New Molly Retirements???!!

I also love the primary color scheme of Molly's collection. Even though they may not be my favorite colors, they seem right for Molly. I hate the thought of her going pastel.

Regarding changing book covers because outfits have been retired - I doubt they even care. I'm still perplexed that two of the new covers for Addy's books are illustrations of her wearing retired outfits (Stilting Dress and Patriotic Dress.)

Re: Young girls reading the books -my daughter has read all of the historical series (she's now 10.) She read each of the dolls series before she ever chose a doll and, in fact, chose her dolls based on their books.

I think the reason that so many girls don't read the books before they get their dolls these days is that so many of them get their dolls so very young. My daughter was only interested in Bitty Baby until she was 7. Her friends that received AGs quite young are no longer interested in them.

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Originally posted by AngieBelle:
... Because of AG, I still have a thing for history, especially day to day life...

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<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">That's just what Pleasant Rowland wanted, to awaken a love of history in girls. My daughter is a history major now and I credit that at least in part to AG. I also can't help but notice that dd has an understanding of the world, of how it works and how it got to be the way it is that seems to elude many of her very intelligent but historically far more unaware friends.

I think what we're seeing is the difference between a privately held company led by a visionary versus a publically traded company led by executives whose primary concern is pumping up the stock price quarter to quarter. Unfortunately, Mattel seems determined to overlook a big potential source of profits--collectors who by now should have a line of their own within AG, as I believe has been suggested here before.

I think it does depend on the child. My daughter has always adored books. I come from a long line of book collectors and our house is overflowing with books. Since she just turned 5, her reading skills are not enough to read the books herself (although they probably will be), but we are having so much fun reading them together. Right now we're going through the Samantha series and she recently wanted to bring one of the books into her pre-k (I don't think they actually read it, but...). In the world where everything is already imagined for you (every doll and toy already talks, walks and does anything else you could ever dream of), it is nice to have the dolls and accessories to play with. I hope that Mattel starts to realize that there are a million dolls out there and there must be a reason why so many adults are avid collectors.
Sarah

They better be planning a HUGE Molly reintroduction...with lots of stuff. [img]eek.gif[/img]

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Originally posted by AngieBelle:
... Because of AG, I still have a thing for history, especially day to day life...
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That's just what Pleasant Rowland wanted, to awaken a love of history in girls. My daughter is a history major now and I credit that at least in part to AG. I also can't help but notice that dd has an understanding of the world, of how it works and how it got to be the way it is that seems to elude many of her very intelligent but historically far more unaware friends.

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<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">Right on, Auri. One of my majors is history, too, and, though I was a little interested in history before AG, they definately helped foster the love of history.
That same understanding of the world is what I'm afraid girls might miss out on today. One thing I am really proud of my niece about is all the things she's picked up on as she watched the Samantha movie. It is so cool to have a five-year-old go "Aunt Katie, why does Nellie keep picking such bad factories?" and then get to explain to her what is basically a junior version of the Labor Reform movement during the Progressive Era. I mean, not boring, but just that a lot of factories were bad and that people like Samantha saw the bad things and decided that they needed to help change them. She's a sweet, caring, kid, despite never having been taught an understanding of things like why it can be good to enjoy the things you have and not go demanding hundred dollar dolls all the time. Or at least to say "thank you" when you're given those hundred dollar dolls...
And, I should correct myself: it makes sense that a kid that little wouldn't be able to sit down and read the books by herself yet. It's just unusual in my family, since my brother and I were both reading chapter books by the time we started kindergarten. We're apparently abnormal, and eight really is the age when they expect kids to be on the AG reading level anyway.
And I do think that the people on this board most likely don't fall into this category, but I do have a hard time believing that a lot of adults would bother explaining or discussing tough questions like that with a kid like that.

They really should start considering collectors, too, especially considering the fact that even their first child fans, the ones that helped make the company as successful as it is today, are now "adults." (does that freak anyone else out, btw? I find it way weird to be the "grownup")
As a future educator, either through museums or a classroom setting, I miss the old educational materials, maps, and the old Club format with those little "pastports" and the emphasis on the club motto: "Look to the Past, Learn for the Future." That message is now only preserved through that one cd/book thing they sell. Also, since I sound so critical, I do need to note: the Minute Mysteries are awesome! Stuff like that is so great for getting kids to think and keeping them on their toes, even if they are mostly AG re-writes of riddles and puzzles most adults would be familiar with. They're still pretty clever, and help exercise critical reading and thinking skills. It would be cool if they'd start posting weekly ones on their website. And, the emphasis on girls learning to be proud of themselves today isn't necessarily a bad one, even if oldies like us do miss the "your place in history" aspect, I guess. The LE girls' books have all been really good, too. This is probably something we all agree on, I just figured I'd say it, since I'd only been concentrating on the negative aspects.
We really should push for a collectors' club, though!

That's a really good point about child AG fans now being old enough to be adult collectors. AG really needs to take a look at the demographics. They've got adults like me who started the ball rolling buying for our own children and those children themselves who are now adults, two really good reasons to do more for adult collectors instead of focusing exclusively, as they seem to now, on children. Afterall, a child might be interested in AG for just a handful of years but an adult collector is likely to stay interested for far longer.

<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">Originally posted by AngieBelle:
... Because of AG, I still have a thing for history, especially day to day life...
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That's just what Pleasant Rowland wanted, to awaken a love of history in girls. My daughter is a history major now and I credit that at least in part to AG. I also can't help but notice that dd has an understanding of the world, of how it works and how it got to be the way it is that seems to elude many of her very intelligent but historically far more unaware friends.
<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">Between American Girl and Little House On the Prarie, I developed a life long love of history as well! In fact, it has influnenced me to set my debut novel in the most important American historical event in my lifetime so far. If ever asked, American Girl will be mentioned as one of the things that sparked a love for historical fiction!

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Originally posted by BohemianMare:
</font><blockquote><font size="1" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">quote:</font><hr /><font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">

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<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">Originally posted by AngieBelle:
... Because of AG, I still have a thing for history, especially day to day life...
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That's just what Pleasant Rowland wanted, to awaken a love of history in girls. My daughter is a history major now and I credit that at least in part to AG. I also can't help but notice that dd has an understanding of the world, of how it works and how it got to be the way it is that seems to elude many of her very intelligent but historically far more unaware friends.
<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">Between American Girl and Little House On the Prarie, I developed a life long love of history as well! In fact, it has influnenced me to set my debut novel in the most important American historical event in my lifetime so far. If ever asked, American Girl will be mentioned as one of the things that sparked a love for historical fiction!</font><hr /></blockquote><font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">I can't agree more. [img]graemlins/thumbs_up.gif[/img]

I think one of the reasons Barbie has endured through the generations is because no matter how the play line sales are going...and they aren't too good right now because of Bratz and similar dolls...there is a devoted line of adult collectors who are given high quality offerings that keeps them coming back for more. Honestly AG should follow their new parent company's own example in this field. After all, girls grow up, but an adult doll collector could be a loyal customer for DECADES!

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Originally posted by BohemianMare:
I think one of the reasons Barbie has endured through the generations is because no matter how the play line sales are going...and they aren't too good right now because of Bratz and similar dolls...there is a devoted line of adult collectors who are given high quality offerings that keeps them coming back for more. Honestly AG should follow their new parent company's own example in this field. After all, girls grow up, but an adult doll collector could be a loyal customer for DECADES!

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<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">You're absolutely right, AG is making a huge mistake overlooking the adult collector. My dd never played with Barbies but I have dozens of them collected because I love their costumes. Madame Alexander has been kept going for decades by adult collectors (their dolls don't hold up at all to being played with). I'm sure there are other examples. Pleasant Rowland seemed to keep a nice balance between making the dolls and most items very playable but also offering items for the adult collector or the older, more involved child. Nowadays, AG seems to be forgetting all about us.