List of Main American Doll Books in Historical Order

American doll books are such a great way to learn about American history! My favorite American Girl books are the historical characters where each American Girl has a set of six books.

There is almost always a historical note at the end of each book, and some even have a companion book for more historical information! I’ve included the historical companion book after each list for the American girls who have them. We found it very valuable to read these books in order, to experience American history unfolding through different points of view: Native Nez Perce, colonial American vs British, immigrant families, being Jewish in America, living during the Civil war and segregation, and women’s rights.

Many of the American Girls have other stories beyond the classic set of six books. If your child is a big fan of a particular girl, it may be worth searching for the rest of the books.

**By the way, my 13-year old boys were picking up these books and reading them. So, just as all children can read about girl or boy protagonists, these stories aren’t only for girls.

I found myself doing an internet search every time my daughter was ready for the next title in a series, or every time she was ready for the next series. So I’ve made a compilation of the Historical American doll books. I hope it’s helpful!

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Kaya (1764-1766)

We learned about the Nez Perce Native Americans in the Western United States. These are the only pre-colonial American doll books.

Welcome To Kaya’s World, 1764: Growing Up in a Native American Homeland

Felicity Merriman (1774-1776)

Felicity is set in Colonial Williamsburg, Virginia, around the time of the Revolutionary War.

Welcome To Felicity’s World · 1774: Growing Up in Colonial America

Caroline Abbot (1812-1813)

We learned about the War of 1812, or the Second War of American Independence. It takes place at the border between New York and Canada (at the time split into Upper and Lower Canada).

Josefina Montoya (1824-1826)

Josefina takes place on a ranch in the American Southwest. Having just lost their mother, Josefina and her sisters grieve and heal during this series of six. I appreciated listening to the CD for this one to hear all the correctly pronounced Spanish words.

Welcome To Josefina’s World 1824: Growing Up on America’s Southwest Frontier

Cécile Rey & Marie-Grace Gardner (1853-1854)

This series alternates between two points of view and is a fascinating one to learn about the city of New Orleans in Louisiana. Not unusual in New Orleans, Cecile is a free black person at a time when there are still slaves. Marie-Grace has moved to New Orleans and we are first introduced to these unusual societal dynamics through her lens.

Kirsten Larson (1854-1856)

Kirsten’s family lives in Minnesota, having immigrated from Sweden. I enjoyed learning aspects of Swedish culture, especially in the Christmas story…this is probably why these are my favorite American doll books. I feature the 3rd book in my Christmas Advent Study.

Welcome to Kirsten’s World: 1854 Growing Up in Pioneer America

Addy Walker (1864-1866)

Addy is set towards the end of the Civil War. In the first book, she and her mother escape to freedom in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

Welcome To Addy’s World · 1864: Growing Up During America’s Civil War

Samantha Parkington (1904-1906)

Samantha is an orphan who lives with her rich grandmother. It is an interesting look at societal classes in America in the early 1900s during segregation.

Welcome to Samantha’s World · 1904: Growing Up in America’s New Century

Rebecca Rubin (1914-1918)

Rebecca is a Jewish girl living in New York City. We learned about how her family celebrates Hanukkah in the 3rd book of her series and how she navigates being Jewish in a predominantly Christian society.

Claudie Wells (1922)

I wish Claudie had a full set of six books! We learned about the Harlem Renaissance in New York City through Claudie’s eyes. The author’s note about being inspired by the American doll books about Addy was especially meaningful.

Kit Kittredge (1932-1935)

“The girl with short hair” is Kit’s distinctive feature. Kit’s stories are my daughter’s favorite American doll books. The Great Depression is the historical element in this series.

Welcome to Kit’s World · 1934: Growing Up During America’s Great Depression

Molly McIntire (1944-1946)

Molly’s family has to make do without her father who is fighting in Europe during World War 2. The family takes in a British girl named Emily and Molly learns what the war is like in England versus America. We also read the best friend book, “Brave Emily” to see World War 2 through her eyes.

Welcome to Molly’s World · 1944: Growing Up in World War Two America

Julie Albright (1974-1977)

Okay…I just realized that we have not read this last historical American girl series. It features Julie in San Francisco, California. We’re planning to also read her best friend book, “Good Luck, Ivy,” to learn about Asian-Americans in San Francisco.