Description: Adult fans can continue Samantha Parkington’s story in this historical-fiction novel set in 1920 New York City. Now 25 years old, Samantha is working hard to educate women in New York about suffrage and encourage them to vote in their first presidential election that fall. But when Samantha’s large inheritance, including her childhood Mount Bedford home, is stolen in a shocking scheme, she goes from socialite to shop girl overnight and experiences a very different side of New York City living in a boarding house. Searching for clues regarding the theft of her inheritance, she infiltrates the business of a notorious criminal in New York City. Determined as ever, Samantha will do whatever it takes to find answers and save her family’s legacy.
Discussion: I loved American Girl dolls as a child and devoured their stories. My favorite doll and series was Felicity. My mom even took me to meet the author, where she signed my copy of Meet Felicity for me!
I’m getting the sense that American Girl is realizing they have an adult audience – they’re partnering with designer bag companies, they sell OG 90s shirt designs in adult sizes, and I guess, now this!
While Samantha isn’t my first choice, I’m excited to see if this idea continues for other historical characters! I’d love to see where all of our favorite dolls ended up.
I’m also wondering if this a lowkey response to the increased TikTok videos making jokes about what MLMs each character would have, what their political affiliation would be, etc etc. Could it be a way for AG to control the narrative?
What do you think? Is there a specific doll you’d be looking forward to?
by Lizz196
1 Comment
Addy was the “new” doll when I was a kid and even though I already had a Molly, Addy was my favorite. I grew up in the deep South, and I wish this weren’t true but literally the Meet Addy book was the only accurate (age appropriate though it was) depiction of slavery that I encountered through all of my school reading until I was a senior in high school and read Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass. I’m really glad I had Addy as a kid so I didn’t grow up completely stupid, and I’d love to get more of her story.