In the 1950s, Mattel, a successful toy company based in Los Angeles, was on the hunt for their next major success. Ruth Handler, who managed the company with her husband Elliot Handler, discovered the German Bild Lilli doll while visiting Europe. The doll, primarily a novelty item for adults, especially men, was unlike other dolls for young girls. Ruth realized she was onto a significant innovation. Mattel enlisted engineer Jack Ryan to create a child-friendly version of the German doll. Charlotte Johnson and Stevie Klein were brought on board to design fashionable, accessorized clothing, which Ruth understood would be the real source of profit. Although success was not immediate, Ruth was confident that her doll Barbie, would resonate with young girls. After the first television commercial aired during the Mickey Mouse Club in 1959, life was never the same for everyone connected to Barbie.
Renée Rosen has written many compelling historical fiction books that have featured prominent figures such as Helen Gurley Brown, Estée Lauder, and the Gilded Age's Mrs. Vanderbilt and Mrs. Astor. At only eleven-and-a-half inches tall, Barbie may be Rosen's most iconic subject yet. Let's Call Her Barbie, conceived before the recent hit movie, is an engaging, nostalgic book. It offers a fictional retelling of Barbie's fascinating history, with only a few characters invented by Rosen. The essence of the story is true, packed with drama, and infused with Rosen's wit, especially in scenes about the creation of Barbie's and Ken's potentially controversial bodies. If Barbie was a part of your childhood, be sure to put this book on your list.
Many thanks to Berkley Books for the advance copy.
Rated 4.25 out of 5 stars.
Historical Fiction.
Publication Date: January 21, 2025.
Please "like" this post if Let's Call Her Barbie sounds like a book you might like to read. I'd love to know. Scroll below the photo and click on the red outlined heart on the lower right-hand side of the page. Comments can also be left below.
Comments