The ’60s was a tumultuous decade filled with groundbreaking civil and cultural breakthroughs. There’s a reason why every Halloween it’s a guarantee that a handful of trick-or-treaters will be decked out as hippies, Motown queens, and Go-Go dancers.
The latest addition to American Girl’s BeForever line lets kids travel back in time to experience it all with 9-year-old Melody Ellison. The BeForever Doll and Book set comes with the 18-inch doll with brown eyes and black hair, along with No Ordinary Sound, the first novel from Melody’s series. The stylish doll is dressed in a green and teal plaid above-the-knee dress, white knee-high socks, blue shoes, and—to top it all off—a blue head band to hold back her signature ’60s ‘do. Melody has a flair for style and nearly all her outfits and accessories are finished off with trendy teal bows.
True to the American Girl brand, Melody has lifelike eyes that open and close, hair with a realistic texture, and a moveable head and limbs. Kids can also purchase additional accessories styled just for Melody, such as blue and white sunglasses, a blue purse, and her signature blue hat, and most importantly, an equal rights patriotic button.
Melody may be small, but she has a big voice and she uses it to stand up for herself and others. Growing up during the civil rights movement, Melody knows how important it is to stand up for what she believes in. As kids learn more about Melody while they read No Ordinary Sound, they’ll discover that Melody loves to sing, and is counting down the days until her solo at her church. Leading up to her big debut, she experiences the first-hand evils of discrimination that leave her traumatized. Kids will read-along as Melody must overcome the obstacles that stand in her way and ultimately find her voice. No Ordinary Sound is followed by two more books in the Melody series—Never Stop Singing and Music in My Heart—which are both currently available.
Whether kids already have a collection of the classic American Girl dolls, or longs to finally get their hands on one, BeForever Melody will be just the right fit. Melody is sweet and spunky, and comes with lessons that will help kids mature.
