Open casting calls at American Girl Place retail stores in Los Angeles (May 7), Chicago (May 8) and New York (May 14) will seek young aspiring actresses, ages 8-12, to take on roles in Kit Kittredge: An American Girly Mystery, the first theatrical adaptation of an American Girl story, it was announced by Bob Berney, president of Picturehouse, and Colin Callender, president, HBO Films.

Further information on the casting calls, along with applications and release forms, can be found at American Girl's website, www.Americangirl.com. The film, which begins shooting this summer, will be released by Picturehouse on July 2, 2008.

"This is such a wonderful opportunity for us - to go across the country looking for girls that love these characters as much as we do, and give them the chance to join us in bringing this inspirational story to the screen," said producer Elaine Goldsmith-Thomas.

Academy Award nominee Abigail Breslin (Little Miss Sunshine) will star as Kit Kittredge in the film. The film is written by Ann Peacock (The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe) and tells the story of the clever and resourceful Kit Kittredge, a nine-year-old girl growing up in 1934 during America's Great Depression.

Introduced in 2000 as the seventh American Girl historical character, Kit Kittredge will be the first one to have her story adapted for a theatrical film. Working in partnership with American Girl for the last five years, Goldsmith-Thomas Productions and Red Om Films have received nominations and awards for their telefilms Samantha: An American Girl Holiday, Felicity: An American Girl Adventure and Molly: An American Girl on the Home Front.

HBO and American Girl, one of the nation's top direct marketers, children's publishers and experiential retailers, have an overall relationship to develop a variety of multi-platform ventures including theatrical films, series, specials and documentaries. This film will be the first picture greenlit through this deal.

About American Girl
American Girl, Inc. is a wholly owned subsidiary of Mattel, Inc. (NYSE: MAT, www.mattel.com), the world's leading toy company. Since American Girl's inception in 1986, the company has devoted its entire business to celebrating the potential of girls ages 3 to 12. American Girl encourages girls to dream, to grow, to aspire, to create, and to imagine through a wide range of engaging and insightful books, age-appropriate and educational products, and unforgettable experiences. In meeting its mission with a vigilant eye toward quality and service, American Girl has earned the loyal following of millions of girls and the praise and trust of parents and educators.

American Girl dolls, books and related products are sold exclusively through the company's consumer catalogue, online at www.americangirl.com, and at American Girl Place, its proprietary retail stores in New York, Chicago, and Los Angeles. To learn more about American Girl or to request a free catalogue, call 1-800-845-0005 or visit www.Americangirl.com.