Bratz books banned

uploaded by ppeggy September 18, 2008 at 08:39 am
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I had my first experience with a Bratz doll last weekend at a garage sale. My three-year-old granddaughter was delighted when she found a never-opened Bratz box with a tiny doll and dozens of tiny accessories. She bought it for a loonie. When we got it home, I could see I had made a big mistake in letting her purchase it. The doll represents the very worst of consumer values. It's very good news that Scholastic Inc. has listened to parents and banned the Bratz books from their lists. Meantime, I have surreptitiously thrown away the posters from the box as well as many of the little accessories. Grandma needs to brush up on the products being pushed to kids these days so she can recognize the bad ones.

The largest distributor of children's books to Canadian schools has decided to yank all Bratz books from its roster after parents and psychologists complained the controversial dolls promoted "precocious sexuality."

Scholastic Inc. distributes its products through school-based book fairs and clubs, selling books to students and teachers at discounted prices. But after a North American campaign spearheaded by the Boston-based Campaign for a Commercial-Free Childhood against books and products featuring the popular Bratz dolls, the book distributor has relented.

The company confirmed Wednesday that its fall product line for schools no longer includes the Bratz brand -- a switch from last year, when Scholastic said the books appealed to "reluctant readers" and its job was to "offer materials that appeal to children where they are, not where we would like them to be."

In a statement, Scholastic declined to comment on Bratz books, saying "the books we offer have been selected by an experienced team of editors who consult with our teacher and librarian advisers and review thousands of titles.

"Our goal has been and continues to be to provide quality, affordable books that meet the wide range of reading levels and interests of today's students and help every child develop a love of reading."

The Bratz book line is a spinoff of MGA Entertainment Inc.'s top-selling fashion dolls notable for their skimpy wardrobe of miniskirts, high-heel boots and feather boas.