American Girl
| American Girl | |
|---|---|
The current logo for American Girl | |
| Created by | Pleasant Rowland |
| Original work | Dolls and books released by Pleasant Company (1986) |
| Owner | Mattel |
| Print publications | |
| Book(s) | See American Girl (book series) |
| Films and television | |
| Film(s) | See American Girl (film series) |
| Short film(s) |
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| Games | |
| Video game(s) | See American Girl (video game series) |
| Audio | |
| Soundtrack(s) |
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| Miscellaneous | |
| Toy(s) | Various (dolls and playsets) |
| Clothing | Dress Like Your Doll |
American Girl is an American line of 18-inch (46 cm) dolls owned by Mattel. The dolls portray 8- to 14-year-old girls of various ethnicities, faiths, nationalities, and social classes during different historical periods. They are sold with accompanying books told from the girls' viewpoints. Originally the stories, dolls and accessories focused on various periods of American history, but were expanded to include characters and stories from contemporary life. Offerings expanded over time and currently include baby dolls (Bitty Baby), Truly Me dolls, which vary by eye color, face mold, skin color, hair texture, and hair length, and Girl of the Year dolls which are contemporary characters traditionally available for only one year. A service for ordering a custom-made doll with features and clothing specified by the owner dubbed Create Your Own, was introduced in 2017.
American Girl dolls were introduced in 1986 by the Pleasant Company. The company was founded by Pleasant Rowland in Madison, Wisconsin, and later headquartered in Middleton, Wisconsin. Its products were originally purchasable only by mail or phone through the company's catalog. In 1998, Mattel purchased the company for $700 million. The company has been awarded the Oppenheim Toy Portfolio Award eight times and was inducted into the National Toy Hall of Fame in 2021.