​Disclosure: We received the doll for review and the opinions are that of my own/DD

We were excited to hear the news of American Girl’s debut of its 2017 Girl of the Year – Gabriela McBride, which became available January 1, 2017. Why were we excited ? As a mom, I love to see representation and diversity in dolls and it was another opportunity for my daughter to bond with a doll that as she would say “looks like me”. 

We learned that Gabriela is a true talent who uses her passion for the arts—specifically spoken word poetry—to overcome personal obstacles and create positive change for her community. Gabriela launched with a beautiful 18-inch doll, plus several performance-inspired outfits, accessories, and toys. We’re also happy to hear that, unlike past Girl of the Year characters, Gabriela will be available throughout 2017 and beyond!

After unboxing her, my daughter was most impressed with her outfit. She liked the layered top & jeans and commented that the shoes are easier to put on and take off in comparison to some other dolls. It also comes with a book that shares how Gabriela focuses on expressing her true feelings when speaking up gets scary. Gabriela is inspired to use her talents and be creative for a cause. 

The doll comes with clear rubber bands and a pink headband. My daughter squealed in delight over the brown curls and could not wait to style it ! (as seen in this YouTube video). 

Coming in March, American Girl is partnering with Scholastic to create and distribute Express Yourself, a program for classrooms that empowers students to use the arts as a tool for self-expression ,to connect students with Gabriela’s inspiring message and to bring awareness to spoken word poetry. The classroom resources will give teachers the tools to encourage students to find their creative voices, just in time for National Poetry Month in April.

Learn more about Gabriela here-and get ready to imagine, dream and create! After reading her inspiring story to my daughter, I told her “May her Dreams be as Big as her Smile~Always! “