American Girl’s Girl of the Year is making headlines in NJ for more reasons than one. Not only is Kavi the first Indian American Girl of the Year ever released, but the doll hails from Metuchen! And you can meet her tomorrow at a pre-New Year’s Eve party!
Kavika Sharma, the 2023 Girl of the Year, is an Indian American girl growing up in New Jersey who loves singing, dancing and performing with her friends, music classes, Saturday yoga and time with family, according to American Girl. She is a true pre-teen: she loves to sing Broadway tunes and dreams of performing on stage – her grandmother Dadima took her to see “Wicked” on Broadway for her 12th birthday – and she takes weekly Indian dance classes. She celebrates traditional Indian holidays like Holi and Diwali with her family. She hopes to attend Princeton University like her father.
“Kavi is a trailblazer as American Girl’s first Indian American doll. The story is important to all the young girls who will see parts of their lives represented. Stories can be both mirrors and windows, allowing readers to see themselves and others who are different from them, and I hope that Kavi’s story is a welcoming window for girls who might be unfamiliar with Kavi’s world,” author Varsha Bajaj said in the American Girl blog.
If you want Kavi to have lots of fun with your child, her accessories include a backstage set, trunks full of costumes, songwriting accessories (like a mini keyboard), a journal, a puppy Scamper and even traditional Indian wear!
And if you’d like to meet her, Metuchen will unveil the doll during it’s pre-New Year’s Eve celebration from 5 – 7 pm Friday, Dec. 30. The Bollywood-inspired party will include music, dancing, dhol drummers and more on the Metuchen Town Plaza.