American Girl Dolls

Little girls and adult doll collectors everywhere have been charmed by the American Girl dolls. The dolls are based on a series of books about girls from different eras in American history. There’s an American Indian a girl, a Swedish immigrant pioneer girl, an African American girl in the Civil War era, a girl living through the depression years and more. In addition, the company has begun issuing dolls and books about these girls’ best friends. There is era-appropriate clothing for each of these dolls as well as details like Swedish painted furniture for the Kit, the pioneer doll and a 1930s telephone for Kit, the depression era doll. In addition, there’s a line of “Just Like You” dolls that can each be selected with different hair color, hairstyles, eyes and skin so that it resembles the girl it’s meant for. There is also a line of baby dolls for younger children. If that weren’t enough, the company sells children’s clothes so that girls and their dolls can wear matching outfits.

The company was started in 1986 by Pleasant T. Rowland and was sold in 1998 to toy powerhouse Mattel. American Girl started out with just three dolls, each accompanied by a series of six books about a nine year old girl. Although, they are on the pricey side as children’s dolls go, they have been wildly popular throughout the nineties and this decade. Not only does the company continue to put out new dolls and books to keep girls and collectors interested, but they’ve got a magazine and several made for tv movies as well.

The dolls can be purchased online http://www.americangirl.com/ or at the American Girl Places in Chicago, New York and Los Angeles, several stories of girly heaven full of dolls, clothes, furniture, doll hairstylists, a restaurant with special seats for the dolls and a theater where families can watch an American Girl musical.