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When Luciana puts her flight suit on for the first time, she feels one step closer to being the first person to reach Mars! This blue flight suit looks like the real thing, with a zippered front, authentic patches, and a pair of dark-blue shoes. $28



Before Luciana, my collection was almost entirely historical, but cool pieces like this Flight Suit made Luciana’s collection irresistible. Gabriela is wearing it in these photos.



It’s a one-piece blue cotton twill jumpsuit with a zipper up the front. Dark blue stitching provides kind of a contour design in the front and simulates possible side-access chest pockets and an arm pocket on the left arm, but the only actual pocket is on the right thigh. Straps go from the side seams of the waist up to the front, where they attach with Velcro; these straps cover a bit of elastic at the waist but I don’t know if they have any other purpose. The jumpsuit is easy to get on and off the doll, and the back side is roomy enough for the her to sit down while wearing it.







There are six patches on the jumpsuit. They have a texture similar to iron-on patches, but they don’t seem removable (nor would I want to remove them.) The upper right arm has round Mars and NASA patches. The right chest had a round Space Camp patch.





The left chest has two rectangular patches. The red and blue one says “NASA VISITOR CENTER Space & Rocket Center HUNTSVILLE ALABAMA” and the black and gold one has Luciana’s name under a wing symbol. If someone wanted to use this for a doll other than Luciana, it would be easy to black out her name with a pen. There is a rectangular United States flag on the upper left arm.





I think the jumpsuit by itself is worth the $28 retail price, but it also comes with a pair of very dark blue slip-on sneakers. The shoes are just okay; nothing very special, but nothing wrong with them either.





Overall, I think this is a unique, well-made, and well-priced item. Even though its use is pretty specific, I’d easily give it an A.

Blaire’s Accessories retailed for $30 during her year. Here’s a description of each component, along with additional photos and thoughts …

Blaire has a blast designing and planning, and her accessories help keep her organized!

Includes:

A canvas tote with rose-colored straps and a flower graphic on the front to hold all of her party-planning supplies - This is a cute basic tote, although longer handles would have been handier . The graphic, which is located on the single outside pocket, looks like a bouquet of wildflowers, with a little bee buzzing above. This is a nice nod to Blaire’s meet dress, which has a bee print, and the colors also go well with the rest of her collection. The pink banner across the flowers says “home grown”. B





A faux tablet with interchangeable screens she uses to work on her food blog, as well as look up new recipes and add to her inspiration boards - This pink framed tablet has pretend buttons on the sides, a pretend stylus that clips into place on the side, “feet” on one edge of the back to help it stand up, and two 2-sided screens that can slide into place. These photos show the screens (alongside the postcard, more about that later) - a Home Screen with lamb photo, the home page of the Pleasant View Farm website, recipes for Berry Cobbler and Fettuccini Alfredo, and images of party ideas. I like the some of the details here (like the removable stylus and the inclusion of a recipe for a dish that comes with the Family Farm Restaurant), but like the previous reviewer mentioned, it’s unfortunate that the tablet can’t hold/store both screen cards together. It would also be nice if there was some kind of handle for the doll to hold the tablet. C+







A striped clipboard for forms and a fancy pen for writing notes - These are cute. Shown here alongside the notebook, the clipboard is clear plastic with peachy pink stripes. The double star AG logo is embossed in the plastic but hard to pick up in photos, but it can be seen when held up to light. The pen is peachy colored with a purplish floral design reminiscent of Blaire’s Floral Flair Outfit. The cap of the pen removes to reveal a calligraphy tip. B







A party-planning notebook with tear-off pages, featuring multiple designs to help plan different elements and stickers to highlight important tasks - The notebook, or more accurately the pad of paper, is very cute, with four alternating designs on the pages. The photos above show the pink Party Planner Guest List page (with columns for the guest name, invite sent, and RSVP) and the pink Party Planner Mood Board (for images and colors that inspire the mood of the party). The photos below show the green Party Planner Menu page (with dish name, price, and shopping list) and lavender Party Planner To Do List (with space to the to do checklist and notes, and the same bouquet graphic that’s on the bag). This all seems really well thought out and would have a lot of play value, at least until the pages were all used up. (Copying extra pages at the outset might not be a bad idea.) The last photo here shows the four pages of stickers, which I think would be mostly used for the mood board pages. A







A pretend bouquet of fresh flowers straight from her own garden to help brighten any space - This might be the most plastic bouquet of flowers I’ve seen from AG. It has green plastic leaves, plastic stems, and plastic centers to the magenta colored flowers, along with a real ribbon tied around the center. Kids might not mind them, but they’re far from my favorite. C-



A postcard of what her family sells at the local farmers market - This has Pleasant View Farms with a flower graphic overlaying the farm photo on one side, and the flip side lists some of the fruits and vegetables that are grown and sold along with the title “Manhattan Farmers Market” and a notation of “Hudson Valley Growers Cooperative”. Photos are seen above, next to the tablet screens. I’m not really sure what one does with a single card like this, and I suspect that it would be more likely to get lost or discarded than played with. D

Here are two final photos showing all the pieces together (front and back, some still in their packaging). Overall, I think it’s a fun, interesting, and playable accessory set. There are some ways it could have been improved in my opinion, but still potentially a lot of fun. I’d give it an overall B.

This doll’s tee shirt was an in-store promotional item given away at Luciana’s debut. It’s a white cotton short-sleeved shirt with a single strip of Velcro up the back. The front has a space-blue heart-shaped graphic, with pink and blue stars both inside of the heart and scattered around it. There are also faint constellation-like lines connecting some of the stars inside of the heart. In white lettering is the cleverly punny “I NEED SOME SPACE” in all caps, along with “Luciana 2018” in script.




(Gabby is modeling the tee here.)

I didn’t go to Luciana’s launch, so I bought this shirt on the secondary market for around $15, which I thought was a very reasonable price. Even though the shirt doesn’t have much extra room (I don’t think it would fit the older dolls well), and some of seams look a bit wonky, it’s still a nice thick cotton with an attractive and clever graphic design. I give it an A+ as a giveaway item, and an A- for the price I paid.

Many GOTY launch events come with crafts or other paper materials in addition to the main giveaway item, but since I didn’t attend this launch, I don’t know if that was the case this time.

Blaire is thrilled when her family adopts Penelope, a baby lamb, from a neighboring farm. This plush lamb has curly white fur, a sweet embroidered face, and a ribbon collar with flowers Blaire made. $25





This endearing lamb was one of the first purchases I made during Blaire’s year. I like the plush body, the silky, curly coat, the cute cloven hooves, and the teal grosgrain ribbon with pink and yellow flowers attached. I noticed later that my Penelope has a bit of a grumpy expression from certain angles, which I think is kind of funny, but I don’t know if it would bug someone else. I still think it’s pretty sweet. Here’s a side view:



I also like the overall size of Blaire’s lamb, but in fairness, I’m not around lambs in real life so I don’t know if the proportions are realistic. Here she is next to Gabriela, and next to other animals in Blaire’s collection (the piglet and Silkie chicken):





Overall I think Blaire’s lamb is very cute, playable, and can work well with different dolls in a variety of settings and historical periods. There may be cheaper non-AG options, but all things considered, I’d give this lamb a B+ at its retail price.

This bright orange nylon bag was part of the in-store promotional giveaway when Joss had her debut as 2020’s Girl of the Year. This is a similar doll-size bag to what’s often given away at sporting events and school tours, with corded straps so it can be worn as a backpack and a corded drawstring closure. The cords are aqua colored, and Joss’s cheer organization (Shine Athletics), her Girl of the Year 2020 designation, and American Girl stand out in white decal letters against the bright orange background. A tag is sewn on the inside.





It’s pretty roomy and can hold several items. Since Joss already has the fancy Nfinity backpack for cheer, I imagine this bag as being more suited for trips to the beach, where she’d appreciate being able to easily shake off the sand. It seems like a decent quality that would hold up to play just fine.



Along with the drawstring bag, stores had a surfboard craft with decorative stickers, which I don’t have any longer. Overall a nice thematic giveaway.

There are already a bunch of good reviews on this set so I’ll just add a few more photos and thoughts.

The jacket is pretty cute. As mentioned, it’s white denim with real buttons, button holes, and a light green embroidered dragonfly over the left chest pocket flap. The chest pockets are not real, just flaps. The sleeves don’t have buttons either, like some denim jackets do, which means your doll will probably wear the sleeves pulled all the way down rather than pushed up, but at least it’s easy to get the doll’s hands through them. B-





The binoculars are very cute. They are red and orange plastic, with a white AG star emblem, a long grey cord that goes around the neck, and grey grippy parts that help the doll hold the binoculars. They can adjust by folding in the middle, and as noted in the reviews above, she can hold and look through them while keeping the strap looped around her neck. A





I think the bug jar is cute. Yes, it’s plastic, with a stiffened cloth lid and red ribbon tied around it. It can be held by the doll by looping the ribbon from her hand, although I probably would have preferred a more substantial handle. The blades of grass and spotted ladybugs on the stick inside are not clumped together or fixed in one spot; they move around independently when you move the jar, but are long enough to always be upright in the jar. I like all the details here. A-





I just realized that I forgot to take photos of the bird book, but luckily there are already some in prior reviews. It’s also a nice piece (but I love all the AG mini-books). A

Overall, I think it’s a fun accessory set with some thoughtful details for backyard nature lovers. I wouldn’t be likely to hunt it down, but I’m happy it made its way to me.

This lightweight brown pouch was an in-store promotional item given away at Kira’s launch. It feels like it’s made of cotton twill, with a decal of Kira’s name and a cute joey on one side. It’s similar in style to the pouch in Kira’s Wallaby Care Set, in that it goes across the body and attaches with Velcro over the shoulder, and although the quality isn’t as nice (it’s unlined and the Velcro fastener is very small, so it comes apart at the slightest tug), it’s still very cute.



You can see the tiny Velcro connectors in this photo. While it works for display, if I wanted a child to be able to use this with ease (and to put things in it without the frustration of it coming undone), I’d probably either add more Velcro or a snap or other fastener.



Some more photos of the entire launch giveaway, which included the pouch, a leaflet with ideas for different ways kids can get involved with sustainability and other issues, and a paper koala craft (which isn’t put together here but has the koala and a eucalyptus branch with leaves).







Overall, I thought it was a nice promotional giveaway, and I’m glad I was able to pick it up at Kira’s debut. It’s a cute addition to her collection, but if you missed out on it, the pouch in her Wallaby Care Set can take its place (not as cute but better made and more functional, and it comes with a wallaby joey)!

This item was introduced in February 2017 and retired in 2019.

It’s all fun and games at Coney Island, where Rebecca and her family have an exciting day making memories and winning special prizes. This set includes:
A bottle-toss booth with 2 bottles
3 bean bags to toss
A prize wheel with a dog prize, horse prize, and pig prize
A strip of tickets
A set of postcards to send


I am so excited to have received Rebecca’s Coney Island Games as a gift. I did not buy it when it was available in 2017, because I was on an AG hiatus, and frankly it is 100% plastic and looked pretty garish to me. Let’s just say the whole Beforever rebrand did NOT encourage me to pivot back to my collection.

Turns out, my completionist soul needs this set for my Rebecca’s collection. 🙂 y’all- it’s HUGE! I took some pictures of it with Addy’s Puppet Theatre for comparison. Also some pictures of all the various milk bottles Addy & Rebecca have between them. Left to right are Molly’s, Rebecca’s, Queen’s Treasures’, and Addy’s.

Grade B- (forever

Dragonflybg has already written a good review of this set. I’m just going to add some additional thoughts and photos.



SKU#: GVF45 $35



The backpack is really cute, especially with the koala keychain. The colors on the main body of the backpack, and the print on the top flap and pocket, complement other pieces in Kira’s collection really well. The backpack itself is really roomy, and it’s nice that the straps are adjustable if needed (although it wasn’t at all difficult to put on the doll as is). I think it’s nice that the straps look padded, although the actual material used for this feels really cheap. Here are some additional photos, off and on the doll:









A close up comparison of the print fabric on the backpack flap and pocket (top) and the print on the jacket sleeves from Kira’s Outdoor Accessories (bottom), which the doll is wearing in these photos. The prints are similar but not the same, as the backpack print has some light blue stripes in the background and khaki in the diamonds:



The hat is also pretty cute and works well with the story and collection, but I was a little disappointed in the quality. I think it will need to be treated with some care, as I suspect that the felt will get damaged if bent or crushed (even briefly). I kind of wish this were canvas or something similar.





The postcards and photos are sweet. I’ve included them both in these pictures. The two wildlife photos (of animals that Kira is caring for at the sanctuary, a koala and kangaroos), have photos on the front and are blank on the back. The two postcards have Australian features on the front (a map on one and attractions on the other), and each has a message from Kira to her friend Laila (in Michigan) on the back. I like the connections to the story (even though they’re postmarked in January 2021 but the story clearly has Kira visit from the US during her summer vacation).





Overall, I think it’s a nice set. It retails for $35, which I think is a little steep, but it’s more reasonable when purchased at a discount (even at the $5 discount that comes when purchasing Kira at the same time). I think I’d give it a B overall, and in general prefer the Kira’s Outdoor Accessories set (jacket, glasses, and scarf), although that koala keychain is pretty cute.

Swimsuit: A+

This is made of swimsuit material, which makes sense because it’s a swimsuit! Great job on accuracy, AG! It’s primarily red with two dark blue stripes and one white stripe sweeping across the front and a white star on the lower left. There’s also a stupid plastic tag on the lower right, which I won’t hold against the outfit, but I don’t like it.

It opens fully in the back for easy dressing (it might snag – be careful! I doubt this fabric reacts well to snags). I have it on Luciana, who is newer and therefore a slimmer AG, but it has enough stretch that I bet you could get on some older dolls, too (maybe not the chubbier PC girls, though). It’s a really nice swimsuit!


From the front on Luciana.


And from the back.

Swim Cap: B-

Back in high school, I had a friend who swam, and she always complained about the swim caps being really tight, difficult to get on, and because she had really thick hair, they made her head look huge. So, going by her assessment, this is pretty accurate!

It’s made of dark blue, swimsuit material (so, not the most accurate for swim caps), with “Team USA” stamped across the front and an American Flag on either side.


It looks so innocent...

Getting it on is a NIGHTMARE! Luciana has some of the thinnest hair of any modern doll in my collection and I had a very hard time getting her hair under the cap (I ended up having to pull it up into a high ponytail and stuffing it under, which is why the cap looks so lumpy!). I have no idea what doll AG had in mind for this because aside from the dolls without hair or the pixy cut CYOs, I can’t imagine any doll with hair thin or short enough to easily go under this. Yikes! And I still didn’t get all of Luciana’s hair tucked away.


Super lumpy from the front.


Left side.


Right side. I really struggled with getting Luciana's hair under this.

Goggles: A+
Ooh! I like these! They’re like real goggles shrunk down to doll size. They’re made of red plastic with clear lenses and clear flexible plastic sealing around the eyes. The strap is white and adjustable with red buckles on either side. They slide pretty easily over the doll’s head (especially if you managed to get the swim cap on her) and stay in place. No complaints here!


The goggles not on a doll.


On Luciana's face. They fit really well!


From the back to show that they fit well here too. Tight enough to stay on, not so tight that they're squeezing Luciana's head or impossible to put on.

Sandals: A+

I like these better than the Team USA Volleyball Set sandals. They’re made of dark blue, flexible plastic with one thick strap over the top of the foot. The strap features two thin, white stripes and a red star. The inner sole is textured, much like real sandals, with “American Girl” and a star stamped into the sole’s heel. Much better than a part number, like the Volleyball sandals (the part number is still there, it’s just on the bottom. I’m not completely sure if these would stay on during play, but they’re great for display.


The "American Girl" is difficult to see due to the lighting, but it's there.


A good fit on Luciana's feet and she balances well in them.

Towel: A-
It’s a white towel with “USA” embroidered in blue thread across the bottom. I wish it was a full towel instead of half a towel, but I can’t complain about the quality of it.


It looks a bit weird when it's all stretched out like this.

Good Value?

The whole line of Team USA outfits from AG were a bit pricey. This one was $32, which seems like a bit much for a swimsuit, difficult cap, goggles, sandals, and towel with the cap being a major pain in the butt, but when I think of the average price for an AG outfit today, that’s pretty average. I can’t complain. This is too new an outfit to gauge what its value will be on the secondary market, but I imagine that all of these Team USA outfits will be difficult to find and pricey to get in a few years.

Overall: A-

I wanted all of the Team USA Outfits, so while I’m not especially into swimming, this was definitely coming home with me. Most of the pieces are great quality and I’m glad to have them, but the swim cap is horrible. Maybe you aren’t actually supposed to put it on the doll’s head? I don’t know. My frustration with that aside, I really like the other parts of this outfit and I’m glad to have it.


All ready for a swim! Now she just needs a pool...

Even though I don’t own this piece, I’ve looked at it a lot in the store and thought I’d get a review up while it’s still available. My photos are from the displays at AGPLA.



The structure has a raised wooden floor, which seems to be actually made of wood but also has a printed wood design. The tent structure has plastic poles that support a cloth roof and back wall, and pink mosquito net side walls. The mosquito net is also pulled back like curtains in the front; I think these can be lowered to make a front wall if you want, but they’re meant to stay in the pulled-back position. Plastic railings with a green floral design are along the “front porch” of the platform tent, with three steps going down to the ground.

This angle shows the side walls and the front porch a little better:



I really like the overall size and construction. Two dolls can easily sleep in it (probably more), and while the peak of the tent is certainly higher than a doll’s head (allowing her to stand upright), the front porch is outside of the roofed area, allowing even more dolls to stand there. While it’s big enough to accommodate all of this, its soft sides and minimalist design also mean that it’s not taking up any extra space more than what it needs. It’s just big enough, and not any bigger, in my opinion. It also *looks* like it could be taken apart for storage if you want, although I’m not certain of this since I’ve only seen it displayed.

The inside of the tent is furnished with a foam bed, a vanity table (with shelves and sink), and a fuzzy foam ottoman. A mirror hangs above the vanity table, and there are other decorative items like a working lantern, poster of Australian flowers, a string of Australian wildlife pictures, and a cute koala throw pillow (that complements the kangaroo throw pillow from Kira’s Comfy Camping Accessories). The bed and ottoman both seem pretty inexpensive but do the job, and otherwise Kira seems to have everything she needs for her bedroom in the bush camp.

Some pictures of the inside:



The bed, covers, and throw pillows. Note the Australian flowers poster and the wildlife photos hanging above the bed:



The vanity table, toiletries, mirror, and fuzzy ottoman (along with a clearer view of the wood pattern on the floor):



Overall the size, price, and appearance of this piece make it really appealing. At $225, it’s significantly less expensive than the previous year’s big ticket item (Joss’s Surf Bus). On the other hand, its function really is as a bedroom/ living room/ display area, and it lacks all the cool features and clever gadgets (and potentially some of the play value) that more expensive big ticket items have had. Whether it’s worth the price may depend on how you anticipate using it.

I especially like this set when it’s paired with the Comfy Camping Accessories - not only do all the prints match and/or coordinate, but adding the table, chairs, and food items really seems to make the camp complete. Of course, adding this set brings up the price, too!



Here’s the official AG description of Kira’s Comfy Platform Tent:

Kira and Alexis share the Wallaroo tent in the bush camp, which also has tents for Alexis’s parents and the researchers. The tents are elevated on platforms and have curtains for privacy—and to keep out critters. Kira’s tent includes:
A comfy camping tent structure with poles, connectors, and a canopy
A mosquito-net curtain set to keep out bugs
A mattress that goes right on the platform floor
A colorful woven blanket
A pink plush pillow for comfy sleeping
A cute throw pillow with a koala print on the front
A textured faux-fur seat cushion that can be used as an ottoman or an extra table
A vanity table with a speckled vessel sink and storage below for holding Kira’s toiletries
A mirror that hangs from the framework of the tent
A bottle of soap for washing up before meals
A can of dry shampoo so Kira can go longer between showers
Two blue towels that can be rolled up and stored in the vanity
A toothbrush and a tube of toothpaste
A container of bug spray
A box of tissues
A kids’ nature magazine with original stories and art inside
A reversible sign that says “G’Day!” on one side and “Welcome” on the other, that can hang from hooks on the platform’s front railing or on the pole at the peak of the tent
A printed poster with art that highlights the flowers of Australia and can be hung from the hooks on the clips that attach to the tent framework
A camera with a finger clip so she can hold it
A set of photos of Australian wildlife that Kira sees at the sanctuary
A clothespin photo hanger with three permanently attached clips with slots the photos slide into
A lantern that lights up the inside of the tent and flickers just like a real lantern—it’s designed to hang on the pole at the tent’s peak
SKU#: GVF54 $225

I managed to find one for a good price

The outfit consists of four (five?) pieces.

Blue/gray heather raglan long sleeved shirt

Blue jeans with decorative embroidery at the right knee

Pleather brown jacket with four snaps on the front, two embroidered patches- one at the left breast, and one at the right shoulder

Pleather slip on Western style short boots

[scroll to the right to see all the photos]

http://instagram.com/p/CZLHhKusaPY

While the outfit is very well made, I find it incredibly tight on a doll.

Using Deke, a Logan/Tenney bodied doll, you can see how snug fitting the shirt is, especially from the back.

The boots didn't want to go on until I really stretched the elastic at the sides.

It's really, really well made and I like it a lot. I just wish it fit slightly looser.

The ornaments don't necessarily look like they go together, but the overall effect reminds me of my human-sized Christmas tree with no particular decorating scheme, so I like it.