New Facts about Nanea, Maryellen and Melody
- Admin
- 15 hours ago
- 3 min read
American Girl just released some new facts about Nanea, Maryellen and Melody on their new "Meet" pages:
To ensure accuracy, author Kirby Larson worked with an advisory board, including a Hawaiian language professor, hula experts, historians, and Pacific Islanders—such as Dorinda Nicholson, who witnessed the Pearl Harbor attack as a child.
Nanea’s outfits and accessories were inspired by traditional Hawaiian fabrics. Her play outfit features palaka, a checkered cloth originally imported from England and worn by Hawaiian plantation workers in the early 1900s.
Nanea’s luau lei includes hibiscus flowers, which are native to Hawai‘i. The state flower is the yellow hibiscus.
American Girl sought to authentically represent Hawaiian culture by incorporating music, dance, ’ohana (family), and kōkua (helping others) into Nanea’s story.
The street names in Nanea’s story, like Fern Street and Pumehana Avenue, are real, but the house numbers are fictional.
Kirby Larson hoped Nanea’s persistence and courage would inspire readers “to give it one more try and not give up, no matter how rough things may look.”
To ensure authenticity in Maryellen’s story, author Valerie Tripp and researchers read the exact newspapers the Larkins would have received, capturing details like the daily weather at the beach and the latest 1950s news.
Maryellen’s school outfit features a charming “Peter Pan” collar, a playful reference to the novel, stage play, and the Disney film, which was released in 1953.
Valerie Tripp consulted an aeronautics expert to make sure that Maryellen’s flying machine was scientifically accurate.
The Seaside Diner is one of the largest playsets ever made by American Girl, featuring real jukebox sounds and over 30 pieces, including diner menu foods like burgers, shakes, and fries.
The product designers searched antique stores, flea markets, and vintage sewing supplies to find authentic 1950s fabrics for Maryellen’s outfits.
Valerie Tripp drew inspiration for the story from her own experiences growing up in the 1950s.
American Girl wanted to bring the 1950s to life to connect daughters, mothers, and grandmothers, allowing them to share memories and make new discoveries about the era together.
Knowing the books would be a multigenerational shared experience, Valerie Tripp emphasized how women’s roles evolved in the 1950s. She also hoped Maryellen would inspire girls to “stay true to the person you really feel you are.”
To create Melody’s story, author Denise Lewis Patrick consulted with a six-member advisory board of historians and educators who had a rich knowledge of Detroit’s history and the civil rights movement.
Melody’s accessories include a pin that is a miniature replica of the pins worn by marchers at Detroit’s Walk to Freedom.
To create Melody’s recording studio, the American Girl team visited real 1960s recording studios, including Motown.
American Girl chose the year 1964 because it was a time of heightened energy and optimism in the civil rights movement.
All of Melody’s clothing, from her houndstooth dress to her cat-eye sunglasses, is emblematic of the 1960s.
Advisory board member Dr. JoAnn Watson grew up in 1960s Detroit. When she was twelve years old, she marched with her grandparents in the Walk to Freedom.
Melody wears a Breton hat, a style traditionally worn by French agricultural workers that became a global fashion trend in the 1960s.
Denise Lewis Patrick saw Melody’s story as a way to help girls realize their individual power. She says, “Melody helps readers to understand that there is always something they can do to help change their world for the better.”