If these names send a nostalgic chill up your spine, youre probably an American Girl.
Each character was imbued with a mix of positive personality traits (Kirstens an optimist!)
and fun quirks (Molly likes to tap-dance!
Credit: ILLUSTRATION BY KIRSTIE BELLE DIONGZON for EW
), making them relatable and aspirational for a wide-eyed 7-year-old like me.
To be clear, I never owned one of these dolls.
And what a vast sisterhood it was (and continues to be).
More than 151 million of these novels have been sold in the past three decades.
Duh, I put on American Girl plays in my basement!
one friend replied when I asked if shed read the books.
Im a huge nerd and read solely historical fiction for many years, enthused another.
Through Kirsten I learned about Swedens St. Lucia celebration; through Molly I understood the hardships of wartime.
This is not the kind of scene one quickly forgets or should forget, for that matter.
(They responded with a postcard thanking me but confirming that the cover was accurate.)
