American Girl

File:American girl dolls logo.jpg

American Girl (formerly Pleasant Company) is a company currently owned by Mattel that makes 18" dolls for girls ages eight and up. The most well known line is the American Girl Collection, which includes eight dolls from America's history and two that are "best friend" dolls. There are also a few other popular lines, most notably the Just Like You and Bitty Baby lines. American Girl was started in 1985 by Pleasant T. Rowland of her frustration of not being able to find dolls that were high-quality, wholesome and educational.

History

In 1984, Pleasant T. Rowland visited Williamsburg, Virginia, and decided to come up with a way to make history interactive for children. That Christmas she was shopping for presents for her nieces and was dismayed that all the dolls either portrayed adults (Barbie) or encouraged girls to act like mothers (Cabbage Patch Kids) but none focused on girlhood itself. She decided to create dolls that not only taught history interactively, but kept girls from growing up too fast. When she announced her target age would be 8-12 years old, she was mocked by the toy market, where it was a commonly held belief that most girls stopped playing with dolls after they were about 10 years old. The success of Pleasant Company encouraged other manufacturers to expand into the 10-12 market for dolls.

The company has earned many awards, most notably the Oppenheimer Toy Award (eight times).

Rowland decided to cordinate a doll line and corresponding books that portrayed 9-year-old girls from the history of the United States of America. While looking in the basement of a shop in Chicago she found an 18-inch doll that was perfect for her idea. The doll maker was Göetz in Germany. Thus older dolls have tags that say "Made in West Germany." In the 1990s production was moved to Hungary for a year and then to China.

In 1986 the first catalogs were sent out. They contained the first 3 dolls in the line: Kirsten Larson, Samantha Parkington, and Molly McIntire. These catalogs featured only the first three stories of each character's eventual six-book series, as well as their pajamas, beds and trunks.

In 1991, Felicity Merriman was added to the historical collection.

In 1993 Addy Walker was added to the historical line.

In 1995, the "American Girl of Today" line, featuring dolls in modern clothing, was introduced.

In 1998, Josefina Montoya was added to the historical line.

In 1998 Mattel acquired Pleasant Company. This raised concerns that the company would become "Barbie-fied."

In 2000, Rowland left the company.

Also in 2000 Kit Kittredege was added to the historical line. Evidence of the company's new management became apparent, as the layout of the catalogs changed from individual doll poses and parchment background scheme to a more random layout. In addition, more products were being added more frequently.

In 2001, products from the historical dolls "core collection" (items having to do with the original six books for each of the original historical dolls) began to be discontinued.

Also 2001, a series of "Limited Edition Dolls" was premiered as part of the "American Girl of Today" Line. The first doll was Lindsey Bergman.

In 2002 Felicity was removed from the catalog. Kaya, another doll from the historical line, was added in 2002 as well.

In 2003 American Girl teamed up with Red Om films and Julia Roberts to create the first American Girl movie. The first "Best Friends" doll, Nellie O'Malley, was added to the historical collection as a movie tie-in.

Also in 2003, Kailey, the second limited edition American Girl of Today doll was premiered.

In 2004, Marisol Luna, the third Limited Edition Today Girl doll, was introduced.

In 2005, Felicity was re-launched with new accessories and the second "Best Friends" doll, Elizabeth Cole. The second of the American Girl movies was aired.

Also in 2005, Jess McConnell was premiered as the 2006 "Girl of the Year" due to the early sell-out of Marisol's collection. The "American Girl of Today" line was renamed the "Just Like You" series.

American Girl Collection dolls

The American Girls Collection is a brand of dolls and other items catered to girls' interest. The American Girl line includes eight cloth-bodied dolls, each character representing a particular period and region of U.S. history and dressed in clothing representative of the time, place and social background of the character.

Although the books are written for the eight-to-ten-year-old market, they are not afraid to write about challenging issues. The books cover child labor, child abuse, poverty, racism, slavery and war, among other topics. However, the books are historically accurate, strive to teach, and focus on teaching their readers lessons about self-reliance and 'doing good for others.' These are not fairy tales.

The first dolls (Samantha, Kirsten, Molly, Felicity, Kit, Lindsey & Kailey, as well as the original American Girl of Today dolls) all shared the same face mold. New face molds are noted with the individual dolls. Originally, the dolls were created with white muslin bodies. This was changed in 1991, in response to the low necklines of Felicity's gowns. Thus, earlier dolls are easily recognized and considered more collectible.

Each of the dolls is given a historical year ending in 4. The "Best Friend" line of dolls - companions to the historical dolls - have years ending in 6.

Kaya, 1764

Kaya (pronounced KY-yah) is a Native American girl of the Nez Perce tribe. Her story takes place in 1764, before white settlers disturbed the Native American way of life in the west. Kaya was introduced in 2002, the same time Felicity left the catalog. American Girl worked closely with the Nez Perce Indians to create Kaya. She is the only doll that does not smile with her mouth open (baring one's teeth is considered rude in Nez Perce culture), and no other doll shares her face mold. Her collection and books do not follow the trends set down by previous dolls, more accurately reflecting the history of the tribe.

It is rumored Kaya does not sell as well as the other American Girl dolls. It is believed to be attributed to her small collection, or possibly because she may be harder for girls to connect to than the other dolls.

Felicity Merriman, 1774

Felicity Merriman was the first doll added to the American Girls Collection following the initial introduction of Kirsten, Samantha and Molly in 1986. Felicity is a colonial girl who is stuck between Patriot and Loyalist viewpoints at the beginning of the American Revolution. Felicity was the first doll whose muslin body was the same color as the doll's skin.

In 2002 American Girl started to take steps that pointed to the removal of Felicity from the American Girl collection. Felicity was taken out of new print catalogs. The last catalog to feature her included the note: "Attention Felicity fans! This is the last time you'll see Felicity in our catalog--from now on, she'll be featured exclusively at americangirl.com." As one collector on The American Girl Fan's message board put it: "Attention fans. We at Mattel don't think Felicity is hip and trendy enough to be very marketable. We are banning her to the back burner, to the depths of our website, as if she never existed." [1] In addition, about half of her existing product line was discontinued. This caused a negative response from collectors. Felicity was re-launched in October 2005; many discontinued items were reintroduced, while other items were replaced with redesigned accessories. One such change is her so-called 'Meet dress.' Originally a rose print, it has been replaced with her former 'Travelling Gown'. The original Meet dress is now available separately while the Travelling Gown is now only available with the doll. Felicity's hair was originally a carrot-red, but has been changed to a more auburn shade.

In connection to these changes, as well as the introduction of the Elizabeth Cole doll, Felicity's books have been reillustrated.

A new TV Movie entitled "Felicity: An American Girl Adventure" was broadcast on the WB in November 2005.

Elizabeth Cole, 1776

Elizabeth is Felicity's best friend, the daughter of a Loyalist during the American Revolution. She was introduced Summer 2005. Her character is featured in the Felicity film.

Originally, Elizabeth was illustrated as having brown hair and brown eyes. However, due to concerns that the dolls would resemble each other too much (also that the young actresses in the movie would look too much alike), she was created with blonde hair and blue eyes.

She uses Josefina's face mold and is the first doll to have removable earrings. She has her own line of clothing and accessories that complement Felicity's line. Elizabeth has only one book called "Very Funny, Elizabeth".

Josefina Montoya, 1824

Josefina Montoya lives in the New Mexico area during Spanish control. She and her sisters must face a new way of life after the death of her mother. Josefina's family speak Spanish. There are many Spanish words and phrases in her books.

Josefina was the last doll introduced before the Mattel takeover, which some collectors consider superior to products made after 2000.

Josefina is also the first of two dolls to have a cultural panel to assist her creation. The second doll was Kaya.

The Josefina doll was the first to use her face mold.

Kirsten Larson, 1854

Kirsten (pronounced KEER-sten) Larson is a pioneer girl of strength and spirit growing up on the Minnesota plains. She is an immigrant from Sweden and faces the hardships of adjusting to a new and unfamiliar country.

Kirsten is one of the first 3 dolls produced by American Girl. Only a few of her items have been redesigned since their introduction, and such redesigns have been small. Like with all the dolls, some items have been retired; however, the majority of these items have been special-edition items to begin with.

Unlike many of the dolls, Kirsten's books have maintained their original illustrations (with the exception of the covers.) Kirsten's books maintain the superb colored-pencil work of Renée Graef.

Addy Walker, 1864

Addy Walker is a fugitive slave who escapes with her mother to the North during the American Civil War, after her master split up her family by selling her father and older brother to another plantation owner.

An African American, Addy was the fifth doll to be added to the collection. She was the first minority to be added to the historical line and was the first doll to have earrings. The very first Addy dolls were made using the same face mold as the other (Caucasian) dolls and are extremely rare. Shortly a more correct African face mold was designed.

Samantha Parkington, 1904

Samantha is a wealthy orphan being raised by her grandmother in 1904. Samantha learns the realities of her Victorian world - from her life of luxury to the prejudices and difficulties faced by the lower classes.

One of the original three dolls, Samantha is also the most popular, possibly due to the very feminine nature of her collection. Though not retired, her Christmas dress has undergone three changes since it was introduced, with earlier versions being highly sought after.

Samantha was the first doll to have a TV movie made about her. The movie was called, "Samantha: An American Girl Holiday", and it debuted during Thanksgiving in 2004.

(Queen Victoria died in 1901, thus ending the Victorian era and making it the Edwardian era named after her son, Edward VII, who was the ruler of the United Kingdom in 1904, but the doll is marketed as Victorian.)

Nellie O'Malley, 1906

Nellie is a poor Irish girl who has worked in factories and as a servant. After losing her parents to a flu epidemic, Nellie and her sisters are adopted by Samantha and her kind aunt and uncle.

Nellie's character was introduced in Samantha's original books, and was the first of the 'Best Friends' dolls to be introduced. Although premiered as a 2004 limited edition, her popularity resulted in the Best Friends line becoming a permanent part of the American Girl collection.

Nellie uses the Josefina face shape and has her own line of clothing and accessories. Nellie has only one book, called "Nellie's Promise".

Kit Kittredge, 1934

Kit Kittredge is growing up in the early years of the Great Depression in Cincinnati, Ohio. Her family struggles to adjust to the realities of the economy after Kit's father loses his job.

Kit was the first doll to have short hair and freckles, although she has the original American Girl face shape.

Kit debuted in 2000 as the seventh American Girl doll.

Molly McIntire, 1944

Molly's story is set in 1944, during World War Two. With her father off caring for wounded soldiers in England, she is left with only her mother and three siblings at home.

Molly was also one of the original three dolls, and remains a favorite to both children and collectors alike, she is especally popular with older fans who grew up in her era. She is the only doll to wear glasses.

It is rumored that Molly's English friend Emily, featured only in the book "Happy Birthday, Molly!", will be the third doll in the "Best Friends" line. She may be introduced in the fall of 2006 and will, like the other two dolls, be featured in a movie.

Just Like You

Formerly known as the "American Girl of Today" line, this style of doll was introduced in 1995. In December of 2005, the name of the line was changed.

The "Just Like You" line of dolls allows the owner to choose her doll's hair, skin and eye color, similar to the "My Twin" line of dolls. The doll comes dress in a modern outfit and includes a book of questions to get to know your doll and create her story. One can buy all sorts of modern accessories for these dolls, from ever changing clothing to wheelchairs.

Beginning in 2001, American Girl introduced limited edition Girls of Today, which featured smaller, specific collections and their own storybook, similar to the historical doll's "Meet" book. Although each collection is specific to the doll's character, they each featured accessories based on the book's plotline, and each doll has an animal companion. Each of these dolls was only available for one year after purchase.

The line is now known as the Girls of the Year

Girls of the Year

2001 - 2002: Lindsey Bergman

A ten-year-old Jewish girl, who is eager to help. But sometimes, her help creates more problems than solutions.

This was the first of the "Girls of the Year" series

2003 - 2004: Kailey

Kailey is devout environmentalist who faces a test when she needs to save her beach from developers.

2004 - 2005: Marisol Luna

A dancer from Chicago's Pilsen neighborhood, Marisol is devastated when her parents move away from her close-knit community...and leave her without a place to dance!

Introduced during the Christmas season of 2004, Marisol was retired December 2005. This character's story caused some controversy, detailed below. Her collection sold out in early December, 2005.

2005 - 2006: Jess McConnell

Jess, along with her parents, goes to Belize to explore Mayan ruins.

Introduced in December 2005, following the early sell-out of Marisol's collection. Jess has a unique face shape shared by no other American Girl doll. This is the first specifically bi-racial doll introduced by the company.

Other product lines of note

Bitty Baby Collection

Bitty Baby, a baby doll, comes in several different styles (African American, Blond Caucasian, Hispanic, etc.). She is 15 inches tall. She comes wearing a sleeper and with her own Bitty Bear (a small, 5 inch tall teddy bear). Similar to the other American Girl dolls, one can buy numerous accessories for a Bitty Baby.

This collection was originally introduced as 'Our New Baby,' with a complete line of very realistic accessories for the doll, as well as matching ones for real infants. However, this collection underwent a drastic change and was re-aimed at the toddler set, with the accessories becoming less realistic. In addition, the clothing line was revamped to be sized for toddlers and preschool aged girls.

Also part of this line are the "Bitty Twins", a set of boy/girl toddler dolls that come as a pair. They feature 'real' hair, unlike the molded hair of the Bitty Baby line.

Hopscotch Hill Collection

Based on the book series by Valerie Tripp, this was a set of four dolls aimed at school-aged children. They featured hard plastic bodies, unlike the other dolls by American Girl, and were multi-jointed.

The line was removed from catalogues and the official website as of December 2005.

Girls of Many Lands

Premiered in 2002, this set of eight dolls was aimed at twelve-year-old and older girls. The dolls were each from a different, pivotal time in history, and were a large departure for the company, as only one of the dolls was American. They were also far more detailed and designed more for display, rather than play.

Despite winning the Oppenheimer Toy Award in 2003, this line was retired in 2004.

Angelina Ballerina

Based on the Angelina Ballerina series of books, this collection featured a dancing mouse and many accessories for her world. This set was aimed at the three-to-seven age group and was another departure for the company, as the main character was - a mouse.

Introduced in 2002, this set was removed from catalogues and retired in 2005.

Movies

Samantha: An American Girl Holiday (2004)

Samantha was the first American Girl movie to be broadcast on television, on 23 November, 2004. During the movie, animated commercials for Tide, a brand of laundry detergent, were broadcast. One of the commercials included a scene where a girl received a Samantha doll for Christmas. The movie was broadcast again on November 25 (Thanksgiving Day U.S.). It drew six million viewers. The movie starred

Annasophia Robb as Samantha Parkington

Kelsey Lewis as Nellie O'Malley

Mia Farrow as Grandmary

Jordan Bridges as Uncle Gard

Rebecca Mader as Cornelia

The movie went to VHS and DVD quickly in time for Christmas 2004.

Felicity: An American Girl Adventure (2005)

Shailene Woodley as Felicity Merriman

Katie Henney as Elizabeth Cole

John Schneider as Edward Merriman

Marcia Gay Harden as Martha Merriman

Kevin Zegers as Ben Davidson

Eulala Scheel as Nan Merriman

The movie went to VHS and DVD quickly in time for Christmas 2005.

Criticism

In addition to complaints about Mattel's management by longtime fans, many believe that American Girl products are overpriced. Dolls themselves cost $87, and most outfits cost around $26, with furniture sometimes costing over $100.

Girls, Inc.

In August 2005, one of the products offered by American Girl is the "I Can" band. From the company web site, "American Girl will give 70 cents for every dollar of “I CAN” band sales, plus a $50,000 donation, to Girls Inc., a national organization dedicated to inspiring all girls to be strong, smart, and bold.(sm)"[2] The relationship to Girls, Inc. has been criticised by some conservative activists [3] who allege that Girls Inc. promotes abortion rights and acceptance of homosexual orientation. American Girl states that these donations are earmarked to support the work of Girls Inc. in the areas of intellectual development, leadership, and sports programs.

Marisol

In 2005 residents of Pilsen, a neighborhood in Chicago, Illinois, claimed the book Marisol portrayed their neighborhood as unsafe, because in a passage Marisol's mother explains that they are moving to the suburb of Des Plaines because Pilsen is "dangerous" and "there is no place to play." The Latin-American community decided to protest the book and doll. American girl responded: “We feel that this brief passage has been taken out of context in the book... In the story you’ll see that Marisol’s parents want to have a house and a yard, and a place for her to play. As well as [those], there are some other reasons, too, that they are talking about moving.”-Stephanie Spanos, senior public relations associate for American Girl. [4]

External links