New Somali American Girl Doll

Did you know that LPL has three American Girl Dolls that parents and children can check out? LPL Kids currently has Saige, Cecile, and our newest custom doll Samira Ali!

Samira Ali is the newest member of our American Girl Doll family, and she was created especially for the children of Lewiston. Through an extremely generous donation by an anonymous donor, we were able to pick a custom doll. Samira is from the My America line of American Girl Dolls and has been customized to look like a Lewiston Somali-American.

Over the last 15 years Lewiston has seen an influx of more than 6,000 residents with roots in Somalia and east Africa and many of these New Mainer families use the library. We wanted a doll that looked like our kids, one that they could identify with. Our goal with this project was to give the Somali children of Lewiston a doll and story that matches their own.

Over the winter, children were invited to suggest and then vote on a name for our doll. Samira Ali was the top voted name out of the many names suggested. Samira has a custom wardrobe including two traditional dresses, several dresses and skirts, and two custom made hijabs that Library Technician Danielle Fortin made. Danielle and a teen volunteer will write a custom history story for Samira as well. Her story will mirror the stories of many of our Somali children and the difficulties they face moving to America and Lewiston in particular, while learning to speak English in a new environment.

Samira will be ready for the families of Lewiston and Auburn to check out in the fall, after Summer Reading has ended. Patrons aged 18 and over, with a library card in good standing are able to check out one of our American Girl Dolls. Samira will be available for children to play with in the Children’s Department over the summer.