American Girl dolls have been a staple with children since they first debuted in 1986. They initially presented historical characters at various tumultuous stages in history, surmounting obstacles and overcoming odds. There was the Colonial American Girl facing the Revolutionary War, the young pioneer whose family was settling the West, and an Eastern European immigrant at the start of the twentieth century. Each doll is given an intricate backstory which is described in a series of books about the character. In 2007, a historical doll representing childhood in the 1970s was released. This doll, Julie Albright, is the only one to feature divorced parents.  Read more here.