Tuesday, August 15, 2000
'American Girl' doll has Cincinnati roots
Popular toy series taps Queen City history
By Cindy Kranz
The Cincinnati Enquirer
The most coveted toy under the Christmas tree this year may be a new American Girl doll who grew up in Cincinnati during the Great Depression.
Kit Kittredge will be the seventh doll in the Pleasant Co.'s American Girls Collection. Her name came from a social column in The Cincinnati Enquirer, said Valerie Tripp of Silver Spring, Md. who has written most American Girl books. The real Kit was a college student here in 1932.
Kit Kittredge, a "Cincinnatian," will be the seventh doll in the popular American Girls Collection.
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The American Girl line of dolls, books, clothes, computer software and accessories is designed to bring history alive for girls ages 7 to 12. Kit will be introduced in September, along with three companion books of historical fiction: Meet Kit, Kit Learns a Lesson and Kit's Surprise.
Pleasant Co., a subsidiary of Mattel Inc., has sold more than 50 million books and 5 million dolls since it introduced the collection in 1986. Each doll sells for about $90.
The Kit doll likely will be as successful as other American Girl dolls, said Stephanie Oppenheim, co-author of Oppenheim Toy Portfolio: The Best Toys, Books, Videos, Music & Software For Kids.
“They really are very special dolls because they're dolls kids can still play with. They're not meant to be on the "Don't touch' shelf,” she said.
Ms. Tripp said she found the name Kit Kittredge while she was researching Cincinnati history.
“Cincinnati is a city that has kept its integrity as a city,” Ms. Tripp said. “It's held onto its culture and its neighborhoods.”
An American Girl doll from Cincinnati is good news for Katie Scherer, a big fan of the dolls.
“I think it's neat,” said the Madeira girl, 8, who has three dolls. “I like how you can buy clothes and change them and play with them.”
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