DOLLS

I am an eighties child, so my reaction when the box filled with promotional materials for the new Strawberry Shortcake Doll came to the DOLLS magazine office went something like this:

Was it coincidental that when Ty—yes the same company that brought us Beanie Babies—launched the first African-American dolls in their plush Ty Girlz series they just happened to have the same names as newly elected President Barack Obama’s daughters, Sasha and Malia? The company maintains that is the case.