Mom Creates Dolls With Real Girl Style

The Press-Enterprise:

Three years ago, Kristi Necochea went shopping for a doll for her daughter, Madelyn, then 4 years old.

“All I saw were Bratz dolls that didn’t seem appropriate,” she recalled. Disappointed but inspired, she started a company that makes the kind of dolls she couldn’t find in the stores.

Today, Friends Forever Girls, headquartered in Temecula, sells a line of six 18-inch dolls, accompanying books, clothing and other products online from Costco, Sam’s Club and its own Web site.

What makes the dolls special, Necochea said, is that they can be used as a tool to help build self-respect and foster responsibility.

“Each is ethnically diverse, fun loving and with her own special and unique personality,” Necochea said.

The dolls come to life through a series of books that take the reader through the challenges and adventures of growing up as a girl, she said.

Necochea, 42, said parents and grandparents send her e-mails “telling me how happy they and their daughters are with the dolls and books.”

The doll industry seems to agree. Friends Forever Girls was recognized by Creative Child magazine as its 2009 Toy of the Year, and received similar honors from Tillywig, Dr. Toy and Mr. Dad.

Image from Friends Forever Girls

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