As an American Girl doll lover and avid reader, the American Girl historical books were a hallmark of my childhood. Whenever a new historical doll came out, I was almost as excited to read the accompanying novel as I was to own the physical doll. To me, each historical doll’s story felt like a time machine of my own making. By playing with and reading about my doll, I could immerse myself in a time period I would otherwise have only heard stories about.
Though my American Girl dolls no longer occupy their own corner of my bedroom, my love for reading has only grown stronger. And when I need a new book that has that distinct American Girl magic, I find myself turning to the historical fiction genre, particularly stories that feature strong female heroines. Those women, in a lot of ways, remind me of the American Girls I idolized when I was little.
If you’re also in search of historical fiction books that remind you of the magic of childhood and American Girl, look no further. We’ve rounded up 30 historical fiction recommendations for any readers out there who loved American Girl books. For those American Girl super fans, there may even be a title on this list that features a familiar face.
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What were the American Girl historical books?
American Girl historical books are a beloved series of children’s historical fiction that feature iconic characters from different eras in United States history. Each book is based on one of American Girl’s historical dolls. Their stories emphasize themes of growth and resilience in the face of major historical events like the Civil War or the Great Depression, as well as the typical aches and pains of growing up.
The historical collection of American Girl dolls was launched in 1986 with the release of Kirsten Larson, Samantha Parkington, and Molly McIntire, and has since grown to include 20+ historical characters that hail from backgrounds of every variation. Each character’s books offer a glimpse into that doll’s life—one that is relatable and age-appropriate for the little girls who love American Girl and what they represent. In 2026, American Girl will continue to expand its historical collection with the debut of Samantha: The Next Chapter, the brand’s first-ever adult novel. The story explores Samantha Parkington’s next stage of life as she navigates the ups and downs of adulthood.
American Girl historical dolls in order
- Samantha Parkington Doll Released: 1986 | Era: 1910 Progressive Era
- Molly McIntire Doll Released: 1986 | Era: World War II
- Kirsten Larson Doll Released: 1986 | Era: 1850s Frontier
- Felicity Merriman Doll Released: 1991 | Era: American Revolutionary War
- Addy Walker Doll Released: 1993 | Era: U.S. Civil War
- Josefina Montoya Doll Released: 1997 | Era: Colonial New Mexico (1820s)
- Kit Kittredge Doll Released: 2000 | Era: Great Depression
- Kaya’aton’my (Kaya) Doll Released: 2002 | Era: Indigenous America (1764)
- Julie Albright Doll Released: 2007 | Era: 1970s
- Rebecca Rubin Doll Released: 2009 | Era: 1914 Progressive Era
- Cecile Rey & Mary Grace Gardner Dolls Released: 2011 | Era: 1850s New Orleans
- Caroline Abbott Doll Released: 2012 | Era: War of 1812
- Maryellen Larkin Doll Released: 2015 | Era: 1950s
- Melody Ellison Doll Released: 2016 | Era: 1960s
- Nanea Mitchell Doll Released: 2017 | Era: 1940s (WWII Hawaii)
- Courtney Moore Doll Released: 2020 | Era: 1980s
- Claudie Wells Doll Released: 2022 | Era: Great Migration of the 1920s
- Isabela and Nicki Hoffman Dolls Released: 2023 | Era: 1999/early 2000s
Historical fiction recommendations if you liked American Girl books
While each American Girl has a unique story, these historical fiction books will give you a taste of each doll’s era from a fresh (and adult) perspective. Each title features strong female heroines whose stories are punctuated by the social and cultural shifts of their time period.
Samantha Parkington
Released: 1986 | Era: 1910 Progressive Era
Samantha Parkington is a compassionate orphan girl growing up in 1904 Mount Bedford, New York. She is a driven little girl with a strong moral compass and sense of justice—one that has won over fans of American Girl for decades. The 2026 American Girl Doll of the Year is connected to Samantha, but the company also just announced the first American Girl historical book for adults will be out later this year, written by the New York Times best-selling author Fiona Davis.
Samantha: The Next Chapter revisits the beloved Samantha Parkington when she’s 25, living in New York City and educating women about their right to vote in the upcoming presidential election. But when her inheritance is stolen from her, she goes from riches to rags overnight. Now, she must investigate the scheme behind her stolen inheritance and save her family’s legacy.
Releasing Oct. 13, 2026; Available for pre-order now!
Alva Smith went from rags to riches when she married into the Vanderbilts, a newly wealthy yet socially shunned family. Now, she must navigate a Gilded Age dynasty unlike anything she has ever encountered before.
Molly McIntire
Released: 1986 | Era: World War II
Growing up in the fictional town of Jefferson, Illinois, during the height of World War II, Molly’s stories focus on homefront life for American citizens during the war, particularly food rations, victory gardens, and coping with the absence of family serving overseas.
Told in a dual timeline split between 2016 and 1942, The Martha’s Vineyard Beach and Book Club weaves the tale of The Smith girls—nineteen-year-old aspiring writer Cadence and sixteen-year-old war-obsessed Briar—as they navigate the effects of World War Two on their family life, with thirty-four-year-old Mari Starwood as she patches together her family history.
This riveting historical fiction novel centers on the women who—often unknowingly—worked on the Manhattan Project during World War Two. The girls in question are told to work on nameless machines, and to never ask too many questions. But when the bombing of Hiroshima brings the truth to light, they must come face to face with what has happened.
Kirsten Larson
Released: 1986 | Era: 1850s frontier pioneer era
Kirsten Larson is a Swedish immigrant building a new life for her family on a farm in Minnesota. Her stories capture the ups and downs of being an immigrant in the United States during the pioneer era.
It’s February, 1852, and a young seamstress decides she’s going to travel West in pursuit of a better life for her and her daughter. She joins a band of women all determined to leave their pasts behind.
Felicity Merriman
Released: 1991 | Era: American Revolutionary War
The oldest of four siblings, Felicity lives in Williamsburg, Virginia and represents what it was like to grow up in colonial America. She is a fierce-minded and independent little girl who is a leader amongst her family and friends.
In 1789 Maine, Martha Ballard is summoned to investigate a body entombed under ice. As she looks into the cause of death, the investigation begins to implicate those that she loves. Now, Martha must decide where her true loyalties lie.
Addy Walker
Released: 1993 | Era: American Civil War
Addy Walker is a courageous little girl determined to be free in the midst of the Civil War. At the start of her stories she is enslaved with her family, before fleeing to the North with her mother.
Sixteen year old Junie has spent her whole life enslaved at Bellereine Plantation, at the beck and call of her master’s daughter, Violet. But when talks of Violet marrying begin to circulate—upending Junie’s life—she commits an act of desperation. Soon, she can no longer ignore the dark secrets that linger at Bellereine.
Hetty “Handful” is an urban slave in Charleston who serves the Grimke family, yet yearns for freedom. On her tenth birthday, the Grimke’s daughter, Sarah, is given ownership of Hetty. For the next thirty five years, we follow Hetty and Sarah as they both strive to forge a life of their own.
Josefina Montoya
Released: 1997 | Era: Colonial New Mexico (1820s)
After the death of her beloved Mamá, Josefina must learn to balance the time-honored traditions of her family with the quickly shifting world around her. The youngest of her siblings, she loves to weave, play the piano, and care for her baby goat.
After the loss of her family, Luz “Little Light” Lopez is left to fend for herself in 1930s Denver. But when she starts to have visions of the long-forgotten homeland that was stolen from her people, she decides it is up to her to save her family’s stories from disappearing into oblivion.
Kit Kittredge
Released: 2000 | Era: 1920s Great Depression
Growing up in Cincinnati, Ohio, during the Great Depression, Margaret “Kit” Kittredge is a resourceful little girl who feels happiest climbing trees and writing news stories. Her stories are punctuated with the often debilitating effects of the Great Depression.
When Elsa Wolcott meets Rafe Martinelli, she sees hope in the possibility of marriage—a way to save her wrecked reputation. But by 1934, millions are out of work, all the crops on the Martinelli farm are dead, and Elsa’s marriage is dying. Now, she must make a critical decision: stay and fight for her marriage, or travel west to seek a better life.
In a small Appalachian community in the 1930s, one woman helps neighbors weighed down by the effects of the Great Depression have easy, free access to books. With her fierce attitude and strength, she will show her community that even just a single book can carry us through.
Kaya’aton’my (Kaya)
Released: 2002 | Era: Indigenous America (1764)
An adventurous and spirited girl of the niimíipuu, Kaya was the first Native American Girl doll. Her stories focus on her strong connection to nature and the environment, as well as the deep love she has for her family and community.
A haunting novel spanning several generations, The Seed Keeper follows a Dakhóta family as they struggle to uphold long-forgotten traditions. Through the eyes of four women, readers learn what it takes to find your way back to your roots.
Julie Albright
Released: 2007 | Era: 1970s
Growing up in San Francisco in the 1970s, Julie’s stories focus on the aches and pains of adolescence as she copes with her parents’ divorce and moving to a new school. Her collection features all the bright colors and imagery of the 1970s.
In 1970s LA, everyone knows Daisy Jones & The Six, but no one knows the reason behind their infamous breakup. In this novel—written in the form of several interviews—readers will discover what brought together these musical geniuses, and what eventually led to their demise.
Frances “Frankie” McGrath knows that women can change the world. So when her brother is shipped off to serve in Vietnam, she follows him, joining the Nurse Corps. But the real challenge is returning home to a divided America—one that wants to forget Vietnam completely.
Rebecca Rubin
Released: 2009 | Era: 1914 Progressive Era
Growing up in a crowded Lower East Side tenement with her Russian-Jewish immigrant family, Rebecca’s story focuses on the struggles of fitting in and chasing one’s dreams. As a Jewish little girl, Rebecca struggles to hold onto her heritage while simultaneously assimilating into American society with her peers at school.
Addie Baum is the spirited daughter of Jewish immigrants, and despite residing in a one bedroom apartment in Boston with her family, she has big dreams. The story weaves her tales of love and loss with the pains of being a minority in twentieth century America.
In 1913, little Malka Treynovsky flees Russia with her family. But as soon as she arrives in bustling New York City, she’s abandoned. Luckily, she’s taken in by an Italian ice cream peddler, who slowly but surely teaches her to survive. Her story is one plucked from the tales of a diverse and broken 20th century America.
Cecile Rey & Marie Grace Gardner
Released: 2011 | Era: 1850s New Orleans
Coming from a highly regarded family among the People of Color community in New Orleans, Cecile Rey is an outgoing and confident girl who loves to make other people laugh. She is best friends with Marie Grace, who was released in tandem with Cecile in 2011.
Unlike her best friend Cecile, Marie is new to New Orleans. She moved away with her father when she was young after the sudden death of her mother. She has since returned and—with the help of Cecile— will learn to break out of her shell and express herself.
In 1863 New Orleans, one brave woman embroiders maps on repurposed cloth to help enslaved men flee and join the Union Army. In New York City, another woman stitches a quilt for her husband, who is stationed in Louisiana. When both women’s journeys lead them to the deep south, neither will stop until the people they love are safe.
Enslaved to a rich family in the French Quarter, Ady and her mother pass their days overhearing gossip about the family’s secrets. But when mother and daughter are separated, Ady is lost. When she stumbles across Lenore, a free Black woman who promises to help her find her mother, she has a new sense of purpose. Now, readers follow Ady as she begins her long journey to liberation.
Caroline Abbott
Released: 2012 | Era: War of 1812
Residing in Sackets Harbor, New York, Caroline is an only child who is described as daring and self-reliant. Her family runs a shipyard, so she spends as much time as possible outside and on the water. Her stories include the war-time stress that overtook American society in the year 1812.
Told through the eyes of America’s first lady, Dolley Madison and the War of 1812 is a novel inspired by true events, in which one woman’s strength and resilience rallies citizens in the face of war.
Maryellen Larkin
Released: 2015 | Era: 1950s
Growing up in Florida, Maryellen is a rambunctious and creative little girl who always finds a way to stand out amongst her big family. A polio survivor, she spends her time speaking out against the prejudices of the post-World War II era, especially for girls and women.
Chemist Elizabeth Zott is not your average 1960s housewife. Recently made a single mother, all she wants is to provide for her child. When the opportunity to star on a local cooking show comes up, she can’t turn it down. But as she finds more and more success, she soon discovers that she’s not just teaching women to cook, but to break the status quo. And not everyone is so happy about that.
In 1950s Washington DC, Briarwood boarding house is full of women who just want to keep to themselves. But when Grace March moves into the attic room and draws her neighbors out of their hiding places, unlikely friendships will form. Then one day, violence shakes the boarding house and secrets come to light—secrets that put everything on the line.
Melody Ellison
Released: 2016 | Era: 1960s
In 1964 Detroit, Melody is a nine-year-old little girl who loves to sing and spend time with her family. Her stories are imbued with the discrimination, racism, and social change that made the 1960s so pivotal in United States history.
When University of Michigan sophomore Celeste Tyree travels to Mississippi for the summer to volunteer, she know she’ll have to face critical questions about her race and identity. As she prepares for the fight ahead, she must face her own past and decide what it is most important to her.
Nanea Mitchell
Released: 2017 | Era: 1940s (WWII Hawaii)
Growing up on Oahu, Nanea enjoys a quiet life dancing hula and caring for her family. But when Japanese planes attack Pearl Harbor, Nanea’s life is thrown into turmoil. Now, she must navigate childhood and adolescence amidst martial law, blackouts, air-raid drills, and rationing.
The attack on Pearl Harbor changes everything for Lana Hitchcock, who arrives home to the Big Island too late to see her father. Now, as the government starts taking away her neighbors—deemed suspected “sympathizers”—Lana will do whatever it takes to protect the people she loves.
Told in a dual timeline split between the 1940s and the 1960s, The Codebreaker’s Secret is a highly immersive story about the cost of war and the quest for the truth. Soon, investigations will upturn an explosive secret—something that changes everything.
Courtney Moore
Released: 2020 | Era: 1980s
Courtney Moore is a total 80’s girl—she loves to play at the arcade, rent movies on the weekend, and watch MTV after school. But outside of school, her blended family complicates things, as well as her mother’s aspirations to run for mayor.
Moving through time from the predigital 1980s to an imagined 2040, Memory Piece weaves the story of four young women, who found each other as teenagers and now must face the rhythm of their quickly changing friendship. The lives they build will turn out to be radically different than any of them expected.
Joan Goodwin has been obsessed with the stars for as long as she can remember, so when she’s plucked from a pool of thousands of applicants to join NASA’S space program, she’s thrilled. But it’s the summer of 1980, and women in the space program are still a measly hypothetical. As Joan fights for what she deserves, she finds a love and passion she never expected.
Claudie Wells
Released: 2022 | Era: Great Migration of the 1920s
Nine-year-old Claudie Wells lives with her family in the bustling Harlem neighborhood of New York City in 1922. She is surrounded by art, music, and dreams of every variation. As she searches for her own voice, she discovers a special gift that will help her uplift the Black community.
It’s 1923, and fifteen-year-old Hattie Shepherd is swept up in the tide of the Great Migration. When she settles in Philadelphia to build a better life, she ends up marrying a man who will bring her nothing but pain. But Hattie is determined to raise her children well, and to teach them to meet the world around them with grit and strength.
Told through the eyes of three unforgettable protagonists, The Warmth Of Other Suns shines a light on the forgotten journeys of six million Black Americans who fled the South for better lives in the North and West. Each character’s story unfolds through beautiful, heart-wrenching prose.
Isabela & Nicki Hoffman
Released: 2023 | Era: 1999/early 2000s
The first twins to be introduced to the historical collection, Isabel and Nicki are growing up in Seattle, Washington at the turn of the 21st century. As their mom works long hours at her tech job helping to make sure all the computers don’t crash on New Year’s, Nicki and Isabel face their own kind of growing pains—friend drama, changes at school, and having a twin sister that is nothing like you at all.
Elena Richardson is the guiding force of Shaker Heights, Ohio—a “progressive” suburb with highly rated schools and clean neighborhoods. But when mother-daughter duo Mia and Pearl move into a nearby home and upset the town’s status quo, Elena is put on edge. And when a custody battle erupts in the town’s backyard, pinning Elena and Mia against each other, old secrets will come to head.
Its 1994 in Little River, New York, and April Sawicki is failing out of school, fighting with her father, and ready for a change. One day, she packs her bags and moves to Ithaca, in search of safety and security. She ends up finding a sense of community and family that she never expected—one that makes her question everything.
Rebecca Smith, Editorial Intern
As editorial intern, Rebecca works with The Everymom team on updating existing content, photo sourcing, pitching original articles, and more. She’s passionate about creating authentic and diverse online content, and is thrilled to help women of all ages feel represented by contributing to The Everymom.
Images in feature graphics linked in the article and credited to American Girl.
