Author:
Renée Rosen
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Sign up todayLet's Call Her Barbie
Narrator
Abigail Reno
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Length
12 hours 50 minutes
Language
English
Bookseller recommendation
“I absolutely loved this behind the scenes, history of the story of Barbie creation . It was clever, funny, inspiring and entertaining. You felt like you really knew these people and were there in the trenches with them . So creative, cool and fun! Ruth would be proud! I Really loved it! ”
— Kimberly • Volumes Bookcafe
Summary
“A fresh and fun take on Barbie lore…clever and satisfying.” – Shelby Van Pelt, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Remarkably Bright Creatures
She was only eleven-and-a-half inches tall, but she would change the world. Barbie is born in this bold new novel by USA Today bestselling author Renée Rosen.
When Ruth Handler walks into the boardroom of the toy company she co-founded and pitches her idea for a doll unlike any other, she knows what she’s setting in motion. It might just take the world a moment to catch up.
In 1956, the only dolls on the market for little girls let them pretend to be mothers. Ruth’s vision for a doll shaped like a grown woman and outfitted in an enviable wardrobe will let them dream they can be anything.
As Ruth assembles her team of creative rebels—head engineer Jack Ryan who hides his deepest secrets behind his genius and designers Charlotte Johnson and Stevie Klein, whose hopes and dreams rest on the success of Barbie’s fashion—she knows they’re working against a ticking clock to get this wild idea off the ground.
In the decades to come—through soaring heights and devastating personal lows, public scandals and private tensions— each of them will have to decide how tightly to hold on to their creation. Because Barbie has never been just a doll—she’s a legacy.
Audiobook details
Narrator:
Abigail Reno
ISBN:
9780593944479
Length:
12 hours 50 minutes
Language:
English
Publisher:
Penguin Random House Audio Publishing Group
Publication date:
January 21, 2025
Edition:
Unabridged
Libro.fm rank:
#5,552 Overall
Genre rank:
#610 in Historical Fiction
Reviews
“What a fresh and fun take on Barbie lore! Let's Call Her Barbie pulls off a feat: while digging deep into the history behind America’s favorite doll, it’s also a clever and satisfying exploration of creativity, feminism, and what it truly means to make art.”—Shelby Van Pelt, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Remarkably Bright Creatures"Think you know Barbie? Think again, in this delightful, fast-paced, compassionate, and well-researched story, Renee Rosen skillfully takes everything you think you know and turns it on its head . . . Choose this one for your book club if you want the conversation to flow. I promise you everyone will want to talk about this excellent and fascinating book.”—Elizabeth Letts, #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Ride of Her Life
"Renee Rosen's research and deft writing bring Barbie—and those who brought her into the world—to vivid pink life and make Let's Call Her Barbie a riveting read for anyone who loves historical fiction, strong women (real and otherwise), Barbie the doll, Barbie the movie, or stories about the American dream."—Viola Shipman, USA Today bestselling author of The Page Turner
"Bold. Tenacious. Resolute. Renee Rosen’s Let's Call Her Barbie vividly brings to life the incredible journey of Ruth Handler, the woman behind the iconic doll. Through impeccable research and masterful storytelling, Rosen captures Handler’s fierce determination and the challenges she faced as a woman breaking barriers in a male-dominated world. Impossible to put down, this is a riveting portrayal of a flawed yet awe-inspiring visionary. . . . An absolute must-read."—Karma Brown, #1 international bestselling author of What Wild Women Do
"Renée Rosen's novel about the creators of the Barbie doll is inspired and brilliant. . . . As a former Barbie girl myself, I was riveted!”—Gill Paul, international bestselling author of Scandalous Women
“Rosen's dynamic dialogue and raw portrayal of Ruth Handler, the real-life mastermind behind Barbie, showcase the determined, hardworking woman that she was without ignoring the mistakes she, and the others, made along the way . . . The poignant Let's Call Her Barbie is nonetheless inspiring.”—Shelf Awareness
"Rosen vividly portrays her characters and deftly balances covering both the highs and lows of their personal lives and the professional challenges that arise along the way . . . With cultural interest in Barbie still sky high, this novel is a great choice for historical fiction readers interested in strong, complex women, both in and out of the toy aisle."—Library Journal (starred review)
“A fictional retelling of Barbie’s origin story, from Ruth’s first brainstorm until she leaves Mattel in the 1970s, Rosen’s novel is infused with pathos and wit.”—Kirkus
“Barbie fans will delight in Rosen’s epic reimagining of the doll’s origin story.”—Publishers Weekly Expand reviews
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