Of all the questions put out into the world, some confound, others inspire, and a few just beg for follow up. But only Val Tripp would be bold enough to ask (through Maryellen Larkin): "how hard could it be to cut bangs?" Maryellen knows that nothing is fair in fourth grade, including the fallout from a quick and hasty morning haircut. We cover Maryellen's debut book, The One and Only, and her rapid-fire meet, lesson, and surprise plots. Though Maryellen proves to be a good student and critic of the Cold War, we question what has been learned about covering hard topics in the 30+ years of developing AG books. This episode goes deep into Maryellen's moment (the year 1954) and includes a discussion of current trends in reality television. You can find episodes, resources, and a link to our merch store and patreon on our website: dollsofourlivespod.com Support us on Patreon: patreon.com/dollsofourlivespod Pre-order our book: Dolls of Our Lives: Why We Can't Quit American Girl We love to hear from you! Drop us a line dollsofourlivespod@gmail.com Follow us on social media: Instagram -@dollsofourlivespodcast Twitter - @dollslivespod Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/DollsOfOurLivesPod/ Follow Allison on Twitter and Instagram @allisonhorrocks Follow Mary @mimimahoney (Instagram) or @marymahoney123 (Twitter) Need a source of calm in your day? Listeners will get a free audiobook when you start a new monthly Libro.fm membership for $14.99 a month. You'll get two audiobooks for the price of one in your first month as a member. Valid in the US and Canada.Subscribe to Libro FM! Choose from over 150,000 audiobooks and even support your local bookstore with your purchases as a member. To sign up, use code DOLLS or this link: https://tidd.ly/3EwqiF5