American Girl (book series)


The American Girl series, by various authors, is a collection of novels set within toy line's fictional universe. Since its inception, American Girl has published books based on the dolls, with novels and other media to tie in with their dolls. The books follow various American girls throughout both historical eras and contemporary settings.
The historical novels that have corresponding dolls are referred to as the Central Series. There is also the Girl of the Year line of characters from contemporary settings.
A related series entitled History Mysteries, also known as Mysteries Through Time and/or Mysteries through History was released by American Girl in 1999 and discontinued in 2004.

Central series

Kirsten (1854-1856)

  1. Meet Kirsten: An American Girl. By Janet Beeler Shaw. Illustrated by Renée Graef. Pleasant Company, 1986.
  2. Kirsten Learns a Lesson: A School Story. By Janet Beeler Shaw. Illustrated by Renée Graef. Pleasant Company, 1986.
  3. Kirsten's Surprise: A Christmas Story. By Janet Beeler Shaw. Illustrated by Renée Graef. Pleasant Company, 1986.
  4. Happy Birthday, Kirsten! A Springtime Story. By Janet Beeler Shaw. Illustrated by Renée Graef. Pleasant Company, 1987.
  5. Kirsten Saves the Day: A Summer Story. By Janet Beeler Shaw. Illustrated by Renée Graef. Pleasant Company, 1988.
  6. Changes for Kirsten: A Winter Story. By Janet Beeler Shaw. Illustrated by Renée Graef. Pleasant Company, 1988.
  7. The Runaway Friend. By Kathleen Ernst. Illustrated Jean-Paul Tibbles. American Girl Publishing, 2008.
  8. Kirsten's Short Story Collection. By Janet Beeler Shaw. Illustrated by Renée Graef, Kim Lewis, Susan McAliley, and Philip Hood. American Girl Publishing, 2006.

    Samantha (1904-1906)

The Samantha novels were first illustrated by Nancy Niles. Later editions were illustrated by Dan Andreasen.
  1. Meet Samantha: An American Girl. By Susan S. Adler. American Girl Publishing Inc., 1986.
  2. Samantha Learns a Lesson: A School Story. By Susan S. Adler. American Girl Publishing, Inc., 1986.
  3. Samantha's Surprise: A Christmas Story. By Maxine Rose Schur. Pleasant Company, 1986.
  4. Happy Birthday, Samantha! By Valerie Tripp. American Girl, 1987.
  5. Samantha Saves the Day. By Valerie Tripp. Scholastic, 1988.
  6. Changes for Samantha. By Valerie Tripp. American Girl, 1988.
  7. Nellie's Promise
  8. The Curse of Ravenscourt
  9. The Stolen Sapphire
  10. Clue in the Castle Tower
  11. The Cry of the Loon
  12. Danger in Paris
  13. Samantha's Short Story Collection

    Molly (1944-1946)

  14. Meet Molly
  15. Molly Learns a Lesson
  16. Molly's Surprise
  17. Happy Birthday, Molly!
  18. Molly Saves the Day
  19. Changes for Molly
  20. Brave Emily
  21. A Spy on the Home Front
  22. The Light in the Cellar
  23. Clues in the Shadows
  24. Molly's Short Story Collection

    Felicity (1774-1776)

  25. Meet Felicity
  26. Felicity Learns a Lesson
  27. Felicity's Surprise
  28. Happy Birthday, Felicity!
  29. Felicity Saves the Day
  30. Changes for Felicity
  31. Very Funny, Elizabeth
  32. Peril at King's Creek
  33. Traitor at Williamsburg
  34. Lady Margaret's Ghost
  35. Felicity's Short Story Collection

    Addy (1864-1866)

  36. Meet Addy
  37. Addy Learns a Lesson
  38. Addy's Surprise
  39. Happy Birthday, Addy!
  40. Addy Saves the Day
  41. Changes for Addy
  42. Shadows on Society Hill
  43. Addy's Short Story Collection

    Josefina (1824-1826)

  44. Meet Josefina
  45. Josefina Learns a Lesson
  46. Josefina's Surprise
  47. Happy Birthday, Josefina!
  48. Josefina Saves the Day
  49. Changes for Josefina
  50. Secrets in the Hills
  51. The Glowing Heart
  52. Josefina's Short Story Collection

    Julie (1974-1976)

  53. Meet Julie
  54. Julie Tells Her Story
  55. Happy New Year, Julie!
  56. Julie and the Eagles
  57. Julie's Journey
  58. Changes for Julie
  59. Good Luck, Ivy
  60. The Tangled Web
  61. The Puzzle of the Paper Daughter
  62. The Silver Guitar
  63. Lost in the City
  64. Message in a Bottle

    Kaya

  65. Meet Kaya
  66. Kaya's Escape!
  67. Kaya's Hero
  68. Kaya and Lone Dog
  69. Kaya Shows the Way
  70. Changes for Kaya
  71. The Silent Stranger
  72. The Ghost Wind Stallion
  73. Kaya's Short Story Collection

    Kit">Kit Kittredge">Kit (1934-1936)

  74. Meet Kit
  75. Kit Learns a Lesson
  76. Kit's Surprise
  77. Happy Birthday, Kit!
  78. Kit Saves the Day
  79. Changes for Kit
  80. Really Truly Ruthie
  81. Danger at the Zoo
  82. Midnight in Lonesome Hollow
  83. A Thief in the Theater
  84. Missing Grace
  85. Intruders at Rivermead Manor
  86. The Jazzman's Trumpet
  87. Menace at Mammoth Cave
  88. Kit's Short Story Collection

    Rebecca

  89. Meet Rebecca
  90. Rebecca and Ana
  91. Candlelight for Rebecca
  92. Rebecca and the Movies
  93. Rebecca to the Rescue
  94. Changes for Rebecca
  95. Secrets at Camp Nokomis
  96. A Bundle of Trouble
  97. The Crystal Ball
  98. A Growing Suspicion
  99. The Showstopper

    Cécile & Marie-Grace

  100. Meet Marie-Grace
  101. Meet Cécile
  102. Marie-Grace and the Orphans
  103. Troubles for Cécile
  104. Marie-Grace Makes a Difference
  105. Cécile's Gift
  106. The Hidden Gold
  107. The Cameo Necklace
  108. The Haunted Opera

    Caroline

  109. Meet Caroline
  110. Caroline's Secret Message
  111. A Surprise for Caroline
  112. Caroline Takes a Chance
  113. Caroline's Battle
  114. Changes for Caroline
  115. Traitor in the Shipyard
  116. The Traveler's Tricks
  117. The Smuggler's Secrets

    Maryellen

  118. The One and Only
  119. Taking Off
  120. The Finders-Keepers Rule
  121. The Runaway

    Melody

  122. No Ordinary Sound
  123. Never Stop Singing
  124. The Lady's Slipper

    Nanea

  125. Growing up with Aloha
  126. Hula for the Home Front
  127. The Legend of the Shark Goddess

    History Mysteries

The series comprises a total of 22 books by various authors and forms a companion series to the popular American Girl books; unlike Girl of the Year and other lines, they do not come with any doll or toy and acts as a stand-alone novel set in a particular period in American history. The characters were generally older, ranging from ages ten to fourteen, and the books were marketed as for ages ten and up. Many of the authors from this series later moved on to write for the Central Series. Several books from the series were later re-released in digital form by Open Road Integrated Media.
Titles in order of publication:
  1. The Smuggler's Treasure by Sarah Masters Buckey
  2. Hoofbeats of Danger by Holly Hughes
  3. The Night Flyers by Elizabeth McDavid Jones
  4. Voices at Whisper Bend by Katherine Ayres
  5. Secrets on 26th Street by Elizabeth McDavid Jones
  6. Mystery of the Dark Tower by Evelyn Coleman
  7. Trouble at Fort La Pointe by Kathleen Ernst
  8. Under Copp's Hill by Katherine Ayres
  9. Watcher in the Piney Woods by Elizabeth McDavid Jones
  10. Shadows in the Glasshouse by Megan McDonald
  11. The Minstrel's Melody by Eleanora E. Tate
  12. Riddle of the Prairie Bride by Kathryn Reiss
  13. Enemy in the Fort by Sarah Masters Buckey
  14. Circle of Fire by Evelyn Coleman
  15. Mystery on Skull Island by Elizabeth McDavid Jones
  16. Whistler in the Dark by Kathleen Ernst
  17. Mystery at Chilkoot Pass by Barbara Steiner
  18. The Strange Case of Baby H by Kathryn Reiss
  19. Danger at the Wild West Show by Alison Hart
  20. Gangsters at the Grand Atlantic by Sarah Masters Buckey
  21. Ghost Light on Graveyard Shoal by Elizabeth McDavid Jones
  22. Betrayal at Cross Creek by Kathleen Ernst