Dora the Explorer is growing up

Many parents will be familiar with the educational exploits of Dora the Explorer. The bi-lingual cartoon character designed for pre-schoolers has developed a strong presence both on the box and in spin-off products like books and toys over the past 10 years, and now she's set to grow-up alongside her young fans. Mattel and Nickelodeon have announced that a "tweenage Dora" for girls five years and up will be released later this year. The new look line will be built around an interactive "Dora Links fashion doll" which plugs into a computer and can be customized using an interactive website - change Dora's hair, jewelry or eye color online and the doll will be transformed to match.

As a "tweenager" Dora now lives in the big city, goes to middle school and has a new look. The interactive online world will include the ability for girls to explore Dora’s world, talk to the characters, earn currency, and help Dora solve mysteries which will be uploaded on a regular basis. The doll's speech will change to correspond with play and it will also include an alert system that lets the doll know when new mysteries are being uploaded to the site.

“Dora the Explorer has been one of the most successful properties for nearly a decade, with an average of 21.1 million viewers, including 6 million preschoolers, tuning into the television show each month,” explained Leigh Anne Brodsky, president, NVCP. “We are thrilled to partner with Mattel to develop this brand extension that will enable girls to continue to learn and interact with their Latina heroine, Dora, as they grow up together.”

So what does tweenage Dora look like? All we have at this stage is the silhouette pictured, so we'll have to wait and see, but we do have an expected price for the new Dora Links fashion doll - USD$59.99.