Learn Baby Learn Book Review

Learn, Baby, Learn the Shindana Toy Factory’s Legacy of Black Pride

By

Charlotte Watson Sherman

Illustrated by Esther J. Stimphat

My excitement about this book commenced when I learned of its publication by email from the author. The excitement increased after receiving my copy directly from the author, and it escalated even further after I viewed the front cover, which illustrates Black children enjoying Shindana’s dolls Kim in formal attire, Career Girl Wanda, and J.J., along with Slade Super Agent action figure.

After opening the hardcover and viewing the first three pages of colorful Shindana doll illustrations by Esther J. Stimphat, I was filled with joy to realize others, both familiar and unfamiliar with the company’s rich history, will rediscover or discover its legacy of Black pride and what prompted the founders to create this historic doll company—the first to mass-produce ethnically correct Black dolls.

Readers will discover the names of former businesses that operated in what became the Shindana Doll Factory. Sherman's poetic historical account of the people who migrated West from the South seeking better living conditions and what they found explains the conditions that led to the 1965 Watts Rising.

Learn, Baby, Learn: The Shindana Doll Factory’s Legacy of Black Pride tells the inspiring story of how a community’s despair sparked the creation of a company devoted to rebuilding hope—producing ethnically accurate dolls, action figures, and educational games that celebrated Black identity.

Hardcover and paperback versions are available on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and from other book sellers.

Visit the author's website www.charlottewatsonsherman.com.

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All photos and text are copyrighted and cannot be used elsewhere unless permission is granted by the author.

©Black Doll Collecting/dbg

There are countless items to collect and write about. Black dolls chose me.
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Thank you for reading. Comments that are not spam are appreciated. Spam comments will not be published. To contact me directly, use the About page link, which is also visible in Web View mode, find, and use the email link.

Visit and follow DeeBeeGee's Virtual Black Doll Museum for detailed installations of antique, vintage, modern, and one-of-a-kind black dolls. http://virtualblackdollmuseum.com

Elara Cover Girls

Mix and match fashion-doll clothes

I purchased new fashions for XianXian Supermodel Elara. In the next picture, the ladies model two of the three fashions. 

The contrast between their deep complexions and the bright colors of the clothing works well.

I love this look on them.  I'll use the extra fashion for another doll.

I wanted to create a 1960s mod-era look with matching Mondrian color-block dresses and fishnet stockings. 

Elara dolls wear a Mondrian color-block dress.

White fishnet stockings, white ankle boots, and wedge heels complement the dresses.

Because they both have supermodel magazine cover appeal, they are now cover girls.

They are indeed supermodels extraordinare!

Elara dolls look just as good in these off-the-rack clothes as in haute couture fashions. 

Sculpt Comparison

    

Before this post was published, another collector asked if I thought Elara and the above honey-skin-toned XianXian doll shared the same sculpt. My initial answer was no. After I took the above photo, my answer remained no. The head sculpts are similar; however, the lighter-complexioned doll's lips appear fuller, and her straight-forward eyes are set wider apart than Elara's. The head sculpt for the doll on the right is Gala, according to the XianXianToys website.

Related Posts

XianXian Miya

XianXian Doll 2

Who Makes XianXian Dolls?

More Supermodels

I Got the Right One Baby

The Other Doll in the Order

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All photos and text are copyrighted and cannot be used elsewhere unless permission is granted by the author.

©Black Doll Collecting/dbg

There are countless items to collect and write about. Black dolls chose me.
__________

Thank you for reading. Comments that are not spam are appreciated. Spam comments will not be published. To contact me directly, use the About page link, which is also visible in Web View mode, find, and use the email link.

Visit and follow DeeBeeGee's Virtual Black Doll Museum for detailed installations of antique, vintage, modern, and one-of-a-kind black dolls. http://virtualblackdollmuseum.com

Motor City Doll Club Presents: Lenon Holder Hoyte a virtual event

The next segment of Motor City Doll Club Presents will take place virtually on Thursday, April 9th, at 6:00 PM.  

Past MCDC President Sharon Harbin will present on Lenon Holder Hoyte, an inspiring educator who amassed an extraordinary collection of dolls and founded Aunt Len's Doll and Toy Museum in her Harlem brownstone in 1974.

Register for this online event here. 

__________

All photos and text are copyrighted and cannot be used elsewhere unless permission is granted by the author.

©Black Doll Collecting/dbg

There are countless items to collect and write about. Black dolls chose me.
__________

Thank you for reading. Comments that are not spam are appreciated. Spam comments will not be published. To contact me directly, go to the About page (visible in web view mode) and find and use the email link.

Visit and follow DeeBeeGee's Virtual Black Doll Museum for detailed installations of antique, vintage, modern, and one-of-a-kind black dolls. http://virtualblackdollmuseum.com