false 218807 1 Let the reader beware: after perusing <I>Kids' Stuff</I>, you'll never again be able to cruise the aisles of Toys "R" Us with an untroubled soul. In this history of toys, author Gary Cross relates a joyless world of useless plastic objects and manipulative advertising aimed at children. He begins with a discussion of how the concept of toys has changed since the 19th century, positing that toys are a prime example of a consumer economy run amok. What started out as the manufacture of toys meant to function as educational tools (i.e., building blocks, Legos, etc.) has metamorphosed into Barbies, Power Ranger action figures, and the latest knockoffs from Disney-animated films. What's worse, Cross says, is that parents have virtually been removed from the equation as toy manufacturers first decide what kind of toys to make and then market them directly to children via Saturday-morning cartoons and the backs of cereal boxes. <I>Kids' Stuff</I> is a grim look at the world of childhood and the manufactured fantasies that fuel it. 211859 15 11 1999 Kids' Stuff: Toys and the Changing World of American Childhood total:1|3:1| 1 3 5 0 0 0 false false Tue May 19 12:46:06 -0700 2009 Tue May 19 12:46:06 -0700 2009 0 0 false false Sun Mar 15 09:08:16 -0700 2009 Sun Mar 15 09:08:16 -0700 2009 0 0 false false Sat Dec 27 11:27:10 -0800 2008 Sat Dec 27 11:27:10 -0800 2008 3 0 false false Fri May 16 16:34:57 -0700 2008 Fri May 16 16:34:57 -0700 2008 0 0 false false Mon Mar 17 12:31:38 -0700 2008 Mon Mar 17 12:31:43 -0700 2008