Samantha Parkington’s Glow-Up
If you spent your childhood obsessed with the American Girl historical collection, listen up: Samantha Parkington is officially entering her adult era. Mattel just dropped Samantha: The Next Chapter, the brand's very first novel written specifically for an adult audience. It’s giving major nostalgia, but with a grown-up twist.
The Plot Thickens
Penned by New York Times bestselling author Fiona Davis, the story jumps to 1920. Our girl Samantha is now 25 and living in New York City. While she starts out as a socialite advocating for women’s suffrage and the right to vote, things go south fast. After a "shocking scheme" leaves her inheritance and family home stolen, Samantha finds herself going from wealthy socialite to shop girl overnight. Talk about a plot twist. She ends up infiltrating a criminal organization to reclaim her family’s legacy, proving she’s still the same tenacious icon we remember.
No Spicy Scenes Here
Davis noted that while she had creative freedom, the team at American Girl was very conscious of the brand’s legacy. "It would never be spicy," Davis shared. While the book features some romance—with Samantha caught between two very different men—don't expect anything scandalous. The team kept the PDA strictly accurate to 1920s etiquette. Davis even joked that she had to "fight hard" just to get one kiss into the final pages.
Why it matters
This move marks a historic shift for the American Girl brand as they pivot toward their aging millennial fanbase. By letting Samantha grow up, face real-world tragedy—including the loss of her anchor, Grandmary—and navigate the complexities of 1920s adulthood, they're proving that the character’s legacy is anything but a relic.
