"Dolls of Our Lives" is essential reading for fans of American Girl and the people who love them. What’s in a doll? While the Barbie movie opens with a towering plastic fashion plate, those of us who came of age in the ‘80s and ‘90s grew up in the shadow of another giant first for dollkind: American Girl. As “not yet girls, not yet women” (to paraphrase Mary and Allison paraphrasing another voice of our generation), we became vinyl collectors. Our prized possessions were not records, but 18-inch historical figures whose books centered young girls who were heroes in pivotal moments in history: The American Revolution. The Great Depression. World War II. In "Dolls of Our Lives," historians Mary Mahoney and Allison Horrocks argue these dolls weren’t just objects, but treasured tools that helped fans access the past while connecting to older generations and forging their own identities. With the signature humor and pop culture references from their podcast of the same name, Mahoney and Horrocks take readers from the company’s founding by Pleasant Rowland to where it is today and share how the line of books and dolls impacted the trajectory of their lives… and a generation.

As historians, Horrocks and Mahoney are quick to acknowledge the more problematic aspects of the brand—its offering of a self-emancipated Addy Walker as their first Black doll for sale; the high price points for dolls, especially ones based on periods of austerity (we’re looking at you, Kit Kittredge); and its overall whiteness. Despite these flaws, they acknowledge how formative the brand was for millennials, sharing personal stories that will take you from the magic of ‘90s historically themed birthday parties (think: pioneer crafts and petit fours) to Christmas mornings with a burgundy box under the tree that helped young girls connect with the beloved parent, grandparent, or aunt who placed it there. As the authors write, “family history is a space that has always valued women’s stories even if popular histories haven’t.” These popular dolls and books helped a generation of women access history while imagining their future. Barbie can’t hold a (colonial era, doll-sized) candle to that. "Dolls of our Lives" is to our fan girl hearts what "The Care and Keeping of You" was to our adolescent bodies: An essential and treasured guide.

(Despite the fact that this is published by Macmillan Children's, this is written for adults.)

As someone who was born at the tail end of what is considered to be "Gen X," I was just a tad too old for the initial target audience of American Doll. However, as a children's librarian throughout almost the first two decades of the 21st century, I was well aware of the enormous popularity of the American Girl books (the history titles as well as the contemporary nonfiction titles) and the magazine. As someone who loves pop culture history, especially toy history, I was definitely the target audience for this book, though!

Mary Mahoney and Allison Horrocks take the reader through their personal relationships with the dolls and the AG brand, as well as the history of AG, how the brand has wildly expanded beyond the original print catalog, problematic issues with some of the historical dolls' stories and the puberty book, and how they have connected to AG fans via their podcast. If you love witty pop culture writing that balances deep love with fair criticism, you need to read this.

Many thanks to Macmillan and NetGalley for a digital review copy in exchange for an honest review.

I read this book before listening to the podcast, which was probably the wrong order. While it definitely unlocked some core memories, I think I was hoping for the book to be more what the podcast actually is like.

I was a fan of American Girl since I was a little girl and have enjoyed the brand since. Mary Mahoney and Allison Horrocks does a great job in bringing the magic of this type of book. I enjoyed reading this and thought this was perfect for the American Girl brand. I enjoyed the interviews and can’t wait for more from the authors.

My stopping point is "looking for queer" in American Girl books. Not the slant I was expecting...

Thank you to NetGalley for the chance to preview this book.

This is a book that knows exactly who it's talking to, and that is a millennial who was at least a little into American Girl as a kid. It's full of references to people, music, and general stuff from our age group's childhood. And honestly, it was a bit much. It danced back and forth between, 'oh, that's funny' and 'yes, I get it, I also grew up in this time period, you don't have to rub it in' but I think that may be part of the point. I've never listed to the podcast, so I have no reference point for their communication style on that versus in the book. I wasn't super into American Girl as a kid, but I did have a doll and some bits and pieces that I enjoyed. The history about Pleasant Rowland and the founding of the company was interesting, for sure. And I enjoyed the general analysis of the company and the characters/stories.
It was a solidly enjoyable book, but I suspect it will only really appeal to that specific group, and others might be a little confused.

Dolls of Our Lives is an entertainingly hilarious insight into American Girl Dolls and history. It is also a companion book to the podcast (Dolls of Our Lives) which was also created by Mahoney and Horrocks.

I am a fan of the podcast, so I had to get my hands on this book, and I’m so glad I did. Like the podcast, Mahoney and Harrocks covered the “historical” dolls and their origins and history. This is a great deep dive into the American Girl Doll brand.

I thought this was fun and thoughtful and interesting and nostalgic. I never had an American Girl doll but my sisters did and I was jealous and lived vicariously through the magazine. Definitely felt some memories being unlocked there. I think the audience is slim--I also thought this was more of an exploration of the eras and locations the dolls lived in, but it was still enjoyable.

What an absolute delight! Seriously, my childhood and live were molded by the American Girl dolls and series. To this day, I have many of the books still. I have the Addy doll and 2 of her outfits. I have all boys and they don’t care, but I will never get rid of it. And I will always be proud of it. This book was so much fun! The authors talk about what social media platform each one would be. You get background. History. A deep dive into my childhood, basically. LOVED IT!

I got Felicity and Kirsten when I was a kid and now my daughter has them, plus 4 more. I have long loved American Girls for the dolls, but mainly the books. I was fascinated by Molly and read a lot more about WW2 because of here. I liked this book because of the story of Pleasant Rowland and how the company changed over time. The authors do a great job of addressing the faults of the books (Felicity's family having Black enslaved people, for example), but also recognizing the positive aspects of the dolls' stories. It's a great look into a small piece of social history that says a lot about who we are as Americans. I will definitely purchase a copy for my library. I don't think it will have widespread appeal, but those readers, like me, who enjoy/ed American Girls will find it fascinating and important.