A budding entrepreneur, Summer™ joins the
brand’s popular line of character dolls and books that inspire kids
with courage, confidence, and strength of character
To champion children’s literacy, brand
donates more than $100,0001 in American Girl books to longtime
education partner and leading children’s nonprofit Save the
Children
Today, American Girl, a cornerstone in Mattel’s (NASDAQ: MAT)
portfolio of purposeful brands, unveils its 2025 Girl of the Year,
Summer McKinny. Summer joins the brand’s line of contemporary
characters that represent a wide range of backgrounds and interests
to reflect what it means to be an American girl today. Growing up
in Columbia, Maryland, ten-year-old Summer is a dog lover and baker
who turns her two passions into a business of her own. Encouraged
by her shop-owner aunt, Summer enters a youth entrepreneur fair
where she gains new skills in business ownership—an increasingly
popular career choice among Gen Alphas2. As Summer’s capabilities
and confidence grow, she learns that hard work, patience, and
understanding are at the heart of every successful venture—in
business and in life.
This press release features multimedia. View
the full release here:
https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20240912822437/en/
A Sweet Surprise Arrives for American
Girl Fans with the Debut of Summer McKinny™ — the 2025 Girl of the
Year™! (Photo: Business Wire)
“With her strong entrepreneurial spirit, Summer McKinny, our
2025 Girl of the Year, will resonate with today’s kids who are
equally determined about pursuing their passions,” says Jamie
Cygielman, General Manager of American Girl. “Like all of our
beloved characters, Summer’s story of perseverance and
self-discovery will inspire young fans to believe in themselves and
serve as a reminder that every setback is simply a stepping-stone
toward making their dreams a reality.”
American Girl worked with bestselling author Clare Hutton to
create Summer’s story, which is told in an illustrated journal that
comes with the doll as well as a separate full-length novel, Summer
Gets to Work, that hits bookshelves in January 2025. According to
Hutton, “I can’t wait for fans to meet sweet Summer and discover
more about her love of pets and baking, as well as her motivation
to start a small enterprise of her own. While being a young
entrepreneur is challenging, Summer learns valuable lessons about
managing her business and her relationships (the two-legged and
four-legged varieties!) with creativity, empathy, and logic. I hope
all readers walk away knowing that, like Summer, when they set
their minds to a dream—anything is paws-ible!”
The 2025 Girl of the Year comes to life in a beautiful 18-inch
Summer™ doll, featuring an exclusive look with light-blue eyes and
strawberry-blonde hair with light-pink ends styled in two
microbraids. Awash in her favorite pastel colors, Summer comes
dressed in a tie-dye knit dress (also available in girl sizes), a
pair of pink-and-purple ombre eyeglasses, two coordinated beaded
bracelets, and platform sandals that all perfectly match her
accessories, like a dog-themed embroidered purse, a sweet travel
tumbler shaped like an ice cream cone, and more.
With pets at the heart of her story, Summer’s product world
features plush versions of her two favorite animals: Crescent™— a
fluffy white dog she adopts from the local animal shelter; and
Fettuccine™, her aunt’s sassy cat that comes to visit. For aspiring
entrepreneurs like Summer, there are plenty of pet- and baking-
inspired products available, including a 21-piece Baking
Accessories set, complete with a stand mixer that really spins,
plus a 54-piece Treat Cart for her dog-walking and pet-treat
business, Waggy Pup Tails™. Providing hours of imaginative play,
the mobile cart has functional wheels, a removable striped awning,
an assortment of faux pet baked goods, treat displays, stickers to
customize the cart, and much more.
To celebrate Summer and further American Girl’s longstanding
commitment to literacy and growing strong readers, the brand is
donating more than $100,000 in retail value of American Girl books
to Save the Children’s U.S. education programs. Working with local
schools and other organizations, Save the Children has provided
early education to millions of children in underserved areas across
rural America.
Fans can further explore Summer’s new world through the
following activities:
- Retail experience: Visit American Girl retail to explore
Summer’s product collection and enjoy Summer-inspired salon styles,
special Girl of the Year brunches, Summer-themed menu items, and
other activities.
- Digital content: Tune in to AG’s popular YouTube and
YouTube Kids Channel to view a Summer animated music video and
other Summer-inspired content, plus download Summer’s single music
release, Recipe of Me, available tomorrow on popular music
streaming services.
- Blog: Learn more about Summer and why she matters at
americangirl.com.
The 2025 Girl of the Year is available today at americangirl.com
and at American Girl retail stores.
1 Retail Value of ~14,500 titles 2 Mattel Global Consumer
Insights, 2020
ABOUT MATTEL
Mattel is a leading global toy and family entertainment company
and owner of one of the most iconic brand portfolios in the world.
We engage consumers and fans through our franchise brands,
including Barbie®, Hot Wheels®, Fisher-Price®, American Girl®,
Thomas & Friends™, UNO®, Masters of the Universe®, Matchbox®,
Monster High®, MEGA® and Polly Pocket®, as well as other popular
properties that we own or license in partnership with global
entertainment companies. Our offerings include toys, content,
consumer products, digital and live experiences. Our products are
sold in collaboration with the world’s leading retail and ecommerce
companies. Since its founding in 1945, Mattel is proud to be a
trusted partner in empowering generations to explore the wonder of
childhood and reach their full potential. Visit us at
mattel.com.
ABOUT SAVE THE CHILDREN
Save the Children believes every child deserves a future. Since
its founding more than 100 years ago, Save the Children has
advocated for the rights of children worldwide. In the United
States and around the world, they work to ensure children have a
healthy start in life, the opportunity to learn, and protection
from harm. Save the Children does whatever it takes for children –
every day and in times of crisis – transforming the future we all
share. Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and YouTube.
MAT-AG
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Media Contacts
Michelle.Greene@mattel.com Julie.Parks@mattel.com
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