Stop brushing Molly’s hair, girls: there’s a new series in town. Valerie Tripp, who first released the American Girl series in 1986, is finally releasing a counterpart called American Boys — well, Boys Camp, actually. Like the American Girl series, Boys Camp will featuring a book apiece for each male character. But that’s where the similarities between the new series and long-standing doll empire end. Unlike American Girl, which focused on girls from different cultures and periods of history, Boys Camp is set in modern times and centers on a group of bunkmates at summer camp dealing with more true-to-life issues. One boy struggles with feeling shy and out of place, and another wonders if he should continue to play a sport he has played his entire life (Is that an issue?). It’s a nice idea, but I have a feeling the demographic won’t pick up — though I can definitely see these ending up as “brothers” for the American Girl gang. Better rethink that no-doll plan. [TIME] Keep reading »
