American Girl Dolls: Cecile and Marie-Grace

Both of my girls have long loved American Girl. The both have a few of the dolls and they love playing with them. In fact, my older daugher has been in the American Girl Fashion Show a couple of times and we even took a trip to New York City with her doll for her 5th birthday just to visit American Girl. My girls take their American Girl obsession seriously!

For the first time in American Girl’s 25-year history, the company is introducing two different historical characters, Cécile Rey™ and Marie-Grace Gardner™, in one six-book series set in 1850s New Orleans. The new characters—one African American and one Caucasian—show the power of friendship and community as they reach across the boundaries of race and class to help their families, friends, and city during a time of great need.

To celebrate Cécile and Marie-Grace’s debut and the rich musical tradition of New Orleans, American Girl has partnered with 13-year-old Kate Connick and her father, world-renowned musician and actor Harry Connick, Jr., to create an original song—“A Lot Like Me”—with all proceeds benefiting the Ellis Marsalis Center for Music in New Orleans.

Despite different backgrounds and life stories, Cécile (a bold, confident girl from a well-to-do African American family), and shy, caring Marie-Grace (who has just moved back to New Orleans with her father), form a unique bond through their shared love of music. Later, their growing friendship deepens as they work together to help their community during the yellow fever epidemic that sweeps through New Orleans in 1853.

Each character is brought to life through a beautifully designed 18-inch doll, plus an array of historically accurate and culturally authentic clothes and accessories that reflect the girls’ heritage and time period.

The Cécile and Marie-Grace dolls, books, and accessories became available in all American Girl outlets on August 30, 2011.