Do you love American Girl like we do? Well, have you checked them out recently? They just debuted their BeForever line this fall in stores nationwide as well as online and it has girls everywhere excited. Why are they so excited?
Friends, welcome back Samantha Parkington.
Like all girls of the 80s, Samantha was the one doll I wanted more than anything. I remember vividly the Christmas my cousin got Samantha and I got to see her in person for the first time ever. At the time there was no Seattle store and American Girl existed only in the glossy catalogues I would get a few times a year, so even being in Samantha’s presence was a very big deal. My cousin was generous enough to let me play with her, and I remember being amazed at all the little details that went into creating her outfit and accessories. But, she always went home with them at the end of the day, and I never quite got over saying goodbye, so I decided when I was young that if I ever had a daughter, I would buy her Samantha. Sadly, the world said goodbye to Samantha when she was retired by the brand before I could buy her for my daughter. I thought for sure Samantha would never be mine, I mean my daughter’s.
When my daughter first saw her and immediately declared her to be “THE most beautiful doll, ever”, I’m pretty sure I had tears in my eyes. Yes, my dear, she is the most beautiful doll, ever. In fact, I think she’s even more beautiful now with her gorgeous pink dress than she was in the 80s. Like all of the new BeForever line, her clothes and accessories have been updated with this new launch. Although they are still historically correct, they have now been updated for this new generation.
The new BeForever line includes all of the nostalgia of my childhood while still being new and exciting, which is exactly what the historical line needed to keep it relevant for this new generation of girls. Sometimes, in order for a tradition to continue, it must grow and change with each generation, and that’s exactly what it did – all without losing sight of what the line and the brand is truly about.
This isn’t a small feat, and I think American Girl pulled it together beautifully.
But, it’s not just the dolls and accessories that have been updated – the books have also been redone. Each BeForever character has a six-book series that have been reformatted into two novel-length classic volumes. To fit with the BeForever theme, they have also released all-new Journey titles that feature a girl from today who goes back in time to share page-turning adventures with the historical character in a choose-your-own-adventure fashion. Since my daughter is crazy about chapter books, I love that the BeForever series has given us a new book list to read together and learn even more about our favorite dolls.
If you haven’t checked out the BeForever line, you should definitely head to American Girl to see Kit, Josefina, Caroline, Rebecca, Addy, Julie, and Kaya online or in person. With many of the beloved characters from our generation’s childhoods as well as newer characters that have been introduced in the past few years, it’s the perfect time to continue the tradition of American Girl with your child. The bonus is that you also get to experience it all over again, only this time it’s even more magical when you can see it all again through your child’s eyes.
Want to win a Samantha doll of your own? Head over to Rave & Review to enter to win!
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