American Girl Doll News

Let me just say, I was NOT expecting to get Truly Me dolls 128 and 129 today. After all, I came home from college to my order of the Disney Princess dolls, only to be surprised by my parents that they got me 128 and 129! I named 128 Casey and 129 Amity. Here's their photos!

As part of Mattel transitioning American Girl's offices into their El Segundo, California, headquarters, the American Girl office in Middleton, Wisconsin is closing later this spring. AG's operations, including marketing, product design and development, public relations and creative services positions, is moving to Mattel headquarters in California, while other positions will work remotely. American Girl's distribution offices in DeForest, Wisconsin will still be operational.

American Girl is having a sale this weekend: you get 10% off $75 or more, 15% off $150 or more and 20% off orders $250 or more. Dolls, Lila's collection, and Disney items are not included in the sale.

I just came home from college for the weekend, and my Disney Princess dolls were waiting for me when I arrived! Here are my photos of the new dolls:

There have been signs that the Historical characters are going to get a refresh this year - from listing of new books for Julie, the shrinking of current Historical collections, among other things. But I also realized something that makes a 2024 Historical Character refresh likely... In 2014, the Historical Characters were rebranded to BeForever. In 2019, the Historical branding was restored, new book formatting was introduced, and the collections of the core Historicals at the time (Kaya, Rebecca, Nanea, Maryellen, Melody and Julie) were refreshed and given new items. Since so many new historicals have been released since 2019, as well as there being less items for the older ones, I believe a refresh is imminent if AG wants to release more Historicals in the future. American Girl's current core historicals, if we are to guess from the American Girl Live in Concert musical (which 2018-19's AG Live mostly predicted), are Claudie, Melody, Julie, Courtney and Nicki/Isabel. This leaves one to be kept in the core line of products, and if I am going to take a wild guess, it's either going to be Kaya or Nanea. American Girl usually doesn't like to take dolls of color or different religions out of the core lineup until they introduce a new historical character of a similar background. For example, Addy was cubed around the same time Melody released, and Rebecca's collection started dwindling around the time Isabel and Nicki released. However, this rule can also work with Girls of the Year, as Josefina was cubed during Luciana's availability. However, so far I haven't heard of any new Native American historicals or Asian/Pacific Islander historicals being in the works, so my guess is that Nanea will be kept, as she is newer, and AG might release a new Native American character in the future. What do you think?

American Girl's store in Dallas is moving locations, and there is currently a closing sale going on at the old store, which is closing on February 20. The sale is 10% off $75+, 15% off $150+, and 20% off $250. Additionally, AG rewards members get double points.

Cecile Rey is the Doll of the Month for February 2024! Cecile Rey is from New Orleans, Louisiana during the Yellow Fever epidemic in 1853. Cecile is a well-to-do free Black girl who loves music, who's life changes when she meets an unlikely friend, Marie-Grace Gardner. The two bond, but as the Yellow Fever epidemic ravages New Orleans, the two are able to use their unique talents to make a difference. Cecile was released in 2011 and retired in 2014.

Today is Courtney's birthday. She was born this day in 1976, which makes her 48 today!

We have a few American Girl book updates regarding books for historical characters! Claudie's first book, which was only available separately in hardcover since her debut, will release in paperback on September 3, 2024. Julie's original graphic novel, Julie and the Blue Guitar, releasing on September 10, 2024, now has a cover:

Here are store photos of the new American Girl Disney Princess dolls!

American Girl's fourth-quarter and full year 2023 financial report has released: In the fourth quarter of 2023, Net Sales in the American Girl® segment decreased 6% as reported and in constant currency. In 2023 overall, Net Sales in the American Girl segment decreased 9% as reported and in constant currency. As of this year, Mattel is integrating American Girl's sales with Mattel's sales overall, so they will not be separately reported. However, we will still be able to tell if it is declining or growing.

Footage from the press day American Girl had from the Corinne movie is coming out, including this interview that was uploaded to YouTube yesterday! In this interview, Miya and Kai Cech actually reveal that they had auditioned for another American Girl doll movie in the past... watch the interview to find out who they auditioned for!