American Girl Talk

American Girl dolls are favorites among collectors. For many people, these dolls provide an opportunity to teach skills and to provide pretend play that's wholesome and inviting. There's no doubt that people seek out the rarity today and that rarity is in the goodness of these dolls. So, what is their worth? While some parent's may shirk at the cost of these dolls, some collectors are paying much more for the harder to find older versions.

American Girl Value

The average American Girl doll costs about $100. However, some dolls can be sold for significantly more. The company has more than 20 million dolls out there, as it started in 1986 and has grown each year. Not only are the dolls becoming more prominent collector's items, but so are the accessories. Hard to find accessories can draw in twice or three times their retail value if they become older or harder to find. Some of these items add value as soon as the company stops selling them because the market is so big. Read more about What's the Worth of American Girl Dolls?

There are many things that the American Girl Dolls do for the average young lady. Some teach life skills while others offer a level of pretend play that does not focus on the negative aspects of other dolls. However, a new doll may do much more. Meet McKenna. She is the doll that will challenge your kids and will help to support literacy as well.

In an effort to promote the Save the Children organization, American Girl is partnering up with the organization with a new doll. The doll's name is McKenna. She will be the company's Girl of the Year doll for 2012. The doll struggles with reading comprehension. As a result, her books often focus on the fact that she needs some reinforcement to learn to improve her reading skills.

According to Julie Parks who is a spokesperson for American Girl, "One issue that came to our attention was something called the fourth-grade slump. It affects many children as the focus in the classroom switches from learning to read to reading to learn. This character is about focusing on your strengths and using your strengths to get over some difficult challenges. That's a life skill that's good to learn early and continue to use throughout your life." Read more about The American Girl Doll to Improve Reading Literacy

Why is it that these higher end American Girl dolls continue to do so well even in the economic climate we are in right now? There are many people wondering why they should purchase that video game for their child or those scantily clad Barbie-like dolls for their kids. It is because of this that so many moms are in fact turning to American Girl dolls - they promote a level of innocence other products just do not.