If you're the parent of a young daughter, no doubt you've gotten a wish list that includes an American Girl doll.

For those who've been excluded from this must-have toy phenomenon, American Girl offers a line of dolls that come with an historical back story. For example, Felicity is “a colonial girl growing up in Williamsburg in 1774,” while Kit is “a clever, resourceful girl” from the Great Depression era.

A doll and a book introducing ...