An American Girl Anthology: Finding Ourselves in the Pleasant Company Universe

by Justine Orlovsky-Schnitzler (Editor), K.C. Hysmith (Editor)

Contributions by Mary Berman, Mary M. Burke, Abigail C. Fine, Juliette Holder, KC Hysmith, Mackenzie Kwok, Esther Martin, Hannah Matthews, Janine B. Napierkowski, Justine Orlovsky-Schnitzler, Samantha Pickette, Sheena Roetman-Wynn, Rebekkah Rubin, Marissa J. Spear, Tara Strauch, Cary Tide, and Laura Traister


An American Girl Finding Ourselves in the Pleasant Company Universe turns American Girl dolls—and the ever-growing ecosystem surrounding them—inside out. Editors Justine Orlovsky-Schnitzler and KC Hysmith, along with an expansive list of contributors across multiple disciplines and within different research areas, explore Pleasant Company (American Girl’s parent corporation) and the social and cultural impact the dolls and broader American Girl universe continue to have for generations of American consumers through thoughtful and fun essays.

This collection serves as an ode to the democratizing power of the internet and the intoxicating power of nostalgia, while also looking toward the future as the eldest American Girl fans become parents themselves. It is also a critical account of the ways in which American Girl has shaped senses of self-worth and hopes for the future, securing a base of lifelong consumers, and also serves as a love letter to the kids we collectively used to be. Along the way, readers will take seriously American Girl’s influence and place within larger cultural conversations. They will find essays focusing on topics as diverse as food and historical recipes in American Girl publications, the advent of “tag yourself” memes, the struggle to find authentic and long-lasting Asian American representation within the pages of the American Girl catalog, and the enduring power of The Care and Keeping of You as a resource for finding joy in our bodies.

Genres: Nonfiction, Pop Culture, Anthologies

268 pages, Kindle Edition

Published May 15, 2025

Reviews

[Carter · Rating 5 out of 5]

The first book I’ve logged that I appear in HELLO. AG lovers will devour this. It’s so well constructed (major props Justine & KC!!) and will almost certainly challenge your relationship with the AG brand. Definitely recommend

[Marissa Spear · Rating 5 out of 5]

I may be biased (because I am a contributor to this anthology) but I absolutely loved reading through such a thought-provoking collection on American Girl, a brand that shaped my pursuits as a historian. There are so many facets of American Girl yet to be explored with scholarly rigor, and I can’t wait to see more.

[Alexa Blart, Library Cop · Rating 4 out of 5]

Like if nostalgia was really, really smart. These essays run the gamut from an examination of race and othering as reflected in the face molds for the Josefina, Rebecca, and Nellie dolls; the various ways in which disability, Indigeneity, and Jewishness are represented (or underrepresented) in the American Girl brand; an essay on body image and The Care and Keeping of You that moved me deeply while almost making me nostalgic for my fourteen-year-old self, trying to learn how to put in a tampon with help from that one specific page that none of us millennials will ever be able to forget; to an interview with the Instagram account @hellicitymerrimen, which, yes, is indeed how I found out Henry Kissinger had died. I have been LIVING for the American Girl nostalgia moment we're in and this book made me feel smart doing it. (Plus, I got to see the editors give an awesome book talk, and they signed my book with "We need an American Girl who is JUST LIKE YOU!" which is the sweetest thing ever.)

[Rebecca Brenner Graham · Rating 5 out of 5]

a five-star reading experience and a collection in the fullest sense. matches the vibe of my shelf in which Samantha wears a 2000 headband and Molly wears crocs.
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academically, the Addy chapter was beautiful with a useful framework. Addy’s “circumstances are too dangerous for her to perform feminist interventions with the safely adorable courage allotted white protagonists.” creating the Addy narrative “required negotiating the terrible fact that many children’s real experiences are not appropriate reading for children.” those points are foundational for analyzing the whole franchise.
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personally, I enjoyed both Rebecca chapters. the first made me want to carry around my mini Rebecca doll like I sometimes do. the second one takes readers on a tour of Jewish representation and lack thereof on the AG internet.
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the most cohesive strand of argument seems to be ‘these dolls are important and our perspectives matter.’ many essays have deeper arguments, but not all of them. I appreciate how the authors specify in the introduction that readers may proceed in whatever order they want, or read a chapter here & there.
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anyone exploring or researching any topic in the AG universe would find something useful in this book.

[Lucy · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was what I was hoping from Dolls of Our Lives. This anthology is a collection of essays which dissect the different ways American Girl dolls interact with historical and modern culture. From Irish white washing to queer reproduction. I recommend this to any AG fan or anyone interested in pop culture history!

[Anna Juline · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely loved this. American Girl and its books shaped me into who I am today, and this collection of essays was so thought-provoking and critical while also acknowledging what makes the brand so special to so many people. I cannot recommend it highly enough!

[Amy · Rating 5 out of 5]

As someone who became a (just-graduated) historian because of the influence of the American Girl books on my childhood, I loved this collection of academic responses to American Girl from fellow fans a generation ahead of me! It follows that my favorite chapter was “Teaching Girl’s History: American Girls, Curricular Standards, and Historians” by Tara Strauch. I appreciated that many of the authors leveled a critical eye at AG/Pleasant Company/Mattel and learned a lot from the analyses in “Part 2: Who Gets to be an American Girl,” such as the racialization of doll face molds. This anthology also convinced me that I have to read “Playing with America's Doll: A Cultural Analysis of the American Girl Collection” by Emilie Zaslow next as it is cited by almost every single author within this book.

[Caitie · Rating 5 out of 5]

While Barbie played on imagination, American Girl dolls were defined characters with stories outlining their flaws and struggles.

5/5 stars!

I thoroughly enjoyed this, it discusses various aspects of why American Girl dolls (and their historical context/roots) can play on various parts of society like consumerism and disability.

[Angela Juline · Rating 3 out of 5]

I would've love it had there been fewer essays - I would have preferred the authors to select just one essay for the categories they chose to explore.

[Carrie]

A nostalgic read. This book is more what I was looking for when I read "Dolls of our Lives."

[Rae Bradshaw · Rating 5 out of 5]

*An American Girl Anthology: Finding Ourselves in the Pleasant Company Universe*, is a compelling collection that delves into the cultural and personal impact of the American Girl brand. Through a series of thoughtful essays, the anthology explores how these dolls and their accompanying narratives have shaped the identities and experiences of generations of girls. Contributors examine themes such as nostalgia, representation, and the evolving role of American Girl in contemporary culture. This anthology offers a nuanced perspective on the enduring legacy of American Girl, making it a valuable read for both longtime fans and newcomers interested in the intersection of pop culture and identity

[Laura · Rating 5 out of 5]

As a contributor, I am a little biased, but gosh this book is so smart and so fun! I thought its academic bent meant it would take me a good while to finish it, but I tore through it. The range of topics and writing styles is impressive, and the editors’ introduction and conclusion tie the essays together so well. What struck me the most: The human need to see ourselves represented is so important that if good representation doesn’t exist, even children will show astounding creativity in imagining their own representation. There’s still so much to say about people’s relationship to this brand, so here’s to hoping for volume 2!

[RedReviews4You Susan-Dara · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was one of the most engaging and delightful anthologies of criticism I’ve read. The connection between history, pop culture, and—curiously—pop culture history invited me to look back at my own childhood and ask: How much of who I am is shaped by this toy?

Each essay pulls you deeper into the wonder, joy, and unexpected learning that defined the original Pleasant Company universe. It’s not just nostalgia—it’s cultural excavation. I was thrilled to see this seemingly simple toy examined with such thoughtful critique. This is exactly the kind of book we need more of: one that honors memory, questions identity, and celebrates the emotional architecture of girlhood.

[Stephanie · Rating 5 out of 5]

absolutely fantastic 5/5 stars. Articles on American Girl dolls is everything I needed in my life. If I had to give a tiny bit of criticism, I did spot several errors and I feel like this anthology could've done with one more edit before it was published. That aside, I'm definitely going to find a way to use this in my academic research

[Lisa · Rating 4 out of 5]

A lot of interesting ideas and concepts but the best is just seeing how this book series and toy brand has imprinted on so many different people in so many different ways.

[Nawal Ciaramitaro · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book really explores the good and the bad of American Girl. As an AG fan and nerd, I wish I could read this book again for the first time.

[Kaydenmikale]

Not rating bc anthology

[Kaitlynn · Rating 4 out of 5]

I am living for the resurgence of American Girl Doll lure!