Review of American Girl's First 18" Boy Doll Logan Everett

PRODUCT DETAILS

Recommended Age: 8+

Conforms to ASTM F963

Production Date: 2017

Company: American Girl

Manufactured for and imported into the United States by Mattel Europa

Polyester Fiber

Made in China

UPC: 887961427295

Still in Production at the Time of this Post: Yes, though it was on backorder the last time I checked

Where I Bought It: http://www.americangirl.com/shop/

Price: $115.00 for the doll, but after tax and shipping it came to $135.63

American Girl Number for Logan: FBB89

Doll Composition: Vinyl

Gender: Male

Nationality: Caucasian

Hair Color: Brown

Eye Color: Gray

Doll has closing eyes

Box Contents: 1 Doll dressed in blue-green-white plaid, long sleeve shirt that can be buttoned and has patch pockets; green short-sleeved t-shirt with drums pictured on it and words saying "Play Loud" that has VELCRO closure on back; black denim pants with VELCRO closure on front and real pockets on the side and back; gray sneakers with white soles and teal shoelaces, worn without socks; gray pull-on briefs with teal waistband

Doll has soft, cloth body

Movement: Head can turn side to side but can't nod; arms can rotate, go back and forth, and up and down, cannot bend at hands or elbows; hands positioned so that he can hold drumsticks for a drum set that is sold separately; torso does not twist; legs can rotate, go back and forth, and up and down, do not bend at knees or ankles; doll stands very well on its own; doll can sit down if propped or put hands behind him, but his clothing can make it difficult; clothing can restrict doll's movement

Personal Story: I don't know the story except what I read in the product magazine. Logan is the sidekick of Tenney Grant, an aspiring country singer and songwriter. He plays the drums in her band.

Doll Size: 18 inches

Box Hard to Open: No

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I first became aware of American Girl dolls through the books. Every Christmas, I looked forward to going to Costco, who would sell the boxed sets. Though I didn't often like the girls themselves as far as personalities, I did like the stories, which were historical fiction that took place in different places and times in American History. Through the books, I became aware of Kaya, Josefina, Addy, Samantha, Kit, and Molly. As far as stories, Kit's and Molly's were my favorites. One year, Costco sold miniature dolls with the books sets--and I bought Josefina that year. The doll was well made, though I sold it on ebay.

I admit that I wasn't really that impressed with American Girl dolls. Though I loved the books, and their clothing and accessories seemed well made and beautiful, I thought the dolls themselves were rather homely and uniform in appearance. As far as looks, I preferred Journey Girls. Then I heard complaints that American Girl dolls had problems with their limbs and heads coming off, and considering the price a person paid for them...I thought that was a huge problem. They also had closing eyes, which I hate in dolls. A friend of mine claimed her mother didn't like dolls whose eyes didn't close, because she didn't like them staring at her while she slept. I have the opposite problem. I hate dolls that have closing eyes because of all the doll horror movies I've seen. A mother exits a room, and suddenly her daughter's doll--which had been lying stationary on a shelf--opens its eyes and turns its head slightly...and you know it is contemplating murder. I also have issues with closing eye dolls due to personal experiences. In the past, closing eye dolls seemed more prone to getting their eyes stuck, having some crud ooze out of them before they got stuck, or having their eyes turn milky white.

Ready for my close-up!

I was curious about American Girls...who wouldn't be when you hear all the hype? However, I wasn't going to buy one until I found something that really called out to me--because $115 is a lot of money! We stopped going to Costco, so I wound up not reading later stories that came out. My mom, though, bought a Wellie Wisher doll, and so we receive the magazine of their products. It was leafing through this recently that I saw Logan--American Girl's first 18" boy doll. It was love at first sight! I checked online, and actually American Girl seems to be one of the few companies that are making a boy doll--at least in the 18" size. However, when I re-checked...now other companies seem to be suddenly showing up. Walmart's My Life doll collection have also put out two 18 Inch boy dolls that are getting good reviews. They also have another brand, though that is a 16" doll. Dolls aren't just for girls anymore, and it seems de-genderizing child play is more successful these days than it was in my day when they first tried to market My Buddy to little boys.

Scaling Pillow Mountain

American Girl gets extra points from me for the easy to open packaging. All I had to do was clip his feet and the neckband, and he was free from the box. No need to destroy it to free the doll.

I'm too cute for my shirt, too cute for my shirt, too cute it hurts!

I don't have a female American Girl doll to compare Logan to, but I'm assuming he was designed in the same fashion. I have to say that I am impressed and pleased with him. If he is an example of the quality of American Girl, then I can totally understand the hype. Though the dolls are expensive, they are well worth the money and are sturdy enough, I think, to be passed on as heirlooms.

Make sure to get my best side!

I thought he was actually quite cute, and I was pleased that he did look like a boy. I worried that the doll would look like a girl doll that had her hair hacked off. At first, I wondered if he was really an 18 inch doll, but a measurement proved it. I realized that why he appeared smaller was that he was perfectly proportioned. When I compared him to my Journey Girl Kelsey, I realized that Kelsey's head was actually a bit bigger than it should be, which explains why the dolls are top-heavy. Logan's head and limbs are well proportioned to his body, and this enables him to stand very easily on his own.

I'm so cute when I'm asleep!

At first I was disappointed in his hair, which I expected to be silkier. The haircut is good, though, and doesn't look like they just hacked off a girl's wig. It is cut in layers and is actually styled. It has a sort of greaser 1950s hair style, and I wouldn't be surprised to see Logan dancing and singing next to John Travolta to Grease Lightning.

Tom Cruise, eat your heart out!

The clothing is superb and beautifully made. I wouldn't be surprised if most of the expense of these dolls goes more towards the clothing than the actual doll. Though Logan's outfit isn't exactly particularly interesting, it is made of good fabric. The details are incredible. Cheaper dolls, even if they put buttons on clothing, rarely make button holes for them to go through. If the outfit is supposed to secure, usually the buttons are just decorative and there is VELCRO on the inside. Logan's plaid shirt can be buttoned up. The patch pockets aren't just decorative either. You can actually stick something in there if it is small enough. They are real pockets. The artwork on the T-shirt (the drum set) has a worn look like it has been put through the washer a few times. The denim pants also have working pockets on the side and back. There is a kind of silky fabric on the inside of the pants that can make it difficult to put them back on after removal.

Hehe--I'm wearing my underwear on my head!

Underneath his pants, he is wearing gray briefs. He doesn't wear socks. The white soles of his shoes are plastic, but the gray part is cloth. This does make removal a bit difficult. There are teal shoelaces. His clothing can interfere a bit with movement, and when he sits down he is doomed to show his undies like a homeboy. He can be propped up with something or his own hands behind him.

I'm making a stand against "Children Should Be Seen and Not Heard" Tyranny--you can take my drum set, but you can never take my freedom!

There is an additional outfit for Logan that is sold by American Girl that costs $34.00. The American Girl Number for it is FDL60. He gets a gray t-shirt with blue sleeves, a faux-leather brown jacket, blue jeans with a patch, and brown boots. Logan also has a drum set that you can buy separately (DYL68) that costs $68.00. The reviews for this have been more critical. People don't think the quality is worth the price. The drums are all plastic, supposedly, and rather flimsy. Personally, I'd think twice about this accessory as a parent unless you love noise. Perhaps you should suggest that Logan enjoys a more quieter hobby and buy an American Girl craft set instead.

The feet seemed shorter and wider than I was expecting.

I have plans to make some clothes for him, even though my 18 inch doll sewing patterns make girl clothes. However, there are a few patterns I believe that can be modified. I believe with shirts it is just a matter of switching buttons to the other side. Simplicity 8111, I believe, would be perfect. Unfortunately, the sewing pattern industry seems to be a bit behind--and there doesn't seem to be many patterns just yet that make boy clothes. Measurements vary according to 18 inch doll brands, but for the most part many can wear each other's clothes. Now when it comes to shoes, that is a totally different matter. Logan has very short but wide feet. Fortunately, making doll shoes is actually pretty easy.