| Barbie dolls have become a tradition. Being a tradition | | | | been many companions produced for Barbie and they |
| turns you into a collector's item. The specialty dolls | | | | include: friends, family, siblings, etc. |
| are highly sought after and can become very valuable | | | | Barbie has experienced many careers over the |
| as the years pass. For example, the Holiday Barbie is | | | | decades. The careers that she participates in usually |
| normally hard to come by each year. A person has | | | | reflect current times. For example, in 2010 expect to |
| to make sure that they are in front of the line | | | | see an Astronaut Barbie and a Registered Nurse |
| whenever the doll is put on the shelf; if not, they will | | | | Barbie. |
| not get one as they usually sell out. | | | | Barbie dolls have caused many controversies over |
| The Barbie doll was released at a toy show on March | | | | the decades. It has been criticized many times. It has |
| 9, 1959. This has become her birthday. She has since | | | | been said that the Barbie doll represents unrealistic |
| been nicknamed Barbie. The wife of one of the | | | | ideas for a woman's body. |
| co-founders of the Mattel toy company thought of | | | | Many little girls have idled Barbie; however, it is said |
| the idea. She then named the doll after her daughter | | | | that she causes poor self image because the girls |
| Barbara. It was because of Barbara that Ruth got | | | | cannot live up to the perfection that Barbie portrays. |
| the idea. She watched her daughter play many times | | | | Mattel answered back by increasing the waist size of |
| with her paper dolls that assumed the rolls of adults. | | | | Barbie. More recently, the release of the "Totally |
| During that time, dolls that were produced was only | | | | Tattoos" Barbie caused controversy because of the |
| manufactured as infants. | | | | "tramp stamp" tattoo. |
| Random House published a biography of Barbie. The | | | | Barbie dolls have been in production for decades, and |
| biography reveals many things about the Barbie doll. | | | | they will continue to be produced. We are now |
| Her real name is Barbara Millicent Roberts. She was | | | | seeing the tradition pass into the third and fourth |
| born on March 9, 1959 to George and Margaret | | | | generations with great-grandma, grandma, mom, and |
| Roberts. They all live in a fictional town known as | | | | child playing with the dolls. Mattel has seen the value |
| Willows. The biography continues on to include | | | | and still produces collector dolls that can be found at |
| Barbie's boyfriend, high school, etc. By the way, her | | | | their Barbie collectibles website. |
| boyfriend is Ken Carson. Over the years, there has | | | | |