and

13221-499: Was released to theaters on July 2, 2008, starring Abigail Breslin in the title role. Many new items were added to Kit's collection as product tie-ins to the movie. Two video games based on her stories were also developed and published, namely Kit Mystery Challenge for the Nintendo DS , and the point-and-click adventure game A Tree House of My Own for Microsoft Windows platforms. Ruthie Smithens (born August 22, 1923)

13338-645: Was started by the Pleasant Company in Middleton, Wisconsin in 1992, with the first issue dated November/December 1992. Aimed towards girls ages 8–14, the bimonthly magazine included articles, recipes, advice columns, fiction, arts and crafts, and activity ideas. American Girl announced in late 2018 that the January/February 2019 issue would be the magazine's last. American Girl launched Innerstar University, an online virtual world featuring

13455-477: Was temporarily re-released as part of American Girl’s 35th Anniversary. In 2022, Molly was officially re-released with her original book and select items from her original collection. Emily Bennett (born September 29, 1933) is a British girl who is sent to America by her family to protect her from the intensity of the English battlefront during World War II. Originally a minor character temporarily residing with

13572-433: Was the first Best Friend doll to be released at the same time as the main character. Ivy was the only Asian American Historical character until Sonali Matthews, who was released alongside Chrissa. Ivy, along with Ruthie, Cécile and Marie-Grace, was retired in August 2014 following the company's decision to discontinue the Best Friends line. Courtney Moore (born February 12, 1976) is the seventeenth historical character and

13689-469: Was written by Jacqueline Dembar Greene and focuses on issues related to assimilation of immigrants while maintaining familial, religious, and cultural traditions. Rebecca is the first Jewish Historical Character, but the second Jewish character made by American Girl. Claudie Wells is the eighteenth historical character and the fourth black doll in the collection. She is a 9-year-old black girl growing up in 1922 in New York City's Harlem neighborhood during

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