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Meet American Girl Gabriela McBride – 2017 Girl of the Year

by Katie Wallace | Updated: January 30, 2017

American Girlโ€™s 2017 Doll of the Year has curly brown hair, warm brown eyes and a creative personality. Her story is about tackling challenges with creative problem solving. The American Girl books introduce girls to memorable stories and character lessons. Gabriela McBride is no exception; she also works hard to help her community. We received the Gabriela McBride doll for review and unboxing. Gabriela quickly became a beloved part of our American Girl collection.

Meet American Girl Gabriela McBride doll review

Gabriela McBride Unboxing Video

My daughter and I had a lot of fun unboxing Gabriela and seeing each of her beautiful details.
Everything from the American Girl collection is always great quality.

American Girl 2017 Doll of the Year

American Girl Gabriela McBride is the 2017 Girl of the Year. Sheโ€™s a talented character who gets
creative for a cause. In her first book, Gabriela loves spending time at her motherโ€™s performing arts
center. She especially enjoys dance, art and poetry. In that safe place, she conquers her stutter, joins a poetry group and helps with the annual showcase. When Gabriela and her friends make a big mistake, she creatively helps save the center from being shut down.

Gabriela McBride American Girl doll has curly brown hair, warm brown eyes and light brown skin

The 18โ€ณ Gabriela McBride American Girl doll has curly brown hair, warm brown eyes and light brown
skin. Like the other dolls, this 2017 African-American character has a huggable cloth body, a movable
head and smooth vinyl limbs.

Gabriela McBrideโ€™s curly hair is one of my favorite features about this 2017 American Girl character.
Girls can style her hair in a variety of ways. Also, my daughter uses a wire brush to brush out each
individual curl and keep her hair pretty and tangle-free. Styled up or down, Gabrielaโ€™s hair frames her
face with ringlet curls.

American Girl Gabriela McBride purple and turquoise shoes

Additionally, she comes wearing a soft turquoise tank top and a cropped purple sweater with a silver
โ€œdreamโ€ graphic. Her stretchy dark blue jeggings pair perfectly with her purple and turquoise shoes.
Gabrielaโ€™s pink ribbon headband completes her comfy outfit.

American Girl Gabriela McBride is the 2017 doll of the year and book

Dolls That Are More Than Toys

We love the American Girl collection for several reasons. First, each American Girl character is memorable and unique. Likewise, the historical dolls introduce girls to eras of history in memorable ways. Felicity Merriman, Kirsten Larson and Samantha Parkington each have their own struggles and successes. These dollsโ€™ historical outfits and accessories are beautifully detailed and
especially fun to collect.

American Girl Gabriela McBride

Also, the American Girl collection encourages girls to enjoy simple dress-up. The modern American
Girl dolls are colorful and stylish. In a world of fashion and makeup, American Girl dolls are dressed
appropriately for little girls. My girls love dressing up their American Girl dolls and mixing and
matching outfits. Weโ€™ve even made some custom doll clothes.

Finally, the American Girl books are perfect for young readers. The book chapters are fairly short and
easy for kids to read on their own or with mom or dad. Many of the stories are about friendship,
perseverance, overcoming obstacles and being creative. Overall, these simple books are a great way
for girls to develop their love for reading

Gabriela McBride doll review and unboxing

My girls have so much fun playing with their American Girl dolls. They also love adding new outfits and accessories to their collection! Gabriela McBride fits right in with my daughterโ€™s other AG pals. The American Girl brand is a great place to start for collecting high quality toys that inspire girls to enjoy childhood.

Katie Wallace
Katie Wallace

Hi, I’m Katie! I live with my husband and 4 kids in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho. I love Jesus, coffee, creative projects, photography, and traveling. I’ve previously worked as a web designer, journalist, and barista. I hope you enjoy our creative projects and family adventures!

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Ariana Gomez
Ariana Gomez
8 years ago

Amazing stuff to help with raising kids. thanks

Reply
June S.
June S.
8 years ago

This American Girl doll is very nice. I know a person who goes to the big sales when they have them in the springtime.

Reply
John
John
8 years ago

My niece would love this! She is obsessed with AG Dolls.

Reply
Jiselle
Jiselle
8 years ago

I love these dolls we got one for my niece some time ago and she loved it!

Neha K.
Neha K.
8 years ago

Love the pics. Both are too cutee

Reply
Sabrina
Sabrina
8 years ago

My daughter would have loved such a doll when she was smaller!

Reply
Melynda S
Melynda S
8 years ago

This is so cute!

Reply

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Hi, I'm Katie and we are the Wallace family! We homeschool, go on adventures, and travel internationally with our four kids. I hope you enjoy our creative ideas on Create. Play. Travel.

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Travel with kids tips & inspo ๐ŸŒ๐ŸŒบ Creative family ideas ๐ŸŒŸ Saved by grace โžก๏ธ Follow our adventures!

๐ŸŒ‰ Destination Highlight: Tower Bridge, London! ๐ŸŒ‰ Destination Highlight: Tower Bridge, London! ๐Ÿ‡ฌ๐Ÿ‡ง

Tower Bridge ended up being such a memorable stop! The walkways offer amazing views of the River Thames and the city skyline.

โœจ Fun facts:

Tower Bridge opened in 1894 after eight years of construction.

Itโ€™s a bascule bridge, meaning the roadway lifts up for tall ships to pass through.

The glass floor walkways were added in 2014, giving visitors a thrilling (and slightly scary!) perspective from 138 feet above the Thames.

Our kids loved learning how the bridge lifts up using giant counterweights, and we all left with a new appreciation for Londonโ€™s engineering and history. ๐Ÿ’™

Would you be brave enough to walk across the glass floor? ๐Ÿ˜„

Hi! Weโ€™re the Wallace family ๐Ÿ‘‹๐ŸŒŸ Inspiring families to live creatively and make memories, through adventures ๐ŸŒŽ๐Ÿฉต

โžก๏ธ follow along! @createplaytravel
A day exploring London with four kids! โ˜€๏ธ๐Ÿ‡ฌ๐Ÿ‡ง

Here are a few of our favorite family-friendly spots ๐Ÿ‘‡

โœจ Big Ben & the London Eye โ€“ Iconic landmarks and amazing views around Westminster.

๐ŸŒ‰ Tower Bridge โ€“ An interactive, educational stop that our kids absolutely loved!

๐Ÿ›๏ธ British Museum โ€“ We explored Egyptian and Assyrian exhibits and even saw the Rosetta Stone! ๐Ÿคฏ

๐Ÿ›๏ธ Liberty London โ€“ A fun and colorful stop for unique souvenirs and creative inspiration.

Every corner of London had something special; so much history, beauty, and adventure for families! ๐Ÿ’‚โ€โ™€๏ธ๐Ÿ’™

โžก๏ธ Have you explored London with your kids yet? What was your favorite part?

๐ŸŒŸ Hi, Weโ€™re the Wallaces! Inspiring families to live creatively and make memories, through adventures ๐ŸŒŽ๐Ÿฉต

โžก๏ธ follow along! @createplaytravel
We save a ton of money while traveling with these We save a ton of money while traveling with these creative housing options! โœจ 

Spend more time in each place you visit and live like a local, instead of just passing through.

Weโ€™ve loved discovering ways to travel that feel authentic and affordable! 

๐Ÿ  HomeExchange lets you stay in real homes that are comfy, family-friendly, and full of character. With a unique points system, you can travel flexibly โ€” like we do all around the world! Use your points to stay in memorable homes, or exchange your home directly. Weโ€™ve done both and made some unforgettable memories along the way!

๐Ÿฑ Trusted Housesitters is another great housing resource. These arranged stays typically include caring for someoneโ€™s pets, while staying at their house. Weโ€™ve stayed in many beautiful homes in exchange for petsitting dogs, cats, and chickens!

๐ŸŒ Servas allows travelers to connect with hosts all around the world. Weโ€™ve stayed in a familyโ€™s extra bedrooms or living space and enjoyed a homecooked meal, while learning about local culture. Servas hosts typically love meeting new people and hearing their stories! ๐Ÿ’› Itโ€™s only tricky if you donโ€™t speak the same language! ๐Ÿ˜† 

Slow travel gives kids time to explore, play, and feel at home wherever we land โ€” and gives us parents a chance to catch our breath between adventures. 

๐ŸŒŸ Which housing resource sounds the most interesting to you?

Hi! Weโ€™re the Wallace family. ๐Ÿ‘‹๐Ÿ˜€ We love traveling with our 4 kids, homeschooling, and exploring. 

Follow along! โžก๏ธ @createplaytravel

#familytravel #travelwithkids #worldschooling #homeexchange #trustedhousesitters #servas #slowtravel #createplaytravel
๐Ÿ“Pitigliano, Italy is perfect for babies to exp ๐Ÿ“Pitigliano, Italy is perfect for babies to explore, along with the whole family! This little cliffside village felt like weโ€™d stepped into a storybook. ๐Ÿฐโœจ

Our family wandered the narrow stone streets, enjoyed the views of Tuscany, and soaked up the peaceful rhythm of this ancient town. It was quiet, charming, and perfect for families who love slow travel and beautiful history. ๐Ÿ‡ฎ๐Ÿ‡น๐Ÿ’›

๐ŸŒฟ If you ever visit Tuscany with kids, Pitigliano is a magical spot to add to your list.

๐ŸŒŸ Hi, Weโ€™re the Wallaces! Inspiring families to live creatively and make memories, through adventures! ๐ŸŒŽ๐Ÿฉต

โžก๏ธ follow along! @createplaytravel

homeschool family, worldschooling, Italy with kids, family adventures
Bringing all her ๐ŸŽ€ favorites along with her! @t Bringing all her ๐ŸŽ€ favorites along with her! @teenglowtravel 

Here are some of Kieraโ€™s teen girl essentials!

๐Ÿ’… Nail polish @oliveandjune

๐Ÿ‘š Clothing & accessories @aeropostale

๐Ÿ’‹ Lip gloss @laneige_us and @summerfridays 

๐Ÿซง Skincare @bubble

โœจ Body mist @daisebeauty

๐Ÿšฟ Shower scrub @lushcosmetics and @treehut

๐Ÿ˜ป Labubu bag charms @popmart

๐Ÿ’ฆ Water cup @doodlesandsaffron

Which brand is your favorite??

๐ŸŒŸ Inspiring families to live creatively and make memories, through adventures ๐ŸŒŽ๐Ÿฉต

โžก๏ธ follow along! @createplaytravel and @teenglowtravel
๐Ÿ˜„ Stonehenge was the best field trip ever! So m ๐Ÿ˜„ Stonehenge was the best field trip ever! So much history and mysterious lore in those shadowy English fields. ๐Ÿ˜Œ Would you take your kids to Stonehenge in the UK??

๐ŸŒŸ Inspiring families to live creatively and make memories, through adventures ๐ŸŒŽ๐Ÿฉต

โžก๏ธ follow along! @createplaytravel

Traveling with kids, family adventures, homeschooling
Would you do laundry in a gas station parking lot? Would you do laundry in a gas station parking lot?? ๐Ÿ˜†

These mobile laundry machines were actually so helpful. We could wash and dry our whole familyโ€™s clothes while we had lunch nearby! ๐Ÿ‘š๐Ÿ‘—๐Ÿ‘•๐Ÿ‘–

After using these gas station laundry machines, our clothes were clean and dry โ€” ready for our next adventure! โ˜€๏ธ

In Europe we are often on the go, so doing laundry efficiently is very helpful. 

Watch my next reel to learn how we pack for our family of six! 

๐ŸŒŸ Hi, Weโ€™re the Wallaces! Inspiring families to live creatively and make memories, through adventures ๐ŸŒŽ๐Ÿฉต

โžก๏ธ follow along! @createplaytravel
Secrets revealed ๐ŸŒ for family travel & worldsch Secrets revealed ๐ŸŒ for family travel & worldschooling!

These tips make traveling with kids ALOT easier!

๐Ÿ“š Schoolwork: Our kids complete lessons in their workbooks several times a week. While traveling, we often bring along Math-U-See workbooks, language arts, and spelling. This keeps our kids moving forward and feeling productive. 

๐Ÿฐ Field trips: We go on excursions to amazing castles, fascinating museums, and interesting cultural centers. We talk about geography and science as we explore amazing places!

๐ŸŽง Downtime: We often have rest time while traveling. We read books or listen to audio books and music. ย 

๐Ÿ’ถ Allowance: We give our kids weekly spending money. They can earn this by doing chores at our Airbnb. I also pay our kids to participate in family photos, often $5 each per city! This results in great attitudes when taking photos in Paris, Rome, or London. ๐Ÿ“ธ๐Ÿ˜€

With these tips, our travel life easily becomes regular life, and we get to see amazing destinations and make memories together!

โžก๏ธ Like and comment with one place youโ€™d LOVE to take your kids!

๐ŸŒŸ Hi, Weโ€™re the Wallaces! Inspiring families to live creatively and make memories, through adventures ๐ŸŒŽ๐Ÿฉต

โžก๏ธ follow along! @createplaytravel
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