Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #460203 in Books
• Published on: 2005-09
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Hardcover
• 31 pages

Customer Reviews

Not so great for us...
Our 4 yr old daughter put Felicity and Elizabeth mini dolls on her list for Santa (caught us off guard). Anyhow, I thought it sounded nice. That is until I got to look at one. For the price, they are probably good, just not what I would normally think of as nice. Thier legs don't rotate as much as other brands. The eyes don't open and close. So I researched who made them: Mattel. No way. We won't buy a Mattel (due to our perception of what happened with thier toy recalls based on news reports). So, the next challenge was finding replacements that would be as much of a hit.

Madame Alexander dolls. Made in China also, but none have failed tests (so far). You can go to www.healthytoys.org to see how your toys fair.

The American Girl doll they tested did fine. But, we were down to the details of what mattered. Our local TJ Maxx found two dolls; one looked like our daughter and came with three bears (the ballet lesson), and another one titled Safari Girl that looks like Bindi Irwin (who my daughter loves, watches all her shows, and for those of you who do not know, is the 9 yr old daughter of the late Steve Irwin "The Crocodile Hunter"). Thier eyes open and close, the hip and shoulder and heads move more than the American Girl dolls.

Now, here are the nice things also ... the Madame Alexander dolls can stand by themselves. Which has proven wonderful in play. The clothes are interchangeable with the American Girl doll minis and many other 8 inch doll sizes. So, getting accessories is not a challenge. We personally are avoiding the American Girl doll stuff, but for those who care, and want a higher quality doll ... Madame Alexander makes a HUGE variety of 8 inch dolls. And, you could then order the clothes for them from Mattel (the americangirl.com website).

Now, here is where they part ways in a way that matters to many. The American Girl dolls cost about $20 to $35 in stores we went into (Barnes & Noble books, and Samsclub). And, the discounted price of the Madame Alexander dolls we got her were $40 each. So, twice as much as just the dolls at Barnes and Noble (but with more stuff, like one doll came with three stuffed animals dressed for the ballet lesson, and the other came with a stuffed lion). The ones at Samsclub came with books or DVD of a movie.

We are personally happier with the choice we made. Our daughter said "How did Santa know what I really wanted all along ... I have dreamed about having a Bindi doll, and a doll like me ... but there isn't one out there." That is true so far. So, American Girl dolls were a substitute to her as the next best thing ... not as the best thing, in the first place. She has enjoyed the Felicity movie (even with the dark tones of the split over the tea tax, and her grandfather catching the flu). But, having the dolls it turns out isn't as important.

Also, one other thing. If you are buying into the American Girl doll .. my brother warned they are like Barbies ... tons and tons of stuff all the time to buy that goes with your doll (even the minis).

I know this parts ways with many reviews. But, it is how we feel. The American Girl dolls all have the same faces, bodies, just differently dyed, and hair differs. They don't stand well alone, especially if you move thier legs (there is little to no rotation in that hip joint is why). And, thier eyes don't open and close. Just less detail than we prefer for the money. I have seen dolls as well made for much less that simply lack the brand name attached as the difference. Not so with the Madame Alexanders; finding one with the good hip rotation, better head movement, and eyes that open and close (and can't be pushed in so easy) ... not many brands make those in the 8 inch dolls intended for children to play with. Most of those seem to be reserved for collectors and carry a much higher price.

Mini Felicity doll
They are Christmas presents, so it's hard to say right now, but I think my daughter will like them very much. The price was good, too.

Cute
I thought this doll was really cute, and I got it as a set with the video a couple of years ago. My daughter was 7 at the time, and she wasn't as excited about it as I was. She never really played with it, but it sits on her dresser. The shoes tend to fall off, and I thought ours are lost. I think these dolls are adorable. If your kids aren't into Barbies anymore, they probably won't be into these dolls either.