5 comments about Nancy Ann Storybook Dolls.

1. The author (who is now deceased) wrote this book with the information she had collected. Since then, it has been further researched, new facts were collected, new pictures taken, and now Elaine Pardee's "Encyclopedia of Nancy Ann Storybook Dolls" is the result of this research. This book was wonderful when it was published, and I still love it.
   Mary



2. THIS IS A GREAT BOOK ON NANCY ANN DOLLS. IT HAS A LOT OF PICTURES. THE ONLY THING IS THE PICTURES ARE IN BLACK AND WHITE. IT WOULD BE A LOT BETTER IF THE PICTURES WERE IN COLOR. IT WOULD BE EASIER TO FIND THE DOLL YOU ARE LOOKING FOR. WOULD BE GREAT IF SOMEONE WOULD WRITE AND UPDATE THIS BOOK ON NANCY ANNY STORYBOOK DOLLS WITH COLOR PICTURES. SEEMS A SHAME THAT THE TOY COMPANIES CAN'T BRING THESE DOLLS BACK FOR US TO BUY. THE LITTLE GIRLS MIGHT NOT LIKE THEM, BUT I AM SURE US ADULTS WOULD LOVE TO HAVE SOME NEW NANCY ANN'S. I KNOW I WOULD LOVE TO HAVE SOME MYSELF.



3. Considering how long ago the dolls were produced this is a helpful book for those trying to identify their dolls. It is true that 95% of the pictures are in black & white which makes it much more difficult to recognize but it is better then no picture. Also there are several mistakes in the discriptions of some dolls and wrong accessories on some of the dolls. Lets just hope that a new and improved version (with color photos) will soon be available.



4. I felt the book was incomplete, it only had two pages of color pictures and the description led me to believe it would have more of a complete listing and photos of the complete line.



5. I agree with the reviewer who said this book was a disappointment. The editors should be smacked for including all of those horrid b&w photos. As someone who was looking for help identifying Nancy Ann dolls and could have really used this book, it was a great disappointment because of the photos.

2 comments about The Story of Barbie.

1. interesting, but in my opinion it could be better with more photos



2. This beautiful book contains over 300 full color sharp pictures about Barbie. It provides an excellent history of Barbie and her evolution. A wealth of information is provided, not just the usual brief descriptions. You'll find out how she was created, how she has changed over the years, fashions, relatives and friends, ethnic and foreign Barbies and how to take care of your collection. Special issues and buyer cautions are included. A beautiful book every Barbie collector and owner should have.

2 comments about Warman's G.I. Joe Field Guide: Values and Identification (Warman's Field Guides).

1. This guide is very incomplete! It only has the basic figures and uniforms only up to the 1990's even though it just came out in print in 2006.



2. The Warman's G.I. Joe Field Guide is not a comprehensive, all-encompassing guide to G.I. Joe figures. Writer Karen O' Brien makes this clear in the introduction. Rather, this small (5" by 4") book serves as a convenient, pocket guide to G.I. Joe figures and accessories and includes hundreds of clear, vibrant photographs. It's the kind of book you can pack along easily when you travel to garage sales, flea markets, or collectibles shows. While it may not be exhaustive, there is still a lot packed into its 512 pages. O' Brien provides a brief history of the figure line and the opening section of photos display the various copyright marks and facial and uniform variations on the early figures.
   
   Some figures are show loose while others are show still in their original boxes. For pricing purposes, only a MIP price is given. Another plus is that O'Brien provides the Hasbro item number for the figure (although not accessory sets). Some of the rarest Joe figures are pictured including the Soldiers of the World sets, the rare Canadian Mountie Sears figure, and the Action Girl G.I. Nurse, valued at $4000, perhaps the rarest figure of all. The various adventure sets were always my favorite as a kid and the book includes photos of these great sets including the Secret of the Mummy's Tomb, White Tiger Hunt, and Fight for Survival dog sled set. You know I still have those plastic husky dogs over thirty years later!
   
   The first 380 pages of the book are dedicated to the original G.I. Joe line while the last 130 pages are given over to the 3 ½" line. Only figures are pictured for the 3 ½" line, no vehicles or accessories are included. As a basic, carry along guide it serves its purpose well to provide some guidelines for pricing and identification. You can get more comprehensive guides but this fills the bill for being compact and inexpensive.
   
   Reviewed by Tim Janson

2 comments about Cabbage Patch Kids Collectibles: An Unauthorized Handbook and Price Guide (Schiffer Book for Collectors).

1. Brought back a lot of memories as I grew up with Cabbage Patch Kids and had like 8 of them. Has lots of cool pictures, but wished there was more printed information to read - basically it's just a picture and title of each item.



2. Very nice ID/value guide for the collector who has to have everything. Tons of collector items listed- shown in mostly original packaging. Tons of pictures to go with descriptions. There are NO CABBAGE PATCH DOLLS in this book- only accessories- doll carriers, Koosas, Furskins, Mini Figures, Pillows, etc... Everything you can think of, and some you can't, but no dolls. Worth the money.

3 comments about Enchanted Companions: Stories Of Dolls In Our Lives.

1. All these words describe Carolyn Michael's book Enchanted Companions. But mostly it is full of surprises. None of the stories are predicatable or the sort of stories I would imagine that people would have about dolls. Dolls touch peoples' lives in unexpected ways. My favorites stories were "George Rufus Yoder" and "Bawl Room Dance." Amazing writing and a beautifully put-together book. I want volume two if there is one!



2. filled with heart, laughter, joy and memorable characters. Vintage black and white photos of doll owners and their "enchanted companions" enhance this delightful book. A marvelous gift.



3. This book was created by Carolyn Michael, her friends, and other contacts as a part of individual and group writing practice. The author states in the introduction that she was inspired by a story written by another participant about her mother's feelings about a special doll. The story is the first story in the book, entitled "Who Would I Tell?" by Susan Berlin. This treasure holds 24 more stories, which the author has been collecting since 1993. This memoir style collection speaks with many voices, including several pieces by children. The stories are brought to life with black and white photos of the dolls that are in each story and by picures of the writers as children. My favorite story in this collection is called, "The Night My Fanny Hit the Wall" by Nina Munk, who was 15 when she wrote this story. She speaks of the touching moment when she realized that her dolls were not real. Carolyn Michael's collection allows each writer to share their own personal experience, while connecting the reader with the common experiences that many of us have shared. I would recommend this book for adults and older children who value the memories of love and friendship with their own special dolls, and for those who want to reflect on a cherished time in childhood.

5 comments about Face of the American Dream: Barbie Doll 1959-1971.

1. This book is PERFECT for the advanced collector. Going thru each style of BARBIE from Ponytails thru TNT's. If you are looking for price guides, this is not the book for you. If you are wondering what the difference between white ginger and platinum bubbles, or what year TNT's had centered eyes, or to just drool over totally mint rare dolls, THIS IS FOR YOU! I really like it.



2. This book is really a "fluff" version of the Barbie collector books. It doesn't have price guides, it doesn't list all the markings for the correct bodies, etc. However, what it does have is gorgeous up-close photos of mint vintage dolls. Whenever I'm having a doll restored, this is the book I turn to for excellent examples. I color copy the pages and send them to my restorationist. It shows many dolls of the same line so you can see and compare hair colors, make-up, etc. I highly recommend it to any Barbie collector. The most goreous book on the subject!



3. She's perky, pretty, and piquant. She's a Barbie doll, the icon and idol of millions of preteen girls. Television producer/photographer Christopher Varaste takes us back to the 1960s when Barbie was on the rise embodying the face, figure and styles of that decade.

   Turning the pages of this delightful and informative album is a nostalgic retro look at the way we were - when frosted lipstick was the rage, of course, Barbie wore it. Her golden hair was seen swinging in a bobbing pony tail or poufed into a Bubble Cut.

   As women grew more independent so did Barbie. She entered the job market as a career girl (well dressed, of course), zipped around town in a peony pink roadster, became an American Airlines stewardess, and even soared into space. She acquired the then fashionable Carnaby Street "mod look." And, Barbie had a theatrical bent appearing as "Guinevere." Whatever young girls dreamed of Barbie could become.

   Most of us age but Barbie evolves as Varaste's complete and colorful book reminds us.




4. I am not impressed with this book. There are no values/price guides. No reference materials at all. All I see in this book is whimsical pictures.



5. This book is one of the most beautiful Barbie books ever written. The pictures are beautiful. The dolls represent pictures of many of the best barbie collections in the World. The information is quite extensive. I give it a 11! Simply the best!

1 comments about Collecting Dolls: Reference and Price Guide.

1. This doll book is one of the best currently available in print. I am a big fan of Constance King and her doll books. She is very knowledgeable of dolls and has really done her research. She covers dolls from early woodens (from the 1800's) all the way through to dolls manufactured in the early 1900's. The prices are in British pounds which isn't very useful (unless you take the time to calculate them based on the conversion rate to US dollars), but the pictures and information is worth the price of the book. You will find yourself paging through the book over and over, at all the beautful and fascinating dolls. This book is a very nice and beautifully illustrated reference guide for all doll collectors!

3 comments about The Ultimate Doll Book.

1. 
   I would consider this book a coffee table book. Why??...Because the photos are like the larger photos used in basic coffee table books. Nothing wrong with that, but this book just skims over the various doll categories. Thus, it is a basic doll book with lovely photos, & great for beginner doll collectors.



2. Doll collectors and fans will find Caroline Goodfellow's Ultimate Doll Book to be a fine, colorful guide showcasing more than 400 dolls ranging from 18th century simple peg woodens, to 19th century French fashion dolls, down through today's Barbie & Ken. Chapters are packed with color images and even more important, provide portraits of the dolls clothed and unclothed along with identification tips based on structural details. From rag dolls to baby dolls and national dolls, this is packed with insights.



3. And she says:

   This is a good visual reference book, especially if you are a collector of dolls 100 years old (and older). The beautiful wood dolls on page 10 are from the late 1600's - I think a museum would have something like that, but not me. The book is divided into 11 chapters, based on the material the doll is made of, or unusual subject matter such as who they depict. The funniest page is called Patriotic Character Dolls, with all the photos depicting Political Figures (men) from 1890-1918.

   The text is somewhat sparse, but the photos are stunning. It seems that every page has color photos on it, making this a good buy for an "art book". As an amateur collector, I do not feel that the information in the book is adequate for me to identify a valuable antique from a reproduction.

   There are interesting suggestions for restoration, so this book would be a good addition to a museum curator's reference library if your museum has old dolls to display.

   This book is for adults, and its reading level is too advanced for children under 12.

5 comments about Identifying Barbie Dolls: The New Compact Study Guide and Identifier (Identifying Guide Series).

1. I found the title of this book totally misleading. Yes, it's compact, but it's hardly a true guide to identifying Barbies. Thank heavens it didn't cost a lot, but I'd advise you to put your money toward a more complete book.



2. This book is good if you are a new collector and don't know what type or era of barbie you like this will help you figure it out. IT also gives you good tips in identifying barbie dolls. The id info for the ponytails is good, but it could be better and it lacks all info on #6. When I saw this I just stopped reading. But if you don't know what you want to collect or you want to id your childhood doll this is the way to go.



3. If you are truly obsessed w/ Babs this is a great book to add to the collection. I have not read through it yet, I can't get past gazing at all of the fantastic pictures, and great outfits!



4. Needs more doll pictures and information. But that would be thicker and cost more. Good for traveling to take with you to swap met.



5. In this book I found some of the outfits that I had as a little girl and can now go to shows and try to find the same outfit without trying to describe the item...Now I can just show them the picture and see if the dealer has it...Very helpful and informitive! Must have for any collector!!

5 comments about Skipper: Barbie Doll's Little Sister.

1. This book is absolutely wonderful ! I have been able to complete many outfits using this book for reference. Well-written, detailed photographs, and concise descriptions are only some of the many features of this book. I enjoyed seeing all the rare products as well. Thank you for a fantastic book !!



2. Not just strictly a "doll" book, the authors have gone out of their way to include information and pictures on foreign skippers, color/design variations of the outfits, furniture and cases, and prototypes of what *could* have been! Besides just showing a picture of each outfit and the average price value, there is also an item-by-item list so that no yo-yo or hair curler will go unaccounted for! This is a great resource for fashion collectors; a few of the outfits are even shown on the dolls so we can see how great they look in them! While this is a great book, it stops at the year 1978, so it's not aimed at contemporary Skipper collectors. :)



3. I have found this book to be a very valuable tool in identifying the correct and I stress correct components of Skipper, Todd and Tutti outfits. It is very informative, easy to see even the smallest items, and very well structured. I highly recommend this book.



4. What little material available on Skipper isn't anything close to the tons of information here. All the outfits are beautifully photographed, and there are so many rare and unusual items. I really enjoyed seeing so many outfits dressed on the incredible dolls. If you buy this book, you're going to see that lots of Skipper stuff is just as wonderful as her big sister Barbie's.



5. Finally! A book for Skipper collectors! What a great book. Very informative, fantastic color photographs, also an up to date price guide. Includes photos of lots of hard to find items including cases and licensed products. It's also wonderful to be able to see pictures of foreign issue dolls and outfits as well as rare doll and outfit variations. This informative book has made collecting so much more fun!