40 Years of American Girl Doll Books: A Nostalgic Love Letter

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit fridaynightreaders.substack.comWelcome to Friday Night Readers, a virtual book club inspired by Gilmore Girls, hosted by Julianne Buonocore, who has run a Rory Gilmore reading challenge since 2021 and wrote the Unofficial Guide to the Books on Gilmore Girls. Fueled by coffee, we break down the books on the show, so you actually understand what the characters are talking so fast about, and help you read, live, and write like Rory.Listen to the podcast on: Substack | Apple | Spotify | Amazon | YouTubeRead the full transcript and subscribe to our Substack community: American Girl TributeTimestamps:03:25 My Origin Story: What It Meant Then and Means Now07:00 On American Girl’s 40th Anniversary: From 1986 to 2026The Making of American Girl (a swoonworthy coffee table book)An American Girl: How a Billion-Dollar Doll and Its Unlikely Founder Changed Girlhood Forever by Amanda FitzSimons (a nonfiction deep dive)12:59 Felicity Merriman15:28 Josefina Montoya18:12 Kirsten Larson20:02 Addy Walker22:25 Samantha Parkington24:53 Molly McIntire27:26 Reading Tips for Beginners28:54 The Impact of American Girl on This Community33:28 More American Girl Fandom to ExploreSamantha: The Next Chapter by Fiona DavisMeg’s Collecting Cornermy appearance on her podcastMeg’s Reading Room’s interview with author Valerie Tripp and Meg’s interview with Blake Changnon / The CF Museum of Toys & CollectiblesSydney Rose Paulsen (@5hensandacockatiel)Advertise: Sponsor Friday Night ReadersFollow: Instagram, Threads, Facebook, GoodReads, YouTube, TikTok, Pinterest, X, Reddit, LinkedInDisclosure: As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. These show notes contain affiliate links through which I earn commissions at no extra cost to you.