I'm dismayed by the commercialization of this line--among other things, it seems to limit the empowerment to those whose parents can afford it, and that's already the case in too many ways--but I like the fact that American Girl provides girls with a look at history from a female perspective. Too many people find history boring, and if this helps more people relate to different eras, so much the better.

Plus I think the benefit for the homeless makes sense. This story is about the Depression, after all.

KateNonymous

Personally, I think that buying dolls that come with a book or movie that tells a tale about a strong female character with a bit of historical perspective included is a good thing. It's a great way of teaching history - seeing people in the past as actual people. The girls in the stories are not the underwear clad "the girlfriend," "the bitchy wife," "the corpse" or any other dull underwritten female that you see in almost every movie /TV show today. As for the AG books: getting kids to read sometimes takes creative measures. Ask any parent who lets their boys read comic books, because well, at least they're reading. Ask any parent who lets their kids read "Captain Underpants." However, I do wish the dolls were less expensive.

TryThisAtHome

@tell Dolly Parton again: Please tell me you made that statement in jest.

Calraigh

@jenalicious: I had never even HEARD of them before this past year. (although, I did drive by the cafe in Chicago a few years back & wondered what in hell was going on...) I am older, so I don't believe they were around when I was a kid.

I can't speak for the history of the dolls, but what I see now? It's really not OK & just about whatever mongo company makes them collecting more dough. We don't need to teach kids about buying inane amounts of shit 24/7. We really don't.

rosasparks

I had the doll when they first came out and I really enjoyed them. Now buying every single piece is crazy, but it was something to work toward to learn to save my money to get one of those dolls and man I was proud. My mom can't wait until I have kids to pass them on to (plus catalog shopping was great for my older grandparents that couldn't drive all over town)

I'd rather young girls play with these as opposed to Bratz dolls also. Those just promote negative body image, they are way too trashy. AG dolls at least attempt to teach a little history and can peak interest in a subject area.

swedelibrarian

The zombified/blissed out look on a the face of a girl fresh from American Girl Place is enough like the look of the chicks who stood on-line to see SATC that I believe the juggernaut/apocalypse is coming with this movie.

shutupitsmine

@stephanielayme:

kirsten was my favorite, samantha was a close second. when we were in college my twin and i saw a movie about samantha and tried to slyly rent it, only to find that the movie clerk graduated with us. shit.

wiki-lizzia

@rosasparks: ahh i see. I started getting them when i was about 7,like, 16 years ago (wow. i feel old.), back when they were pure and un-Mattel-ified. the stories were great..always showed smart little girls.

jenalicious

but guys, there's ABIGAIL BRESLIN

yttri

@rosasparks: several of HER. Sorry for the typos. The keyboard isn't working for me today.

rosasparks

I grew up learning more history from American Girl stories than I did in school. The books are great, though I agree it's become overly commercialized lately.

You know what is really creepy though? Their Bity Baby line.

LittleJStoleMyHeadband

Virtually everything I know about World War II I know as a result of American Girl dolls. Yeah, it's expensive, but it sure beats most of the other options for girls.

tell Dolly Parton again

Chris O'Donnell is going to be in this movie! He was one of my celeb crushes back in high school.

*Petitegal runs and ducks really quickly as she doesn't want salmonella poisoning from the tomatoes people are throwing*

PetiteGal

They're $90 dollar dolls. They have their own cutlery and undergarments and tea sets. They're not as bad as those Bratz dolls, but they're bad in their own right. It's an empire of doll crap--not that I should talk, I was a Barbie girl. And this movie will make BANK. I'm sure they'll even be selling mini popcorn for the girls who brought their dolls with. Maybe they'll sell mini DVDs for the dolls to watch on their doll-sized flat screens. It's capitalism at its finest. I wish I thought of it.

NoWireHangers

American Girl was the SHIT back when I was a little girl, in the early '90s, before they went way out of control and made the dolls that could look like you. I will admit I can't wait to see this movie.

Which American Girl doll did you have? I was all about Samantha, until my 3-year-old sister cut all of her hair off.

stephanielayme

@jenalicious: @Superawesomerad: @Leiakat: I don't know. We've only experienced the "American Girl" thing in the past year. It was creepy & seemed ridiculously commercial.

I would not generalize that MOST kids want a doll to look like them. My daughter & her several of her friends found the whole thing strange. They really did. Maybe THEY are freaks, but I don't think so.

rosasparks

@rosasparks: really? i loved american girl dolls when i was a kid. at least its wayyyy better than bratz or something. theres actually an educational aspect to it.

jenalicious

@rosasparks: That's only the "American Girl of Today" line, which I agree is a little on the creepy side. On the other hand, I don't see anything hideously wrong with Kitt and her ilk, which teach girls about what life was like in different historical periods. Sure, the dolls and their ancillary shit are expensive, but I'd rather my kid play with them than with Bratz.

Superawesomerad

Ugh, those dolls are expensive and ridiculous, and just like Hannah Montana parents trip all over themselves to spend hundreds of dollars on them because they're "wholesome". Duh. I loved Little House on the Prairie books when I was that age, and you can buy them used pretty cheap. These dolls are just another way for spoiled little girls to compete with eachother (I have this accessory, do you? and on and on) and now the movie, even if it's good, just piles on the marketing and encourages more label consciousness and consumerism.

teapartys_over

Thank goodness, my nieces outgrew this phase. What with the dolls, accessories, clothes, malls and tea parties, American Girl has sucked up enough of their college funds.

kookla

@rosasparks: Um, most children want a doll that looks like them. While some might find it creepy, others treat their doll like their 'child' and like it to be similar to them.

American Girl started when I was a preteen, and it was just the three main historic dolls. I loved it, a doll that came with a historic background and books. Since the creator sold it it has become overblown, but the original concept was awesome for kids.

Leiakat

The "Kit Kittridge Paper Dolls" featuring color(!) paper outfits with fold-over tabs are sure to be this Christmas season's must-have toy!

CourageousCoward

As a mom, I encounter some who enjoy the American Girl juggernaut. I, however, find it to be offensive, creepy, and generally a horrible thing to present to young girls.

My daughter's cousin collects this stuff. She was mystified as to why you would want a doll that looked like you. She thought it would be scary at night, said doll staying at you in your bed. I concur, baby, wholeheartedly.

This movie is a mess. What in hell?!

rosasparks

@tell Dolly Parton again: It's actually I became obsessed with WWII and American home life. Back in the day Molly was my girl - I also had Kirsten to pay homage to my Scandinavian roots.
In both cases I learned about the immigration process and the facts of war and how it home. Not to sounds snarky at all, but it was a wonderful way to get young girls engaged in history. I am not sure how the new batch works and its fascinating that something that was a hundred bucks when I was child ( about 15 - 20 years ago) and was a very special toy seems to be just another doll to kids nowadays.

ArtfulSlinger

I liked Molly. She was the only doll who wore glasses like me. Plus, her kicky beret/argyle sweater outfit was awesome.

Superawesomerad

We don't have these dolls but AG is not centered around "dolls that look like your kid." One of their lines has this option, but most of the lines don't. I think they're better than Hanna Montana (If you sing, mug, and act like a 'tard you too can be famous'), Britney Spears (if you dress like a tramp, you too can be a tramp), Bratz (trampy, provocatively dressed babies and padded bras for 8 year olds - yay!)

TryThisAtHome

BARBIE ROCKS! And she's a lot cheaper.

SanFranBetsu

Wow! I thought I was the only one who hated this fad. Neither of my daughters wants a doll that looks like them, in fact the youngest said she would rather own Chuckie. I know several girls who own these dolls and they don't seem that interested, but their mothers' do. I know one successful lawyer who actually knits ponchos and shawls for the damned dolls.

SanFranBetsu

Felicity was my favorite.

Decebal

@ArtfulSlinger: Agreed. I had Kirsten and checked the books for all of the dolls out of my library. It got me really into American History and I think the books are pretty solid in their accuracy and attention to detail. I don't have a kid at this point but (as others have said) they are way preferable over Bratz and the like, even if they are just as commercialized.

type_slowly

@KateNonymous: Right on target. I grew up with the historical dolls and books, and they gave me a great appreciation for the cultural and social impact of history. For every rich character in a pretty dress there is a poor character who is just as human and just as deserving.

On the economic side...yes, the dolls were expensive but also very high quality. My Samantha doll was my first lesson in "Taking Care of Nice Things." I knew I was lucky to have one.

The whole brand is more commercial these days. The historical dolls are side-lined by the increasingly crass Girl of Today line, which seems as conspicuous-consumption oriented as Barbie.

tinmiss

My best friend had Kirsten and I had Samantha (with her travel trunk and hung up outfits! Oh man, I wanted a travel trunk my size.) The crafting was much nicer (like bigger Madame Alexander dolls). We used to take turns being Pioneers or Victorian era rich girls learning about other classes. It was great. You wanna talk CREEPY? Cricket dolls. Talking freaking Cricket dolls.

juniperjenny

I thought the marketing behind dolls are so that young girls will want to be like the doll not to make the doll look like them... maybe I am wrong.

sega8800

I love American Girl dolls. Not the ones that can look like you. I like the ones with the books and the paper dolls which I had all of them up until Addy came out. I have the Samantha doll she's in my closet right now. I wanted Felicity. I still have all my books down in the basement. Each girl had 6 books and paper dolls and cook books and dress patterns. Oh makes me want to go see this movie, I thought the Samantha one was good even if it was a made for TV movie.

Gilbekat

Thanks for the warning.

rugrat

Jesus. American schools must really suck.

raincoaster

Oh, American Girls! Back when you were owned by Pleasant Company, it was a delight to receive the huge, full-color catalog in the mail once or twice a year, and pore over all the mini accessories, furniture, and matching girl/doll outfits! I actually learned from the books, and bless you, after I grew out of your line, you made an effort to include girls of color and shine light on less-awesomely carefree times in our history without being a total downer.

Then you were bought by Mattel. Now you sell American Girl deodorant marketed to 8 year olds and lip gloss at Bath & Body Works. Ugh. Nice. Just what I would want for my (non-existent) kids. When I visited the store in Chicago, I felt like a little piece of my childhood had been torn out and trampled. I hate that I probably will try at least somewhat to keep my future daughters (should there be any) away from this line just to discourage the rampant consumerism that is inherent in this line now.

That said, I still will probably rent the movie when it comes out on DVD.

feminaformosa

@raincoaster: Yep! Imagine learning history from an overpriced doll as opposed to books.

SanFranBetsu

I have to confess... I went to a parochial school where having an American Girl doll was THE status symbol among us elementary and middle school brats. I never got to have one. The (somewhat) pathetic thing? I got Samantha and Kit for Christmas one year when I was a legitimate adult. WTF. Day late and a dollar short! Though... I still like them :)

filledeparis

you know who else stars in kit kittredge? wallace shawn. mad love for that man. anyone? anyone?

also, i think i saw joan cusack AND julia ormand AND stanley tucci in the preview for this movie. how? how did this happen?

clairelucy