Uglyworm Plush Doll by Ugly Dolls is Quite Ugly

We have mentioned Ugly Dolls before and mentioned how they came to be. I just was thinking about the ugliness of them today and my mind wandered to the Uglyworm. I am not sure what it is that makes him both ugly and endearing at the same time. I would have to say that the thin and unkempt hair is not doing him any favors. His one huge eye makes me think of Mike from Monsters Inc., and of the mythological Cyclops. So, that sort of makes up for the hair. He has no arms or legs, but a pleasant shape. He is soft and green, more like Kermit the Frog than Oscar the Grouch. And, the two sharp teeth are kinda cool as well. You do have to be careful with him, and the other Ugly Dolls, because once you give them a hug, you won't want to put him down.

Corolle Dolls are In!!!

At Toy Fair this year, we added the Corolle doll line to our store. We love them and know that you will too!

From their website: Corolle is located in the Loire Valley , the storybook region of France that is famous for its scenic beauty and magnificent chateaux.The Corolle design team aims to create dolls that look and feel as real as possible with faces that are often inspired by real children.And just as you would find in a haute couture fashion house, Corolle’s design studio is where a staff of professionals works to develop the Corolle look, sketching their designs and choosing the fabrics that will make them come to life.Since its founding in 1979, Corolle has won more than 30 international awards for design and play excellence, including two DOTY awards (Doll of the Year) as well as awards from the Oppenheim Toy Portfolio, Dr. Toy and National Parenting Publications (NAPPA), among others.

- Steph

Stupendous Fancy Nancy

Fancy Nancy is a book written by Jane O'Connor and illustrated by Robin Preiss Glasser. They are published by Harper Collins (who has a great interactive website for kids to explore the world of Fancy Nancy). The books are about Nancy, a normal little girl who has a flair for the fancier side of life. The books are about Nancy's daily life and how she desires for others to understand her need for flair! They have amazing illustrations that depict this story in vivid detail. The hardcover books even come complete with glitter on the covers, of course! Nancy wouldn’t have it any other way. Teachers and parents alike will LOVE the fact that these books teach very young readers very sophisticated words like: fuchsia, plume, frilly, tiara, stupendous, accessories, posh, limousine, chauffeur, parfaits, curtsy and dressing gown. These books also explain what these words mean so children immediate relate to this new vocabulary and because it's Nancy using the words, they don't seem complicated at all. It's an incredible concept and little girls LOVE it. What little girl does not love being fancy, feeling like a princess and wish everyone around her would "get it"? The first book in the series is Fancy Nancy. Other titles include Fancy Nancy: Bonjour Butterfly and Fancy Nancy and the Posh Puppy. Since the hardcover books have come out, there have been SO many additions to the line!

There are:

- Paperback "I Can Read" books (which are specifically designed for early readers)
- Sticker books
- Nancy's Favorite Fancy Words Book (which is really an ABC book)
- The Fancy Nancy Board Game
- Fancy Nancy Card Game
- Glitter puzzles & Cameo puzzles
- Fancy Nancy Dress Up Game
- Fancy Nancy Color forms Set
- And perhaps best of all – DOLLS!!

The cloth plush dolls by Madame Alexander come in 18 and 29 inch varieties and come with all the special details you would expect Fancy Nancy to have. She has a tutu, fuzzy shoes, moveable glasses, hair bows and a tiara. She is truly an amazing doll!!
Come on, get Fancy!

Style Me Pretty Baby Doll by Madame Alexander

My little girl is SO into doing hair. I love the Style Me Pretty dolls by Madame Alexander. This baby doll allows her to do hair anytime, without risking her own hair in the process. Even though my girl is a blonde, she prefers the brunette doll. There are alot of brunnettes in the family, so maybe that's why. This doll comes with georgeous brown eyes that open and close, beautiful long brown hair and many accessories. There is a comb, a brush, a bow, a clip and several pony tail holders. She also has on a cute pink outfit with a pink kitty complete with a crown. This baby doll is durable and has a soft body. She has pretty pink bows in her pig tails (also a favorite style for my daughter). My little girl connects with the doll because she has the same hairstyle, same eye color and same accessories as she does. This is a great doll for a little girl who has outgrown her baby dolls but isn't quite old enough for Barbies or Only Hearts Club dolls. She is perfect for pretend play which is so popular around age 4-5 years. She is also small enough to be carried around everywhere if your little one gets REALLY attached. Madame Alexander has been making incredible collectible dolls for years and years and their branch out into play dolls has been very successful. They are proving to be a versatile manufacturer who really gets dolls. There is a big difference between a collectible doll and a play doll and some manufacturers would have trouble making the switch. Madame has done it well. I hope the Sweet Baby Nursery line grows, we love them!!!