American Girl dropped a sweet surprise. The brand just unveiled the 2025 Girl of the Year, Summer McKinny who joins recent GOTYs Lila Monetti (2024) and Kavi Sharma (2023).
Summer is a dog lover and baker from Columbia, Maryland who turns her two passions into a business of her own. Her aunt, a business owner, encourages her to enter a youth entrepreneur fair where she gains new skills in business ownership.
“With her strong entrepreneurial spirit, Summer McKinny, our 2025 Girl of the Year, will resonate with today’s kids who are equally determined about pursuing their passions,” says Jamie Cygielman, General Manager of American Girl. “Like all of our beloved characters, Summer’s story of perseverance and self-discovery will inspire young fans to believe in themselves and serve as a reminder that every setback is simply a stepping-stone toward making their dreams a reality.”
The 2025 Girl of the Year comes to life in a beautiful 18-inch Summer doll, featuring an exclusive look with light-blue eyes and strawberry-blonde hair with light-pink ends styled in two microbraids. Summer comes dressed in a tie-dye knit dress, a pair of pink-and-purple ombre eyeglasses, two coordinated beaded bracelets, and platform sandals. Her accessories include a dog-themed embroidered purse, a sweet travel tumbler shaped like an ice cream cone, and more.
Also available are plush versions of Summer’s favorite animals: Crescent – a fluffy white dog she adopts from the animal shelter and Fettucine – her aunt’s sassy cat that comes to visit. Plus, there are plenty of pet- and baking-inspired products available, including a 21-piece Baking Accessories set, complete with a stand mixer that really spins, plus a 54-piece Treat Cart for her dog-walking and pet-treat business, Waggy Pup Tails.
To celebrate Summer and further American Girl’s longstanding commitment to literacy and growing strong readers, the brand is donating more than $100,000 in retail value of American Girl books to Save the Children’s U.S. education programs.
Summer McKinny is available today at americangirl.com and at American Girl retail stores.
