Have you ever felt like you were born in the wrong decade? For me, my heart has always belonged to the ‘50s. My parents were born in the 1950s so I grew up hearing stories of the way things used to be and I always felt a connection to the decade that shaped their generation. I spent countless hours listening to their 45s, exploring their childhood closets for clothing gems left behind when everyone moved away from home, and pining for a decade I never personally experienced. 
My love of the ‘50s has only been renewed with the arrival of the newest American Girl’s BeForever™ character, Maryellen Larkin. Only now it’s better because I get to share that love with my children. 
I don’t think it’s possible to be more in love with Maryellen. With her gorgeous strawberry blond hair, her brown eyes, and her authentic 1950s outfit featuring a striped dress, a lacy-knit shrug with a monogrammed "M", black shoes, and a ribbon bow for her hair, she’s exactly what I think of when I picture my mom and my aunts during the ‘50s. Classic and all-American, Maryellen is even more beautiful in person than she is online and in catalogue. 
Meet Maryellen Larkin
Maryellen is an optimistic, energetic girl growing up in Daytona Beach, Florida, in 1954. As one of the middle children of 6 kids, Maryellen struggles with being seen as a “big kid” while dealing with issues of conformity versus individuality. By following her heart instead of the crowd, Maryellen strives to be true to herself even when it means going again expectations. 
As much as I love Maryellen’s spunk and determination in the stories, I also really love that her very best friend is a neighbor boy, Davy. Since my son still adores all things American Girl, I really appreciate that he now has a boy character to enjoy when we read Maryellen’s story together as a family. 
Through Maryellen’s stories, we can experience the trials of the time and learn about the era that saw tremendous growth and change in post-war America. With the rise of suburbia , new technology such as TV, and the dawn of rock ‘n’ roll, the ‘50s have a rich history that I can’t wait to explore with them. 
I love that by using Maryellen’s products and stories I can help my children better understand their grandparents’ generation during “the baby boom” and it creates numerous talking points for them to explore with their grandparents. As excited as I am about the doll herself, I love that she has given us huge potential for bonding with Grandma and including her in our American Girl trips and café dates. 
And, by exploring Maryellen’s world together, we get to experience the good old fashioned fun of poodle skirts, malt shops, and the joys of hearing your favorite record play at the local diner.
To kick off our adventures with Maryellen, we planned a fun trip to a local ‘50s style diner so we could share a malt with the new doll and get acquainted with her story. 
Of course, we couldn’t pass up the new Pretty Poodle Dress for girls so my daughter could match Maryellen’s Poodle Skirt Outfit, complete with saddle shoes. Maryellen’s poodle skirt ends up being a big deal in her story when her mom buys it to recognize Maryellen’s desire to be treated as more grown up, so I thought it was a fitting splurge for my daughter to rock as a thank you for all the help she has been in her new role as a big sister of two siblings. 
Be still, my heart. 
But, it’s not just the BeForever Maryellen character that is new. Along with the doll, there are some really awesome accessories you can get for your Maryellen doll – including a real jukebox that plays 50s style tunes that you can plug your music player into or a television console that you can hook up to your iPad. Also of note is the 30-pc diner set that my kids could play with for HOURS if I let them. Seriously, can kids toys get any cooler than this? 
Also new are the Maryellen two-book series that tell her story and The Sky’s the Limit: My Journey with Maryellen, that lets you go back in time to go on adventures with Maryellen in a choose-your-own-adventure fashion. Since my daughter is crazy about chapter books, I love that the Maryellen book series has given us even more opportunities to read together and learn more about the era. 
Are you lucky enough to live driving distance from an American Girl store? You should definitely check out the Maryellen Retail Events at select stores across the country where you can explore the fabulous '50s with free Maryellen-inspired events. We popped into the event during her launch and enjoyed a free craft with a special gift for the kiddos. 
Want to explore Maryellen's world? Check out her page on AmericanGirl.com and see why we are crazy for her and all of her accessories and gear. For parents and teachers, a free downloadable Maryellen Learning Guide will soon be available to explore these themes and issues from the 1950s. If you haven’t checked out this section of the website, I would highly recommend it. It gives you great questions you can ask your kids about the American Girl Doll characters to help them get even more from each character’s unique story. 
As for this girl? I think it's clear that she's more than smitten with her new playmate.
Girls on a Mission
Have you made a pledge yet on the American Girl site? Last week they launched their movement to encourage girls working together and supporting each other. No more "mean girls" or "bullying nation" – this new generation of girls can turn things around and let the world hear them. Make your pledge today to promise your support and unity.
It's time girls {and those that support them} rally together and empower each other. Celebrate their uniqueness and bond over common interests and traits, together. Girls need to know that individually they are powerful – but, collectively, they are unstoppable! You can watch the pledge video here.
Make your pledge at www.americangirl.com/pledge
Want to surprise a special little one in your life with an American Girl Maryellen doll? You're in luck, because we are partnering with a few Seattle sites to give away the brand new doll! Enter below.
A big thank you to American Girl for sending Maryellen to adore. As always, all opinions are 100% ours.
I would love to give this doll to my adorable neighbor. She’d be thrilled.
I’m a 50’s girl so I would love to have this doll to play with my granddaughter.
I’d love to own this for my daughter! Thank you.
I’d love to give Maryellen to my granddaughter
I would gift her to my daughter! I love the stories that they have that go along with the dolls!
Would love to win!
I would give this doll to my niece. She would love it .
I would give her to my daughter. She has a Bitty Baby and adores her, so I’m sure she would simply love Maryellen!
i would gift this to my niece she would love it
I would love to win Maryellen for my daughter. We just received the AG catalog featuring her and my daughter has just been flipping through it and gushing over her.
Would love to win for my daughter as we don’t have one. Thanks for the chance
My niece would love to own MaryEllen.
My daughter would absolutely adore Maryellen!!
My niece would LOVE this!
I would gift it to my youngest daughter who has never owned an American doll but wants one.
My daughters have always wanted an American Girls doll. With 4 girls, not easy to get them all their own so they would cherish owning this doll and could take turns with her.
I would love to win this doll for my daughter for Christmas to start collecting, I love these dolls.
I would love to give her to my daughter.
I would give this to my niece. She loves all dolls, especially American girl dolls, and cares for them as if they were real.
I would gift this doll to my daughter, who is in love with American Girl dolls. This would be a dream come true for her.
This would make a great gift for my niece!
I would give this as a gift for my niece.
This would be for my niece! She loves the ’50s!
I would love to win the American Girl doll because my daughter has always asked for one but being a single mom on a tight income I have never been able to afford her one. She would love this & be thrilled.
I would give this doll to my daughter. She looks a bit like my daughter. Thanks so much.
I am in love with Maryellen’s whole collection! Her Jukebox, her birthday dress, her hair! everything!
Good luck to everyone!!
I would gift her to my niece.
My niece would love this.
I would love to win the Mary Ellen doll for my daugthers. She is beautiful and my daughters are big fans of American Girl Dolls.
She looks just like my oldest daughter Ava. She would love her and have so much fun playing with her!
Because this would be a great Christmas gift for y grand daughter.
I would love to win this for my niece.
I would gift this to my Granddaughter, I know she would love it!
I would love to own MaryEllen because the accessories are so much fun and I would give her to my daughter to teach her more about the 1950’s.
My daughter has Mary Ellen on her Christmas list.
I would gift her to my niece who loves American Girl.
I Would Gift Maryellen To My Niece!
My neighbor’s daughter would absolutely love this! I’d save it for her for Christmas! Thanks so much for the opportunity to win! If I wasn’t 30, I’d probably buy one for myself..haha!
My daughter would love her!
I like almost anything with a1950s theme.
I love the Era this doll is all about and I would give it to my daughter
My daughter would love Maryellen because she’s pretty and has a neat diner!
I would give this doll to my daughter. She loves her so much. They have the same color hair and her grandma was born in the 50’s.
I would love to give this doll to my great-niece for her birthday.
If I won, I would give the Maryellen doll to my daughter who has been begging for an American Girl doll
I would love to be able to give this to my 9 year old daughter for her birthday next month because I love Maryellen and the era she represents. I think my daughter would have fun reading about her and taking her on adventures 🙂
My girls are big American Girl fans. They will wear out the catalogs.
I would gift Maryellen to my granddaughter who has wanted an American Girl doll for the past two years. Since her mother passed away when she was one year old, I have been her primary care giver who is on a limited income. I would love to make her dream come true this coming Christmas.
I’d give her to my daughter. I love the American Girl dolls. It’s so hard to find non-baby dolls that aren’t covered in makeup and overly adult clothing. I want my kid to stay a kid for a while longer.
I would gift her to my little granddaughter. She would love her.
I would love to win this for my daughter. I am a redhead and she is slowly becoming strawberry blonde, this would be wonderful! Thanks for the giveaway !
I would love to gift this to my first grandchild. I would love to for her and I to collect them together!
this would be a gift for my niece. She would love her. Thank you for the chance.
If I won Maryellen I would give it to my niece. It would be her very first American Girl doll.
I would gift to my niece
I would happily gift Maryellen to our grand daughter – so on her wish list!
thank you
I would save her for my granddaughter Kate who has the same color hair.
I would love to win this doll for my daughter
Maryellen’s collection is awesome. We love it all. I would like to get Maryellen for my daughter. My mom had strawberry blonde hair as a little girl and grew up in the 1950s. She would have loved this doll!
My daughter would love to have a doll she can play dress up with.
I would love to give her to my niece. It would be perfect for Christmas.
I would give Maryellen to my niece who would really love her.
I have three girls and they would absolutely love Maryellen!
I would love to a Maryellen Larkin doll of my own!
I would gift her to my daughter for Christmas if I won!!
I would like to say something about Maryellen, even though she has a great collection and i would love to have it all! Maryellen is the saddest American Girl. She is the first American Girl to not have all the gorgeous artwork in her books. All the other American Girls had them in their books at one time or another.
I would love to give this to my youngest daughter. She is a huge American Girl fan.
I’d love to gift this to my daughter, I grew up playing with American Girl dolls 🙂
demureprincess7(at)gmail(dot)com
I’m not sure with whom I’d share her. My adult daughter loves American Girls and she’s disabled so likely it would be with her. Love American Girls!
I would love to own Maryellen because the fifties is my very favorite time period of all and she looks adorable!! Thanks so much for this giveaway and good luck to everyone entering!!!
I would love to win Maryellen because she is just so gorgeous! She would make a great addition to my collection 🙂
I would love to give her to my middle granddaughter. She would treasure it.
I would give this doll to my daughter!
I want to win for my Granddaughter, this would be her 1st American Girl Doll. She just looks thru the catalog picking out what she wants for her doll when she gets one. Her birthday is 10/8, and I would love to win and take her to the new American Girl Store in Charlotte, NC.
Both my daughters would love her! ? She is gorgeous!
I love Maryellen’s message that if you stay true to yourself, the skies the limit. That’s absolutely a belief I want our girls to have, so Maryelllen would be gifted to our middle daughter. She just started 3rd grade and loves to read the American Girls stories!
I would love to win this for my daughter
I have loved American Girl dolls since I first laid eyes on them. I would love to win this so I can bring her to my nieces and we could play dolls together.
I would love to give her to my little sister!
I would love to win this for my daughter. She has been “reading” the American Girl catalog for weeks now!
I would gift this to my daughter, she loves each and every story with the dolls. They inspire her to be herself, to be unique!
I would gift her to my daughter
I’d love to win this doll for my niece so she could keep it for herself or gift it to a deserving little girl at church.
I would love to win her and save it for my neice when she gets bigger.
She looks so sweet and her outfits and accessories would be so much fun to play with!
Maryellen would be for my daughter. She’s at the perfect age to play with dolls, and she loves to spend hours playing with her friend’s American Girl dolls! She’s also an avid reader, so she enjoys reading the stories that go along with the dolls too!
I would gift her to my daughter. She saw Maryellen at her introduction event & has loved her ever since especially those strawberry locks 🙂
I’d love to win this for my 8 year old daughter. She just recently received the AG magazine in the mail for the first time and now she wants a doll of course, lol! Plus all the accessories and playsets. Oh boy!
I would gift her to my daughter for Christmas, she would love it!
I’d love to win and give this to my friend’s daughter. She’s getting old enough for AG.
I love the era that she symbolizes and she’s a cute doll. I’d like to win this for my niece. Thanks.
partymix25(at)Hotmail(dot)com
I would give her to my niece. She would love her so much.
I really want Maryellen because she’s so pretty, but I’d share her with my daughter 🙂
I would love to win this for my daughter Autumn. She went as a 50’s Diner girl last year for Halloween. She would adore Maryellen.
i would love to win it for my third child
I would love to give this doll to my daughter for her 6th birthday next month!
I have three daughter that would all LOVE this and all of them have that same cute strawberry blonde hair! So perfect! Thank you for the chance!
I’d love to win for my little lady Mary! She would adore it.
My daughter would love this! So much better than dolls that promote an unhealthy image.
I would love to gift her to my daughter! I always wanted an American girl doll growing up and never got one, would love for my daughter to be able to have one!
I would give her to my niece!!!!
I also share a deep love for the 1950’s. I would love to give her to my daughter who has recently begun to read American Girl books.
I would love to have this doll because I don’t have any dolls and I love her and she’s beautiful
I would love to gift this doll to my niece or my little sister . I think they would love it ! <3
I would give her to my daughter! She loves American girl.
I would absolutely love for my daughter to get this doll for Christmas.
I’d gift this to my niece.
I’d love to give this to my youngest daughter.
I hope that I can win Maryellen to give to my sister. She keeps showing me different pictures of her and her collection. She is in love.
My daughters would love this doll! We are big AG fans and my youngest still needs her own doll, perfect Christmas gift!
i wanna win this for my daughter
[email protected]
I hope that can win Maryellen to give to my Daughter
Oh I do hope that I can win Maryellen Larkin for my Granddaughter. She has been trying to win Maryellen for the longest time…
I would love to give this to my 7 year old daughter. We recently saw this doll and all the diner accessories in the magazine and she put it ALL on her Christmas list. And we both love saddle shoes!
I would love to win this for my daughter.
i have always wanted an american girl doll. since i was a kid. i would love to share the love with my niece maddie.
I would save this doll for my granddaughter who is due next month. I had 3 boys & there have been no dolls in our family! I can’t wait for her to play with dolls!
I would so love to win Maryellen for my 8 year old daughter Carly she would be so thrilled she loves her dolls and would go crazy for this one.
I would give her to my daughter. She loves American Girl Dolls and she has them call me Grandma.
I would give this doll to my little girl, she has been wanting an American Girl Doll for a while now! Thank you for the opportunity!
Loved the review- this doll is so adorable! I would give it to my 9 yr old stepdaughter.. She loves American girl!!
I’d give to my daughter.
I would love to give this to my daughter.
she would love it!
thanks! 🙂
It would be for my daughter! I always wanted an American Girl doll growing up so I would love if my daughter could have one!
i would give to my niece!
I would give this to a friend’s little girl if I won.
I would love to gift Maryellen to my daughter for Christmas.
jweezie43[at]gmail[dot]com
I would love to win this for my daughter.
I would give her to my Grand Daughter, she has been asking for an American Girl doll for a long time now.
I would gift to my daughter!!
I would gift this to my daughter. she loves american girl dolls but we cannot afford one.
i would love to give this to my daughter for Christmas
I’d love to give this to my little girl for her 7th birthday!
I would gift her to my daughter
I would love to give this to my niece. She loves dolls and I think she would love MaryEllen.
I would love to own her because she reminds me of me when I was growing up. I would gift her to my granddaughter.
I would love to give this to my daughter as her first doll!
I would love to gift this to my daughter!
I would love to give the doll to my grandchild.
I would give her to my friend.
I would love one for my grand daughter.
Who won Maryellen? Tell them congrats from me! 🙂