Timeline of Releases

Real-world publication and product-release dates, 1986–2026.

Fiction Published Nonfiction/Activity Published American Girl Magazine Feature Doll Collection Brand Milestone
Classic Era1986–2003
Movie Era / Best Friends Era2004–2008
Archived2009–2014
BeForever Era2014–2019
1986Meet Samantha, 1986 cover by Nancy Niles

Samantha debuts as one of Pleasant Company's original three historical characters, alongside Kirsten and Molly.

  • Released: Samantha Doll in classic meet dress
  • Released: Doll clothes, furniture, and accessories to accompany each book, including school, holiday, and bedtime collections
1987Happy Birthday, Samantha, 1987 cover by Nancy Niles
  • Released: Corresponding birthday collection
1988Changes for Samantha, 1988 cover by Luann Roberts
  • Released: Corresponding summer and winter collections
1989
  • Released: Samantha's Patterns
1990
1991
1992Samantha’s Paper Dolls cover
  • Samantha's Paper Dolls by Jodi Evert, illus. Renée Graef
1993A Most Exceptional Bridesmaid, American Girl magazine, 1993
1994
  • "Samantha's Surprising Birthday" (play) by Valerie Tripp & Luann Roberts, illus. Luann Roberts Smith, American Girl magazine, May/June 1994
  • Samantha's Pastimes, includes Cookbook, Craft Book, and Theater Kit
1995The Beautiful Blue Bicycle, American Girl magazine, 1995
  • Samantha 1904: Teacher's Guide to Six Books About America's New Century for Boys and Girls by Roberta Johnson, map illus. Dan Andreasen
1996
  • "A Most Exceptional Bridesmaid" reprinted with new illustrations, American Girl magazine, Nov/Dec 1996
  • Released: Scenes and Settings
1997
1998Meet Samantha, 1998 parchment cover by Dan Andreasen

Pleasant Company sold to Mattel

Reillustrations for Samantha, Molly and Addy across books, paper dolls and craft products

New “parchment covers” for Samantha’s main series featuring Andreasen art

1999Samantha’s Winter Party cover
  • Released: Skating Party Dress
2000Meet Samantha, 2000 revised cover

New design identity across the line, coinciding with Kit's debut.

New revised covers featuring the Andreasen art without the parchment box

2001Samantha and the Missing Pearls cover
2002Samantha’s Ocean Liner Adventure cover
  • Samantha's Friendship Fun by Tamara England, Michelle Jones & Peg Ross, cover illus. Dan Andreasen, interior illus. Dan Andreasen & Ann Boyajian
  • Samantha's Ocean Liner Adventure, interactive scrap book, by Dottie Raymer, illus. Dan Andreasen & Susan McAliley
  • Released: Ocean Liner collection to match the new book
2003
  • Released: Talent Show Dress
2004Nellie O’Malley doll catalog page, 2004Meet Samantha, ribbon cover

“Movie era” begins with Samantha TV movie

“Best Friends” line launched with Nellie O’Malley

"Ribbon" cover style introduced

  • Samantha: An American Girl Holiday, premieres 23 November 2004 on The WB
  • Nellie's Promise by Valerie Tripp, illus. Dan Andreasen
  • Samantha's Wedding Memories, illus. Dan Andreasen
  • Samantha: An American Girl Holiday — The Complete Telescript
  • Released: Nellie O’Malley 18-inch doll and collection of outfits and accessories
  • Released: New outfits and accessories for Samantha to match the film
2005
  • The Curse of Ravenscourt by Sarah Masters Buckey
2006
  • The Stolen Sapphire by Sarah Masters Buckey
2007
  • Samantha's Cooking Studio by Jodi Goldberg, illus. Jeanne Thieme
  • Retired: Dozens of Samantha items quietly retired
2008American Girl retirement banner: Say farewell to Samantha and Nellie, 2008

American Girl announces that Samantha, Nellie, and their collections will be retired and moved to the “American Girl Archives.”

  • Samantha's Fashion Studio
2009

Samantha dolls officially sell out. Samantha books remain available for purchase.

  • The Cry of the Loon by Barbara Steiner
  • Samantha's World: A Girl's-Eye View of the Turn of the 20th Century
2010
  • Samantha's Just For Fun
2011
  • Clue in the Castle Tower by Sarah Masters Buckey
  • Released: special-edition holiday mini doll for American Girl’s 25th anniversary
2012
2013
2014BeForever Spotlight on Samantha Parkington web image, 2014

The historical line is relaunched as “BeForever.” Samantha returns with a new doll collection. The classic main series is repackaged into a 2-volume set without illustrations.

  • Manners and Mischief: A Samantha Classic Volume 1 (repackages Books 1–3)
  • Lost and Found: A Samantha Classic Volume 2 (repackages Books 4–6)
  • The Lilac Tunnel: My Journey with Samantha by Erin Falligant, illus. Juliana Kolesova
  • Released: BeForever collection of outfits, furniture, accessories
2015
  • Danger in Paris by Sarah Masters Buckey
  • Released: Additional BeForever collection items
2016
  • Released: special-edition mini doll for American Girl’s 30th anniversary
2017
  • Retired: Many BeForever collection items retired
2018
  • Real Stories From My Time: The Titanic
2019

American Girl phases out BeForever branding

2020
202135th-anniversary re-release of the original six historical dolls, 2021
  • Released: 35th anniversary re-release of six original historical dolls in classic meet outfits with parchment cover book
2022
2023
2024
  • Retired: Samantha is retired again
20252025 re-release of the Samantha doll in her classic meet outfit
  • Released: Limited edition re-release of Samantha doll in classic meet outfit with A Keepsake Guide to Samantha's World
202640th-anniversary re-release of the original historical dolls, 2026

American Girl’s 40th anniversary

  • Released: 40th anniversary re-release of Samantha doll in classic meet outfit with A Keepsake Guide to Samantha's World
  • Released: Modern Era Samantha, 14.5" doll, a contemporary reimagining inspired by classic Samantha design
  • Released: Collab with Hill House Home for doll and human dresses inspired by classic meet dress print
  • Samantha: The Next Chapter by Fiona Davis, adult novel following 20-year-old Samantha Parkington