As a mom, I was not thrilled with the American Girl doll books. They are not great literature and they are tied into selling the dolls. On the other hand, they have given my daughter a basic framework of understanding for American History. She also cites them to talk about how girls were treated unfairly in the past. Overall, she has gained a lot from the books, despite their limitations.

The dolls themselves are high quality. Their price is awful and the hook into accessories is frustrating. We told our daughter if she got one she would not get other Christmas presents that year, and she agreed. (Although she may have believed that Santa would still bring her something even if we didn't.)

The dolls themselves are worth if, if you can afford it. The ridiculous thing about them, though, is the scam that you need to be a set of historical characters at $100 a pop. They are dolls. Children have imaginations. Why not buy just one and a set of clothes from different eras? Why can't a Samantha doll dress up in Depression Era clothes?

Toymakers have found a great way to make money. Instead of buying more clothes for your doll the way people used to, you're supposed to buy new dolls. Barbie also does this with new character Barbies coming out all the time. Kids love this, but they don't actually play with most of the dolls.