American Girls Dolls Make Sense
A few days ago I asked my granddaughter what she wanted for her birthday. Without hesitation she told me that she was into American Girls dolls. "Never heard of them," I said, wondering if she had suddenly been struck with a case of youthful patriotism. Of course, such questions can quickly be resolved with a simple Google search.
Sure enough, American Girl dolls do exist and within moments I was indoctrinated to a new brand and suffering from sticker shock.
As we perused the manufacturer's website something caught my eye. There before me was the name of one of my favorite musicians, Harry Connick, Jr. Why was he getting press on a website devoted to pricey dolls and accessories?
After reading further, the tie-in made perfect sense. American Girl is introducing 2 new dolls with an 1853 New Orleans theme. Of course, Connick is a New Orleans native with ties to the great musical heritage of that city.
The dolls, Cecile and Marie-Grace, are part of a larger story that is told in a series of 6 books that chronicles the social, religious, economic and racial differences encountered by 2 young girls. This is in keeping with the educational "heritage" theme often used by American Girl for introducing a new product.
Other heritage dolls include: Addy, a black doll whose story is set in the days of slavery; Josefina, a New Mexican girl growing up in 1824; Rebecca Rubin, of Russian-Jewish heritage and set in 1914; and Molly McIntire who is growing up in the war torn world of the 1940s. Each comes with a series of books for girls which make these dolls particularly popular with educators.
Cecile and Marie-Grace are the first dolls to have their own song. "A Lot Like Me" was written by Harry Connick, Jr. He accompanies his 13 year old daughter, Kate, who sings the vocal on the recording. All proceeds from the iTunes downloads go to benefit the Ellis Marsalis Center for Music, in the New Orleans Habitat Musicians' Village, the community conceived by Connick and Branford Marsalis post-Katrina to house the artists who have defined the city's culture and to preserve the city's famed musical heritage for future generations.
How refreshing to see such a rich family story linked to a toy. Connick was asked about how he manages to find time for his family in the midst of his very active career. He responded that the reverse was actually true. The greater challenge was finding time for his career. Family life comes first. Good for him.
The more I read about American Girl the more impressed I became. To see so much emphasis on education was a breath of fresh air. Yes, these dolls are expensive…but they are designed in a way that teaches valuable life lessons and even helps to peak girls' interest in academics.
Many times my granddaughter has directed my attention to the toy section of a department store. Most often her selections were, for lack of a better word, junk. But this time she has her eyes on something that makes sense.
You can find out more about American Girls dolls at the manufacturers website or at one of their stores now open in a handful of American cities.
About the Author
Richard Weirich is a radio personality who writes reviews on popular culture and products. To find out more about American Girls dolls visit http://www.americangirlsdolls.net/american-girls-dolls/ .
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