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Toy Stories for the Young at Heart: Barbieland and Toys That Built America

3 Dec

Barbieland: The Unauthorized History
by Tarpley Hilt
Barbie was always my favorite toy as a little girl; I still remember fondly the Western Barbie who could wink as one of my first dolls and recently I purchased a Camping Fun Barbie for my niece, who loves to go rock climbing, (Barbie can do anything). So I was interested to read more about how the famous doll got her start and evolved over the years. As the title states Barbieland isn’t authorized by Mattel, which means Hitt was limited in some of her access to the company and current goings on, but what readers get instead are some juicy details that an “approved” version might leave out. Barbieland is Hilt’s first book, but I hope she writes more pop culture histories in the future since she has a great voice that made this book fun as well as informative to read; even if you aren’t a Barbie fan this insight into the inner workings of toy manufacturing should be riveting and if you do love Barbie than this is a must read. It is interesting to view the last 50 years of feminist and capitalist history by the path of one tiny pair of high heeled feet.

The Toys that Built America Documentary Series
I always enjoy the History Channel series about significant innovations and innovators that helped shape America from TV Icons like Johnny Carson to food like Dunkin Donuts. They always add a sense of drama and intrigue with their recreations of significant moments. Season 1 of Toys that Built America is available from Kanopy which includes topics like Ruth Handler’s creation of Barbie and the competition between Milton Bradley and Parker Brothers in the creation of board games. Season 2 of Toys that Built America is available from Hoopla which looks at all American creations like Cabbage Patch Kids and some toys that got their start oversees like the Super Mario Brothers; fittingly for this time of year there is one episode specifically about Christmas Crazes. I thought Lego especially has an interesting back story. This is a fun show to watch with the family and feel nostalgic and learn some interesting facts about what it takes for toys to go from ideas to store shelves.

Written by:
Aimee Harris
Information and Digital Services Manager

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Celebrate Jewish American Heritage Month with HPL

14 May

Jewish American Heritage Movies from Kanopy
–David (Mistaken for a Jewish student, Daud finds unlikely friendship and faces a dilemma of identity and belonging.)

–Shoelaces (After years of estrangement, a son with special needs fights to donate a kidney to his ailing father.)

–Holy Lands (A Jewish American doctor shocks his family and community by moving to Israel to become a pig farmer.)

–Liberty Heights (In 1950s MD, a Jewish family faces generational conflict amid shifting views on race, religion, and class.)

–Minyan (In 1980s NYC, a Russian Jewish teen discovers love, identity, and loss through new friendships during the AIDS crisis.)

–Esther (Esther risks everything to stop a genocide and save her people in ancient Persia.)

Jewish American Heritage Movies from Hoopla
–Latter Day Jew (A gay ex-Mormon comedian prepares for his bar mitzvah after converting to Judaism.)

–Praying with Lior (A boy with Down syndrome prepares for his bar mitzvah, revealing a journey of faith, family, and community.)

Genealogical Research
–Ancestry (in library access only)
–Heritage Hub
–Heritage Quest

Language Learning
–Pronunciator -Hebrew, Yiddish
–Mango Languages– Hebrew, Yiddish

Check out our downloadable/printable Brochure featuring these digital resources plus suggested books for kids and teens and upcoming Jewish American Heritage Month Events at the Library:

JAMH Month BrochureDownload

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