Looking Back at American Girl: My Journey Books

This looking back section was originally published by American Girl Wiki in 2023. Visit americangirl.fandom.com to read the entire article and explore other articles.

The “My Journey” books are written in first person, in the style of a "choose your own adventure" book. The unnamed, approximately ten-year-old protagonist is female and mostly left undescribed and unnamed so as to leave the image vague. Generally, she has at least one personal problem and/or skill in her life that relates in some way to the historical character's life.

The protagonist encounters a physical item from the past — symbolized by the charm shown on the cover of the book — that, when interacted with, magically and unexpectedly transports her to the character's era. When she first arrives, she quickly returns, realizing with surprise that the item takes her back in time. She then decides to return for an extended time out of personal curiosity. Soon after her return to the past era, she meets the historical character a little more properly, and they generally become friends quickly. The protagonist is often assumed to be someone who would be plausible to the story or manages to explain why she is in the era with a story that is easily accepted, often taking on the name of other characters. (e.g., The protagonist of A New Beginning is assumed to be a recently freed black girl who has escaped north without her family)

The protagonist is quite often dressed in plausible era-accurate clothing during her time travel, helping the illusion that she is authentic of the time period; if not, she is soon changed into proper clothing with the help of the historical character, and her modern clothes might be remarked on. The protagonist and the Historical Character spend the majority of the book's events together until the protagonist chooses to return to her own time. Events that occur do not conflict with the events of any books or stories and can, in many cases, be considered loosely canon to the character's series (e.g., the protagonist of A New Beginning helps Addy earn money she and Ruth are saving for their lamp; Gunpowder and Tea Cakes occurs soon after the events of Happy Birthday, Felicity! and so do not conflict with her summer book).

During her interactions with the historical character and others, the protagonist's issues are often analyzed in her mind, giving her a new perspective she hadn't considered before. She also encounters social aspects of the past in a location she hadn't realized (e.g., the protagonist of Addy's book encountering direct racial bigotry and prejudice). This may make her uncomfortable, such as the protagonist of Felicity's book being disturbed by Felicity's casual acceptance of African enslavement being a part of her grandfather's plantation. She constantly thinks about her family, friends and/or people from her own life as she interacts with the historical character and her world. While scary or worrying events may happen, none of the final endings are wholly negative or end too poorly.

The protagonist is always assumed to return to her own present time without any resistance, specifically making sure that she is alone when she returns so as not to be seen "disappearing" by the Historical Character or anyone else. (Endings may not actively show the character returning, but it is generally stated outright that she will be going home.) She returns — or will return — at the moment she leaves with a new perspective on her own life that she will apply to her problems and/or attitude about them.

Most endings are available in the book, with two additional endings available online. In 2016, abridged copies of the “My Journey” books for currently available BeForever characters were included with the 2016 Special Edition mini dolls. With the removal of the BeForever branding and revamping of the Central Series books in 2019, the “My Journey” books were retired fully in 2020.