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I love American Girl dolls and merchandise with a historical and educational component. (And don’t you wish you thought of it first? Or is that just me?) Previously, the books were limited to the historical doll characters but now there are many more — mysteries, contemporary fiction, advice books, and activity books.
Girl of the Year Book – Kanani
The American Girl doll of 2011 is Kanani, a 10-year old Hawaiian girl. In the Aloha, Kanani book by Lisa Yee, Kanani’s cousin Rachel visits from New York while her mom is on her honeymoon. But no matter what Kanani does, Rachel seems miserable. When the girls rescue a baby monk seal, slowly Rachel begins to warm up to Hawai’i and Kanani. Both AJ and I loved this sweet story of friendship infused with Hawaiian culture.
The second book about Kanani is Good Job, Kanani about Kanani’s troubled friendship with Celina, her best friend, whom she doesn’t have much time for now that she’s trying to raise money by selling shave ice.
Check out the other contemporary fiction books from past Girls of the Year and Innerstar University™ choose-your-own adventure books.
Historical Character Books
Each historical American Girl character has six books books with themes of love, friendship, courage, compassion, and tolerance set in the historical time period from the 1700s with Kaya, a Nez Perce girl, up to the 1970s with Julie and Ivy, girls living in San Francisco.
Mystery Books
The mysteries also are about the historical characters. AJ and I have read many of the different mysteries and we really enjoyed them. They’re age appropriate and probably around a third grade reading level.
New Mystery Books:
Clue in the Castle Tower: A Samantha Mystery
A Bundle of Trouble: A Rebecca Mystery
Advice Books
You’ll find The Smart Girl’s Guide to . . . well, pretty much anything in the American Girl section of Advice books.
In this category, I highly recommend the Care and Keeping of You – The Body Book for Girls. So many people have recommended it to me as the BEST book for puberty. We just got it out last night and I thought it was great. (I actually gave AJ the entire Care and Keeping of You Collection.)
Activity Books
Activity books round out the book choices available with books for doll play and doll hair, Paper Dolls, art and craft books, quiz books, just to name a few. Although the paper dolls are beautiful, we’ve had trouble with the sticky dots used to hold the outfits in place.
New American Girl Activity Books:
Paper Shaper Forest Friends: 3-D Crafts to Make and Display
GIVEAWAY
Enter to win the American Girl of the Year books — Aloha, Kanani and Good Job, Kanani. Winner will be chosen at random. Giveaway ends July 31, 2011. (Imagination Soup’s official giveaway rules.) U.S. and Canada only please.
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Melissa Taylor is a mom and educator from Denver who is passionate about playful learning. Thanks for visiting the site!
34 Comments
My daughter has four dolls that look like American dolls she got from her grandma. They make clothes and head bands for these dolls together. She likes doing their hair and dressing them.
We haven’t purchased real American dolls, because we heard they were very expensive.
Thanks for sharing more about them. I love that there are books to go with them. I had no idea.
they are expensive – $105 – and they never go on sale! This Kanani doll, AJ saved up her money and bought herself.
I love the American Girl doll series too!
What a fun giveaway! Thanks!!
I loved reading the American Girl books as a child, and actually bought twenty of the historical books at a yard sale for my daughter when she was only a few months old (because they were DIRT cheap AND because I want for her to love these books, too). I made the mistake(?) of letting my little sister in law borrow them, and now most are gone or have been ruined by being left outside. I would love to win the new Kanani books for my daughter to read and enjoy! Thanks for this awesome giveaway!
My niece has just started becoming obsessed with AG… She would go bananas for these!
Hi Melissa,
My daughter would love to read these books. She loves her American Girl doll and we just got back from Hawaii!
Thanks for entering us and thanks for your great blog!
My daughter LOVES reading new books and has been asking about American Girl dolls and books. This would be something fun for her to win. Thanks!
Since we’re not too far, it’s cool to know that Ranchos de los golondrinas is the only office site that lets you walk through one of the American Girl’s lives – Josephina. The author actually went down and researched life at the farm and wrote it with that location in mind. It really brings history to life!
I also love that some of the most amazing children’s authors write them (for example Megan Mcdonald of Judy Moody!).
I guess I could give a link and location – duh – Rancho de Las Golondrinas – is outside of Santa Fe New Mexico (http://www.golondrinas.org/)
We love American Girl in our house. I would love to win. Thanks for the giveaway!
My girls love these dolls! We have the set of Molly books and love them!! Thanks!!
[...] What’s New With American Girl Books + 2 Book Giveaway [...]
We have several American Girls and we have friends that have them as well. They often get together to play with their dolls.
[...] What’s New With American Girl Books + 2 Book Giveaway [...]
[...] Hosted by: Imagination Soup Ending on: 7/31/2011 [Visit this giveaway] [...]
My granddaughter loves to read and she also loves AG dolls. The two books in your giveaway sound like stories that my granddaughter would enjoy. I didn’t realize there were so many AG books. The mysteries sound great and after reading your review, I definitely want to get the Care and Keeping of You – The Body Book for Girls for my granddaughter. Thank you for this great giveaway.
blondie_31971(at)yahoo(dot)com
my oldest just loves these books, we have a few but not these two
My 8 year old daughter Andrea loves Kanani! She would enjoy these books! thanks
I’ve loved AG since I was eight years old. I work part time at a library, where I host a monthly American Girl Book Club. Since I don’t have any daughters (yet) it’s great to be able to share my love of AG with the book club kids. Thanks so much for the great giveaway!
My daughter loves to look at these books whenever we see them in the stores. I like the fact that they are not only educational, but they are fun to read too. Thanks for the chance!
nancyecdavis AT bellsouth DOT net
Booking Daughter is getting a little too old for American Girl books but they were much loved in our household. Every once in awhile, I’ll find her re-reading one!
[...] What’s New With American Girl Books + 2 Book Giveaway [...]
Would love to have this for my neice. I loved reading them as a child and would love to start the tradition with her.
My daughter would really like to have some A.G. dolls, but we haven’t been able to spring for any yet. I’ve been meaning to get her some books.
I did the American Girl Fashion Show last year with Junior League and the girls loved it!
We love American girl but only have a two books. We would love more!
I would love to add these to my school library.
I wish American Girl dolls had been around when I was a kid. I would have loved them! My 6 year old daughter is just starting to get into them. We’d love to try these!
I love these dolls and books! Would love to have them for my 4 granddaughters to enjoy
thanks , these look great
My daughter would love these books!
my daughter would be thrilled
[...] What’s New With American Girl Books [...]