Let's call her Barbie

Review by Publisher's Weekly Review

Rosen (Fifth Avenue Glamour Girl) dramatizes the creation of the Barbie doll in this rollicking tale. The doll is pitched in Mattel's Los Angeles office by Ruth Handler, who cofounded the toy company with her husband, Elliot, lead engineer Jack Ryan, and business partner Harold "Matt" Mattson (Mattel is a portmanteau of Matt and Elliot). Named after Elliot and Ruth's daughter, Barbara, Barbie makes her debut at a 1959 toy fair, where retailers recoil at the radical prospect of a doll taking the form of an adult woman. When Barbie hits store shelves later that year, her curvy figure scandalizes many consumers, but she's also an immediate success, helping girls to imagine more than motherhood for their futures. Rosen weaves her tale of corporate risk-taking with the characters' personal dramas, as Jack, who is married, has a series of affairs, and Ruth and Elliot navigate the challenges of parenting. As the narrative stretches into the 1970s, Rosen fleshes out intriguing subplots involving the Barbie fashion team, including designer Charlotte Johnson. Barbie fans will delight in Rosen's epic reimagining of the doll's origin story. (Jan.)

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Review by Library Journal Review

Award-winning Rosen's (Fifth Avenue Glamour Girl) novel about the creation of the iconic Barbie doll offers a fascinating behind-the-scenes glimpse into the men-dominated toy industry of the 1950s. At that time, the only dolls available to little girls were baby dolls, which encouraged them to play at being mothers. Ruth Handler, cofounder of the Mattel toy company, was inspired by Bild Lilli, a German adult fashion doll, and believed little girls would enjoy a doll that reflected adult life and could be dressed in the latest fashions. With the help of brilliant engineer Jack Ryan, fashion designer Charlotte Johnson, and fictional character Stevie Klein, Ruth spearheads the creation of Barbie. However, buyers from major toy stores area skeptical about the doll's potential to sell. Ruth's perseverance and unwavering belief in Barbie ultimately leads to its debut. Actor Reno serves as an excellent narrator, modulating her voice to indicate when a character speaks aloud and the character's inner thoughts. VERDICT This partly fictional, partly factual account is a must-listen for anyone who enjoyed playing with Barbie or is intrigued by the history behind the doll.--Ilka Gordon

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Review by Kirkus Book Review

How a small company went all in on a big idea that changed our lives--for better and worse. The story begins when Ruth Handler sees a doll on a family trip to Europe. It's different than anything for sale in America, a grown-up doll rather than a baby doll, and she knows she's on to something. Ruth is the co-founder of the toy company Mattel with her husband, Elliot; they enlist one of their employees, engineer Jack Ryan, to create a new doll based on the European model, and hire fashion designers Charlotte Johnson and Stevie Klein to design a wardrobe for her. This doll, Barbie, is a huge risk: There's never been anything like her in the U.S. and no one seems to understand her appeal, not the buyers from the big stores or the mothers in focus groups--but young girls seem drawn to her. Fighting the patriarchal mindset of the toy business, Ruth and her team are determined to get Barbie onto shelves. A fictional retelling of Barbie's origin story, from Ruth's first brainstorm until she leaves Mattel in the 1970s, Rosen's novel is infused with pathos and wit. As the story moves among the points of view of different characters, from Ruth, the "ruthless" leader, to Jack, the turbulent genius, to (fictional) Stevie, the up-and-coming outsider, Rosen illustrates various perspectives on how Barbie affected the people who worked on her and the culture at large. There's a real-world debate on who was most responsible for Barbie's success and Rosen picks a side, but she elaborates in an afterword on some of the historical details and provides sources for more information. The plot sometimes feels a bit by the numbers, but the depiction of the characters' inner lives provides more depth. A well-written and interesting take on the birth of an icon. Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.

Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.

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