WHAT A DOLL The new American Girl doll enjoys a wild life. Let us explain.
Lanie, who debuted today as the 2010 Girl of the Year, is meant to encourage girls and their families to get outdoors this year. Toward that end, American Girl has partnered with the National Wildlife Federation's new Be Out There initiative. The idea is that developing an appreciation for nature might help reverse the consequences of too much time spent indoors, such as obesity and depression. The federation has prepared a curriculum for teachers and is working on two "microsites" with American Girl, one with tips for parents, the other aimed at children (www.nwf.org/BeOutThere).
Lanie is described as a 10-year-old who lives in Cambridge, Mass., who likes science and has a pet rabbit. In the accompanying book by Jane Kurtz, Lanie learns how to grow a vegetable garden and how to identify birds by their call. The blond, hazel-eyed Lanie is American Girl's eighth doll of the year character, which means she's only available for one year and has fewer accessories than the dolls with a historical back-story.
The American Girl store in the Mall of America will be hosting special events all weekend (see www.americangirl. com/stores/location _mall.php).
American Girl also is sponsoring a photo contest (www.american girl.com/girloftheyear), asking girls to go outside and take photos of nature or wildlife. Twenty-five winners, chosen at random, will each receive a Lanie doll and book, valued at $95 for both. Deadline is March 15.
Just get out there.
KIM ODE
