It’s playtime! Ever wonder about the history behind the dolls, action figures and stuffed animals you played with as a kid? This mix of nonfiction, fiction and children’s titles explores the stories behind some of America’s most beloved toys and comic book characters, highlighting the Jewish immigrants and entrepreneurs who, as Playmakers author Michael Kimmel notes, helped shape American childhood. Want to know how Barbie got her amazing wardrobe or understand the origins of some of the Marvel Universe’s most memorable superheroes? Dive into the people and cultural moments that helped turned playtime favorites into enduring American icons.

Nonfiction

Playmakers: The Jewish Entrepreneurs Who Created the Toy Industry in America
By Michael Kimmel (W.W. Norton)

From Barbie and G.I. Joe to Mr. Potato Head and the teddy bear, Michael Kimmel’s latest book details the impact of Jewish creators on the American toy industry. Playmakers also explores the rise of a culture focused on children, led by Jewish comic book creators, children’s book authors and more.

Purchase the book here.

Read our review here.

Register for our event with Michael Kimmel and Renée Rosen here.

On Thursday, August 20 at 7 PM ET, join Hadassah Magazine Presents for a conversation with authors Michael Kimmel and Renée Rosen (Let’s Call Her Barbie) on  the Jewish figures behind leading toy companies like Hasbro and Mattel as well as their classic products, from G.I. Joe and Mr. Potato Head to Hot Wheels and, of course, Barbie herself. Free and virtual. Register here. 

Barbie and Ruth: The Story of the World’s Most Famous Doll and the Woman Who Created her
By Robin Gerber (Harper Books)

Barbie and Ruth shares the intertwined legacies of two women: One is 11 inches tall and made her debut at the 1959 Toy Fair in New York City and the other was Ruth Handler, the creative and passionate visionary, mother and entrepreneur who changed the American toy industry.

Purchase the book here.

True Believer: The Rise and Fall of Stan Lee
By Josephine Riesman (Crown Publishing)

Stan Lee was one of the entertainment industry’s most renowned names, leaving an enduring legacy through iconic comic book characters and superheroes including Spider-Man, The Incredible Hulk and Black Panther. In this biography, Josephine Riesman draws on more than 150 interviews and thousands of pages of private documents to reveal details about Lee’s life and work.

Purchase the book here.

Fiction

Let’s Call Her Barbie
By Renée Rosen (Berkley)

In 1956, the only toy dolls on the market were baby and toddler figures  meant to encourage little girls to play act being a mother, but Ruth Handler had other ideas. She envisioned a doll shaped like a grown woman and dressed to the nines, giving girls the freedom to imagine they could be anything. This historical novel  explores how Barbie become a cultural icon.

Purchase the book here.

Read more about the creation of Barbie here.

The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier & Clay
By Michael Chabon (Random House Trade Paperbacks)

When young escape artist and magician Joe Kavalier shows up on his cousin Sammy Clay’s doorstep in Brooklyn, the two decide to team up to create comic book superheroes during the Golden Age of comics. Set against the backdrop of World War II, this Pulitzer Prize-winning historical novel follows the Jewish pair as they embark on creative adventures throughout New York City.

Purchase the book here.

The Writer
By Josh Gad and the Berkowitz Brothers (Dark Horse Comics)

This thrilling comic takes readers on a journey into the world of Stan Siegel (inspired by Marvel comic creator Stan Lee) a renowned comic book writer  whose life spirals into a terrifying adventure. With his mother and daughter by his side, Stan faces  Nazis, demons and mythical creatures drawn from Jewish folklore.

Purchase the book here.

Children’s Books

Madame Alexander: The Creator of the Iconic American Doll
By Susan Goldman Rubin and Sarah Dvojack (Feiwel and Friends)

This inspiring picture book tells the story of Beatrice Alexander, whose family ran a doll hospital on New York City’s Lower East Side before she founded the iconic Madame Alexander Doll Company.

Purchase the book here.

A Teddy Bear for Emily―and President Roosevelt, Too
By Nancy Churnin and Bethany Stancliffe (Albert Whitman & Company)

Dive into the true story of Rose Katz and Morris Michtom, the Jewish immigrants who created the teddy bear. Their idea came to life in 1902 after they read a newspaper article about President Theodore Roosevelt refused to shoot a captured black bear during  a hunting trip.

Purchase the book here.

---

Courtney Shapiro is the Assistant Digital Editor for Hadassah Magazine. She has written for Woman’s World, First for Women and Best Life. Follow her on Instagram for book recommendations, reviews and more.