NEW AMERICAN GIRL ADVICE BOOKS INSPIRE GIRLS TO BE THEIR BEST

Girl-Friendly Topics Help Girls Handle Any Adventure Life Brings Their Way

Middleton, WI – August 8, 2005 – From juggling school and larger-than-ever homework loads to social pressures, commitments to sports, and increased family responsibilities, it’s no surprise that girls are experiencing stress at younger and younger ages. While some of these activities are rewarding and fulfilling by themselves, all of them together can leave girls feeling overwhelmed and exhausted. This September, to help girls recognize and understand the stress signals their bodies send, and to help them discover coping techniques to relax and re-energize, American Girl will introduce a new advice book to its Body & Mind line, Real Spirit: Fun Ideas for Refreshing, Relaxing, and Staying Strong.

Real Spirit provides girls ages 8 and up with insightful advice on how to strengthen the part of themselves that helps them stay calm when life around them gets too busy. The book shows girls how to recognize the physical and emotional signals of stress, find balance when they feel overwhelmed, and boost their spirit when they’re feeling down. A special section on ‘Soothing and Strengthening’ helps girls refresh and ease tension using easy massage and yoga techniques.

Another new title helping girls celebrate their potential this fall is A Smart Girl’s Guide to Manners: The Secrets to Grace, Confidence, and Being Your Best. This revision of the popular Oops! The Manners Guide for Girls features an updated, contemporary look with fun and colorful illustrations, plus new content on cell phone use, parties, and school dances. Girls learn through fun quizzes, advice, and letters from other girls, that manners aren’t about being stuffy, boring, or formal. From the dinner table to the telephone, A Smarts Girl’s Guide to Manners gives girls the skills they need to handle tough and tricky times in their life with style and grace.

In addition to Real Spirit and A Smart Girl’s Guide to Manners, American Girl will also introduce the following new Advice & Activity books this September:

• Scrapbook Studio—This scrapbook offers easy-to-use pages in fresh, fun, color-coordinated patterns and illustrated stickers for personalization. The Idea Book that’s included gives all the instructions girls need to guide them through the simple process of making creative page designs and a scrapbook they will treasure
• Girl Talk:Games to get the gab going—at home, at school, or anywhere girls go!—This fun, interactive kit for girls offers tons of ideas, prompts, and games to get conversations rolling between girls and their friends and family members. Contents include a 32-page activity book, a “20 Questions” pass book, and 85 “table talkers”, plus tips and techniques for girls on how to be great communicators.
• My Spin on Life Diary—This diary gives girls a place to write about anything that’s on their minds or in their hearts. “Diary Starter” ideas found on the spinner on the interactive front cover makes it easy to get started on journal entries.
• The Pop Quiz Book: Tons of Trivia!—Girls can take the quizzes in this book to discover how much they know about popular culture—from games and girls to ad slogans and animals. Based on one of American Girl magazine’s most popular quizzes, this book is packed with hundreds of cool questions.
• Tear Up This Book: The sticker, stencil, stationery, games, crafts, doodle, and journal book for girls—This fun, interactive book is packed with games, crafts, journal writing, drawing lessons, activities and more for girls to share with friends and family or do on their own.

Real Spirit and the other American Girl Advice & Activity titles will be available this September in bookstores nationwide, at American Girl Place® in Chicago and New York, through the American Girl catalogue, and at americangirl.com. To place an order or request a free American Girl catalogue, call 1-800-845-0005.

ABOUT AMERICAN GIRL
Introduced in 1995, American Girl’s bestselling advice and activity books reflect the spirit and interests of today’s American girl. The lively collection of books address girls’ lifestyle needs by providing topics that challenge their minds, nurture their spirits, encourage their creativity, and inspire them to be their best.

American Girl, Inc. is a wholly owned subsidiary of Mattel, Inc. (NYSE: MAT, www.mattel.com), the world’s leading toy company. Since American Girl’s inception in 1986, the company has devoted its entire business to celebrating the potential of girls ages 3 to 12. American Girl encourages girls to dream, to grow, to aspire, to create, and to imagine through a wide range of engaging and insightful books, age-appropriate and educational products, and unforgettable experiences. In meeting its mission with a vigilant eye toward quality and service, American Girl has earned the loyal following of millions of girls and the praise and trust of parents and educators.