When it’s time for Addy to settle down to sleep, she can’t do without her favorite things:
A brass-toned lantern that Addy can really hold—it lights up at the turn of the wick knob
Her bedtime book, Mother Goose in Hieroglyphics, which is full of rebuses: puzzles made up of words and symbols
Her beloved Ida Bean rag doll, made by Momma with love
There are three reason why you will buy this set.
1. You live in a post-BeForever world.
2. You will NEVER spend more than $40 for a DOLL LAMP.
3. OMG ADDY!!! GRABBY HANDS!!!
*mod edit to remove dead image links throughout review*
Darn Addy and her awesome cuteness!
Of course, I would like some originality, maybe Janey the doll, Baby Ester or maybe another book. However, American Girl can do worse, and I for one like collections with the PC prettiness with Mattel sturdiness.
Ida Bean is back! She still has beans in her body, hands and legs. She is a simple doll, larger than Kirsten's doll but not as study as Kit's. She is foldable and Addy can hold her very well.
The biggest way to tell the Idea Beans apart, is that pre-BeForever Idea has earnings. I got my pieced Ida Bean around the great retirements, 2008 or so. Both Ida Beans have beans in her body, hands and feet, long white drawers and a simple purple dresses. Beforever Ida Bean has the strange hairline of the old and is of the same size and weight. She is easily to display naturally in Addy's world, either on a bed, chair, on Addy's lap or in her arms. However, I must confess I don't like Beforever Ida much. It is not her quality, it is her face. Pre-Beforever has an open, appealing face, much like a Momma would sew for her daughter. Beforever Ida has a judgmental face.
I feel this doll should have a meme: Hater's goanna hate.
I feel this books is great for a girl who is learning to read, perhaps teaching her siblings and parents as well.
The book is exactly the same as the Mattel version (around 2006/2007). Both books are readable, both are study and both are made of the same materials. To prove my point, I'm not going to tell you which one is which.
The binding is new so it is hard for Addy to hold open her book, but it is a clear print that a child can read.
I don't own PC lamp (yet) but I fell this version is roughly the same side. It is light plastic, fairly study and can handle a few drops on the night stands. The shade is not easily broken and the plastic, although may not feel realistic, seems like it. This type of lamp would had been common up to even Kit's time, for those of you who may need a reason to buy this lamp.
I think it is brilliant to make the lamp turn on! It reminds me of a Christmas tree light blub. A dorky historian may note that lamps would not have produced the light we take for granted today. The lamp comes with the cell batteries, I don't know how replaceable they are.
This set has had a death watch for months now, I confess I brought mine regardless of the repeats because I knew it would bother me if I did not. I think it is not unreasonable to display the books to give the appearance of two different books (also it was common for books to be published in volumes). You could have one lamp on the nightstand and another on the table. Maybe the Ida Beans can be shared with Addy and Ester. Or, if you chose, I think the lamp, doll and book are just as good as the PC/early Mattel versions. On the plus side, a sale at American Girl has to be a plus for Addy.