American Girl Reveals Daisy Davenport as 2027 Girl of the Year
American Girl is celebrating 40 years by sending its newest character to summer camp. The company has officially introduced Daisy Davenport as its 2027 Girl of the Year, and longtime fans might recognize where she's headed.
Daisy is from Madison, Wisconsin, making her the first American Girl character from the state where the company got its start. Her story also takes her to Camp Gowonagin, a place with some serious history in the American Girl universe.
Meet American Girl's 2027 Girl of the Year
Daisy Davenport is an outdoorsy kid who loves soccer and playing guitar. She's also used to being good at the things she tries. But, that confidence gets tested when she heads off to sleepaway camp expecting to spend the summer with her best friend, Callie. Her plans don't exactly cooperate.
When it turns out that Callie can't join her, Daisy has to navigate camp without her best friend. Along the way, she deals with homesickness, disagreements with her cabinmates, a fear of the dark, and the realization that being a good leader sometimes means listening to everyone else.
American Girl says Daisy's story explores friendship, teamwork, perseverance, and learning to handle situations that don't go according to plan.
Daisy Has a Connection to Molly McIntire
Here's where longtime American Girl fans get a little something.
Daisy attends Camp Gowonagin, the same summer camp associated with Molly McIntire, one of the three original American Girl characters that were introduced when the company launched in 1986.
Daisy's mother also attended the camp when she was young. During Daisy's story, she learns that generations of girls have spent summers there, including Molly.
It's a clever bridge between the brand's newest character and one of the dolls that started the whole thing four decades ago.
The American Girl Daisy Doll Is Ready for Camp
Naturally, Daisy isn't heading into the woods without an entire collection of tiny camping equipment.
Daisy comes dressed for an active day at camp, with a purple tee, denim skort, striped socks, and matching purple sneakers. She has green eyes, bangs, and long auburn hair.
Her larger collection leans heavily into her summer at Camp Gowonagin, with items like:
A camp cabin with bunk beds
A campfire set
A guitar
S'mores pajamas
Camp-inspired clothing
A dog and doghouse
Soccer gear
A table with party snacks and crafts
The cabin even includes a vanity with a sink and mirror. Roughing it has taken on new meaning since some of us went to summer camp.
There's a Book About Daisy, Too
Daisy's story isn't limited to the doll and her accessories. The author, Megan Wagner Lloyd, has written Meet Daisy Davenport, a novel following the new character's adventures.
American Girl has been pairing dolls with stories since its earliest days. When the company launched in 1986, its historical characters came with books that introduced kids to different periods of American history through the lives of girls their own age.
The Girl of the Year collection arrived later, beginning with Lindsey Bergman in 2001. So, instead of looking into the past, these characters have stories rooted in contemporary childhood.
Daisy Is Arriving in Time for American Girl's 40th Anniversary
Daisy's timing makes her Wisconsin roots particularly fitting. American Girl is celebrating its 40th anniversary this year. The founder, Pleasant Rowland, launched the company in Wisconsin in 1986 with Molly McIntire, Samantha Parkington, and Kirsten Larson as its first historical characters.
Four decades later, the company has expanded far beyond those original dolls, adding contemporary characters, Girl of the Year collections, Truly Me dolls, Bitty Baby, and plenty of others.
Still, American Girl hasn't forgotten where it started. Daisy is the company's first character from Wisconsin, and giving her a connection to Molly brings some of that original history into a modern-day story.
Daisy Is Available Now
Although she's officially the 2027 Girl of the Year, Daisy won't make us wait until January.
Daisy Davenport and all her accessories became available September 17th on American Girl's website and in their retail stores. That gives American Girl fans plenty of time to meet her before 2027. And, for anyone who grew up reading Molly's stories, Camp Gowonagin has a new generation of campers.
Forty years after Molly helped introduce us to American Girl, Daisy is packing up her own bags for a summer of campfires, new friendships, and adventures of her own.
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