American Girl Doll
The American Girl Doll collection is a very popular line of toys that was created and released by Pleasant Company beginning in 1986. The manufacturer is now celebrating its 25th year of service.
The American Girl Dolls represent young girls around ten years old from different ethnic groups living in various times throughout American history. There is also a series of books that that tell the stories of the real life girls that the dolls are based upon. The stories contained in the books originally focused on the American history of various periods. However, from 1995 onward, stories and characters of contemporary life were also included in the books. Pleasant Company also makes a wide range of dresses, outfits and other various accessories for the dolls.
The Beginning Of The American Girl Doll Series
In the initial days of its operation, the products of Pleasant Company could be purchased only by mail order. In 1998, the company became a subsidiary of Mattel. Today, American Girl Dolls can be purchased by visiting one of the American Girl stores located in select cities or through limited online offers. In fact, you’ll find all of the American Girl Dolls and accessories on Amazon.com by clicking here.
The purpose of the American Girl Doll product line is to teach various aspects of American history from the perspective of the real life child that the doll represents through a six-book series. The books cover such topics as child labor, racism, child abuse, animal abuse, war, etc., in a manner that appeals to the minds of the young girls.
Kirsten, Samantha and Molly were the three historical dolls that the company originally released. In the succeeding years, many more dolls were also released. They included Kaya, Felicity, Josefina, Addy, Elizabeth, Marie Grace and Cecilie, among many others. Among the three original historical dolls, the only American Girl Doll that can still be purchased today is Molly. After Samantha Parkington and Nellie O’Malley were discontinued in 2008, Kirsten Larson, Felicity Merriman and Elizabeth Cole were also discontinued in 2009 and 2010, respectively.
History Of The American Girl Doll
The American Girl Doll series, American Girl of Today, was launched in 1995. It was later renamed “Just Like You” in 2006. The name of the doll series was once again changed to “My American Girl” in 2010. As many as fifty different dolls have been brought out by the company in this series. The production of many of them has been discontinued and is no longer available for purchase from any of the American Girl Doll stores.
It’s easy to see how these dolls will easily become collector’s items and greatly increase in value as they’re discontinued.
A different combination of face, skin, hair and eye color are available for each doll. It is entirely up to the customers to choose what they want. The outfits worn by the dolls are occasionally changed to represent the latest fashion trends. There many different types of modern clothing, accessories, and furniture available to accessorize the American Girl Dolls. You can learn more about the American Girl Dolls here.
How To Shop For American Girl Dolls
American Girl Place is the official store that sells the American Girl Doll series of toys, clothes and accessories. The first store was opened in Chicago, and now there are several stores located in select cities across the country. However, the easiest way, by far, to shop for American Girl merchandise is through limited online offers. As previously mentioned, all of the current dolls and accessories can be purchased through this link
The American Girl Place is a great place to visit, and should be a goal for any true fan of the American Girl Doll series. It may overwhelm some girls because of its size and the sheer volume and variety of things to choose from. The typical store is around 42,000 square feet and three stories tall. The crowds can also be overwhelming at times. If you are a person who likes dolls, you will have an incredible time at the store.
Why Are American Girl Dolls So Popular?
There are many reasons why the American Girl Doll is very popular. Some of the reasons are:
- Mothers and daughters, alike, love the American Girl Doll line.
- It is possible to dress an American Girl Doll in many different dresses and various outfits. These dresses look very realistic and are historically accurate.
- Each Doll comes with books that tell the story of the person that the doll is modeled after.
- There are many dolls to choose from with different looks and personalities. Children can change outfits, jewelry, accessories, etc., and actually create a doll that is personalized for them.
- The quality of the American Girl Doll toys is exceptional.
- The dolls quickly become collector’s items as they are discontinued.
An American Girl doll teaches girls not only about American history, but also good moral values.
The company introduces a limited edition American Girl Doll every year. In order to understand more about the American Girl Doll, let us look at Mia St. Clair, a figure skater doll that was introduced in 2008.
The story of Mia in her book is sure to encourage girls to give figure skating a try. Your daughter will be introduced to the world of figure skating as she is captivated by Mia’s story. The book will also make it clear to your daughter that commitment and hard work is essential to becoming a figure skater, as well as achieving just about anything else in life.
As with all of the other dolls, it’s possible to purchase the Mia doll alone, or you can add any of the various accessories that are available. There are the Mia St. Clair books, ice skates with real laces and a starter collection, just to name a few. There are also accessories available for your daughter to wear, such as matching pink tights, so she can look just like her doll.
And let’s not forget the American Doll movies. In 2005, American Girl and Red Om, the production company of Julia Roberts, brought out the first American Girl direct-to-home movie Samantha: An American Girl Holiday. This was followed by Felicity: An American Girl Adventure in the same year, and Molly: An American Girl on the Home Front in 2006, among others. HBO premiered An American Girl: Chrissa Stands Strong in 2009. Also, in 2011, Julie: An American Girl Musical was announced as an upcoming theatrical production.
The world of American Girl Dolls keeps expanding and growing more exciting. With these dolls, your daughter will not only learn the history of America, but also be exposed to good moral values that she will remember for a lifetime. An American Girl Doll makes a great gift that your special girl will treasure.
More information about American Girl Dolls can be found at : http://www.answers.com/topic/american-girl