American Girl 2017 Girl of the Year is Gabriela McBride and last week we got to check her out. My 5 year old and 11 year old both fell in love with her.
Gabriela is very cute, she has dark curly hair, dark brown eyes and her skin appears to be latino, more of a light tan color. The doll is American Girl normal size which is 18-inches and she is wearing a really cute purple and aquamarine shirt that says DREAM. She is also wearing jeans and cute purple sneakers. The doll also comes with rubber bands and a pink head band, in addition it comes with a book chronicling her story.
The first book Gabriela, which we loved reading to our Gabriela doll tells the story of a quiet and creative girl growing up in a family of artists. Gabriela inherits a love of the arts from her parents, especially her mother. Life is not always easy and smooth sailing for Gabriela because of her stuttering, but she uses her voice to help save her beloved community arts center from being torn down.
I LOVED this story because my own daughter, Katherine, has a speech disorder. This is one of the first kids books I have ever read, and toy I have ever seen that has a speech disorder. I applaud American Girl for creating this doll that has a disability and then writes a book that has her work to overcome or learn to control her disability.
Visit americangirl.com/girloftheyear for free book excerpts, videos, activities, wallpaper and e-cards, and much more in introducing Gabriela to your child.
***Disclaimer: I received a complimentary doll to help facilitate this review. No other compensation was received.
