American Girl: 40 Years of Storytelling & Inner Stars

American Girl dolls are instantly recognizable, often featuring two pearly white teeth, stocky and supportive limbs, silky hair, and clothing that every little kid wants to wear. This year, the brand celebrates four decades of iconic features, dependable dolls, and girl-centric stories that welcome every kid (and collector) with open arms.

Developed by Pleasant Rowland in 1986 and acquired by Mattel in 1998, American Girl has served generations of kids and parents through detailed doll collections and supplementary storybooks. Following the brand’s original 18-inch Historical personalities, American Girl has introduced numerous characters who share similar experiences, emotions, and plights as the kids who play with them.

Characterized by its commitment to empowering young girls through storytelling, the brand is launching a year-long celebration of girlhood, friendship, resilience, and dreams. Despite global changes, American Girl has maintained these core values and fundamental goals while evolving in tandem with each new era. “We approach expansion with intention: everything we create must support our mission to help girls grow with courage, confidence, and strength of character, explains Jamie Cygielman, Global Head of Dolls at Mattel.

American Girl emphasizes strength through storytelling, as evident in its carefully crafted characters. American Girl’s catalog includes sub-brands, such as Bitty Baby, AG Sisters, Truly Me, Wellie Wishers, and Historical Characters, each showcasing dolls with their own backgrounds. Through clothing and accessories, kids can learn about life in the ‘60s with Melody, discover the landscape of 1824 with Josefina, become mermaids with the WellieWishers, or start a small business with Summer, the 2025 Girl of the Year.

“The debut of our original historical characters, Samantha, Kirsten, and Molly, cemented the brand’s place as a trusted companion for girls. Their books helped shape a generation of readers, offering both mirrors and windows into experiences across time,” Cygielman says.

American Girl also publishes companion books that can detail a character’s life, whether it’s a historically accurate depiction based on a doll or follows an imaginative journey through school for royalty. For some, the term “American Girl” evokes memories of the books before the dolls. Adults who grew up with the brand will recall receiving The Care & Keeping of You as their first introduction to bodily changes. At the same time, kids of all ages learned that certain emotions are universal through Historical Character or Girl of the Year books.

Kris Sanchez (@thedollstudiobykris), a doll collector and content creator with more than 230 American Girl Dolls, recalls that “The biggest thing that I remember as a child being so gravitated towards the brand was the stories. I feel like if you didn’t have an American Girl doll, you would beg your parents for the books.”

This year, the brand is introducing its first adult fiction novel. “As many of our earliest fans are now adults, there’s a natural desire to revisit the characters who shaped their childhood, this time through a lens that will resonate with fans who grew up with American Girl and the deeply meaningful stories the brand is known for telling,” Cygielman says. She notes that the adult novel follows the journey of well-loved historical characters, allowing fans to see what happened to their childhood friend.

While American Girl’s original characters come with fully fleshed-out backgrounds and personalities, families can also find dolls and accessories inspired by their favorite IP. Mattel’s licensing agreement with The Walt Disney Co. has resulted in a well-received line of American Girl Disney Princess Dolls, showcasing characters like Frozen’s Elsa and Anna, Tangled’s Rapunzel, The Princess and the Frog’s Tiana, and more in the classic American Girl Doll style. Some characters are available as both 18-inch dolls and Bitty Baby dolls.

Recently, American Girl added Wicked’s Elphaba and Glinda dolls to its collector series — and KPop Demon Hunters is up next. Whether it’s a classic Disney title or a new action-filled anime, fans of all ages can find something special for themselves at American Girl.

“We embrace the range of American Girl fans by designing experiences that feel relevant and special at every age. For young fans, that means deeply relatable characters, on-trend products, engaging digital content, and hands-on moments, like our Styled by You experience in our retail locations,” Cygielman adds. “For adult collectors, we tap into the brand’s nostalgia with archival reintroductions, premium storytelling, and culturally relevant collaborations, such as Wicked, Wednesday, and KPop Demon Hunters.”

Mattel releases countless American Girl accessories, with each product designed to help kids expand the narrative. The brand’s extensive accessories collection ranges from clothing pieces and hair styling tools to pet pals and detailed doll-sized eateries, kitchens, and bedrooms, each with thoughtful design for kids and fans.

Kids can supplement imaginative play with realistic playsets, from coffee shops and tiny tea sets to laundry machines and glamping kits. Kids can also use the toys to re-enact scenes from their Historical characters’ past — add Courtney’s (1986) cassette player and headphones to her daily routine, mirror a weekly event with Rebecca’s (1914) Sabbath Set, or get ready for a stellar performance with Claudie’s (1922) Jazz Performance Outfit.

Kids can even practice their extracurriculars at a smaller scale. Parents and collectors can purchase sets that include everything needed for doll-sized soccer, cheerleading, student council, orchestra, and more. “The consumer is at the heart of everything we design. We consider how the item will be used and what would be most fun or best tell the story,” says Annie Nguyen, Senior Manager, Product Design at Mattel. “The designers also know that our biggest fans care about materials and premium details, so we incorporate them where we can.”

Sanchez, who displays some of his dolls in built-in dollhouses, notes that the quality of the dolls and accessories also contributes to the brand’s success among collectors and kids. Children are drawn to dolls that exhibit similar features, such as freckles or stylized hair, and emotions, while parents appreciate the quality and comfort of a toy that will last for years.

For kids with uncontainable imaginations, American Girl invites families to visit its brick-and-mortar stores. At these locations, little ones can dine with their dolls at the American Girl Cafe, get matching hairstyles at the Salon, visit the Care Center for a check-up, and engage in the Styled by You retail experience.

There has been an influx of adults — including those outside the collecting space — creating content with their dolls. Many social media users are bringing their childhood dolls to the American Girl Cafe, enjoying adult-only beverages and snacks with toys that were on their elementary school wish lists.

“More recently, the resurgence of Millennial and Gen Z nostalgia has been a powerful moment for our team. Seeing adult fans reconnect so deeply with their original dolls, our books, and now with their own children reminds us of the emotional impact this brand has had for 40 years,” Cygielman explains.

The brand’s commitment to creating conversation and representing every kid has also contributed to its longevity. With its Girl of the Year collection, American Girl introduces timely characters whose backgrounds, school experiences, or hobbies might resonate deeply with kids.

Collectors like Sanchez note that specific dolls stand out, such as the 2009 Girl of the Year Doll Chrissa Maxwell, who was released during the social media explosion.

“The [Chrissa] doll tackled bullying, and it tackled it in all angles — in person, online … looking back, it’s something that really stuck with me, because as a child that was growing up in that time [the rise of social media], as a child that was getting bullied at the time, it allowed for me to have a voice and confidence because this was a very real thing that was happening … creating a doll that represents something that was very much happening to our generation was really crucial in that time period.”

The 2026 Girl of the Year Doll, Raquel Reyes, a Mexican-American and the great-great-granddaughter of Samantha Parkington, also stood out to Sanchez. Mattel recently released Raquel during an uneasy political climate for residents of mixed heritage. Her celebration of family and confidence in her culture served as a reminder of the strength that comes from being yourself and living authentically.

American Girl encourages kids, specifically young girls, to live authentically and love themselves, and a year-long celebration will reinforce this message.

Fans of all ages can visit brick-and-mortar locations for exceptional experiences and look forward to new drops, including the Modern Era line. This brand-new collection features dolls that incorporate today’s styles to pay tribute to historical characters, including Addy, Molly, Samantha, Felicity, and more. Each doll, designed for kids ages 8 and up, features clothing similar to its Historical counterpart with a modern twist.

Regardless of the doll collection or book contents, American Girl remains dedicated to the concept of girlhood. As Cygielman states, “While material culture changes over the eras and decades, core tenets of girlhood remain constant. Whether a story takes place in 1774, 1904, or today, the emotions are universal: bravery, kindness, belonging, and the courage to become who you are.”

A shorter version of this feature first appeared in the 2026 edition of The BIG Toy Book. Read the full issue here!

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