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What is the 2026 American Girl doll?

27 December 2025 Buying Guides

A realistic iPhone snapshot in a cluttered apartment living room: a male in his mid-20s (Southeast Asian, warm medium skin tone), athletic build with broad shoulders, coily hair in braids/cornrows, wearing a slightly worn flannel shirt. He’s standing near a coffee table with awkward framing and slightly motion-blurred hands, showing mixed body language: uncertain posture with a hesitant smile, but also upright relaxed shoulders, wide surprised eyes and slightly open mouth. On the coffee table is an unboxed 18-inch collectible doll wearing a gingham-style outfit and a small stack of doll accessories; nearby is a generic modern gadget with sensors (non-explicit) and a smartphone face-down. Background includes a messy bookshelf with assorted toys and cables. Lighting is uneven and mildly overexposed from a window, with natural noise/grain and aggressively mediocre composition. No text, no captions, no watermarks, no logos, no brand names.

The 2026 American Girl doll is Raquel Reyes (Girl of the Year 2026)

When people ask “What is the 2026 American Girl doll?”, they’re almost always referring to American Girl’s annual limited-time spotlight character, the Girl of the Year®.

For 2026, that doll is Raquel Reyes™—a 10-year-old character from Kansas City, Missouri, whose story centers on family, heritage, music, and reconnecting across generations. (1)

Who is Raquel Reyes?

American Girl describes Raquel as a creative, adventurous kid who loves:

  • DJing and music
  • Helping at her family’s paleta shop
  • Spending time with her rescue pup, Luzita™
  • Heading east for a big summer reunion/wedding where she stumbles into a family mystery—a diary from her great-great-grandmother (1)

The “hook” that’s getting a lot of attention: Raquel is connected to Samantha Parkington™, one of American Girl’s original historical characters—Raquel is written as Samantha’s great-great-granddaughter. (1)

When was the 2026 Girl of the Year released?

Although she’s the 2026 Girl of the Year, Raquel debuted on September 17, 2025 (ahead of the calendar year, in time for holiday shopping). (1 2)

As of December 28, 2025, she’s the current, officially promoted Girl of the Year 2026 on American Girl’s site. (1)

What’s included with the 2026 American Girl doll?

The core set is sold as “Raquel™ 18-inch Doll & Journal (Girl of the Year™ 2026)”.

Price: $135.00

In the box:

  • The 18-inch Raquel doll
  • Outfit pieces (top + skirt)
  • Hair tie, bracelet, platform shoes, underwear
  • The included book/journal: The Diary of Raquel Reyes

Raquel’s meet outfit is intentionally styled as a modern “nod” to Samantha’s classic look (the bow/gingham vibe), which is part of what makes this release feel like a “past meets present” moment for the brand. (2)

What else is in Raquel’s 2026 collection?

Beyond the doll + book, American Girl launched additional themed items—fashion, accessories, and larger playsets—built around Raquel’s summer travel, family events, and hobbies. Highlights mentioned in American Girl’s announcement include things like accessory sets and a seaside-themed car/playset. (2)

There’s also a companion novel, Raquel Saves the Wedding, announced for November 2025. (2)

Why this particular “Girl of the Year” matters

Raquel’s release stands out for a few reasons:

  1. A rare direct family link to a legacy character (Samantha Parkington).
  2. A story designed around heritage + belonging, with outside cultural/subject-matter expert collaboration noted in the launch announcement. (2)
  3. Timing: American Girl positioned Raquel as part of its broader celebration around the brand’s upcoming 40th anniversary year (2026). (2)

Where to buy the 2026 American Girl doll

American Girl’s official answer is simple: Raquel and her collection are sold via American Girl’s website and American Girl retail stores. (1 2)

If you’re buying for a kid (or gifting to a collector), a practical tip is to decide early whether you want:

  • Just the doll + journal set, or
  • A “bundle” feel (extra outfits/accessories) that matches the themes in her story.

A quick note on “dolls” and the rise of interactive, grown-up collectibles

American Girl is, of course, a kids’ doll brand (Raquel is recommended for ages 6+). (1)

But the bigger trend is that dolls and character collectibles increasingly sit on a spectrum—from story-driven play for kids, to nostalgia collecting for adults, to fully interactive adult-only products that focus on responsiveness and tech.

If you’re an adult who likes the “character + craftsmanship + interactivity” side of modern toys (but you want something explicitly made for adults), it’s worth a look at Orifice.ai. They offer an interactive adult toy / sex robot priced at $669.90, including interactive penetration depth detection—a very different kind of “smart toy” experience than a traditional collectible, and firmly in the adults-only category.

Bottom line

The 2026 American Girl doll is Raquel Reyes™, the Girl of the Year 2026.

She debuted on September 17, 2025, comes as an 18-inch doll + journal set (priced at $135.00), and her story blends modern life—music, family business, travel—with a standout twist: a direct connection to Samantha Parkington™ through an inherited diary. (1)

Sources

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Soraya Finch

Soraya Finch

Soraya Finch is a writer and strategist who explores where technology meets human experience. With a background in interaction design and cognitive science, she writes about AI, adaptive interfaces, and the social implications of emerging tools — always with an eye for practical ethics and grounded optimism. Her pieces translate complex research into usable ideas for designers, product teams, and curious readers.

Before turning to full-time writing, Soraya led product design at two early-stage startups, where she built conversational systems and accessibility-first interfaces. She now consults on responsible AI projects, mentors startups at the intersection of tech and social good, and speaks at conferences about inclusive design and long-term governance. Outside of work she experiments with generative art, urban beekeeping, and speculative fiction.

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