A recent announcement there would be a new doll line connected with "Dora the Explorer" caused some concerns. It looked like the popular animated character was being turned into a rather mature young woman.

That's not the case. There will be no changes to the Nickelodeon television show. Mattel is just releasing a new doll that is aimed at older girls.

Here's a portion of the official statement released by Nickelodeon today.

We at Nickelodeon and Mattel thank everyone for their devotion to Dora. In response to concerns raised regarding the recently announced older Dora doll, we wanted to clarify some details:

First, the award-winning preschool Dora character that audiences know and love is not changing at all. Nickelodeon will continue to feature the "Dora the Explorer" preschool TV show as it exists today, and Fisher-Price will continue with its award-winning collection of toys inspired by the original character. In the nine years she has been on television, Dora has become an important role model to many. The Latina heroine has connected with a generation of young boys and girls all around the world through her courageousness and sense of adventure. We at Nickelodeon and Mattel want to assure parents that none of that is changing.

Nickelodeon and Mattel are introducing a new line of dolls this fall called Dora's Explorer Girls, an online licensed brand that revolutionizes the way girls play by empowering them to influence and change the lives of Dora and her new friends. We took the core DNA of Dora-the love of adventure and learning, the empowerment and self-esteem-and applied that to a doll that matches play patterns of girls ages 5-8. This version of Dora--which is approximately modeled after a nine- or ten-year-old--is an age-appropriate doll that lets girls continue to learn and grow with the character--after they've moved beyond their own preschool years.

There are many preschool doll choices, but few age-appropriate dolls for girls 5-8. The new Dora's Explorer Girls doll line, featuring a new, slightly older Dora (dressed in a flowered tunic, leggings and sandals), is an exciting extension of the established and continuing brand. It is designed to address the requests of moms asking for a way that the character can grow and engage with their children as those kids get a little older. The reason for creating this new Dora line is to offer an alternative to moms who want their daughters to stay little girls, a little longer.