TOYS AND AMERICAN CULTURE:                       AN ENCYCLOPEDIA                           By SHARON M. SCOTT Info Contents Reviews Trivia About the Author About the Photographs Links                                     A to Z reference                     175 entries, 420 pages, hardcover               cross-references, photographs, illustrations                               timeline & resource guide                           130 Cremona Drive       Santa Barbara, CA       800.368.6868

"Toys and American Culture is a valuable source of information on an important aspect of American popular culture and would therefore be a worthy addition to both public and academic library collections."           RUSA, American Library Association " . . . this entertaining guide to American culture will find an interested audience in school, public and academic libraries."           Lawrence Looks at Books "An excellent purchase for most public libraries and academic libraries with an emphasis on American culture."           Booklist "A must-have volume for toy collectors, writers, and researchers, and an outstanding resource for anyone who ever played with toys"           Midwest Book Review

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Toys and American Culture: An Encyclopedia provides an extensive history of American toys and their relationship to American culture. Written by toy enthusiast Sharon M. Scott, this encyclopedia discusses US toy history in terms of toy manufacturing, toy distribution, and toy advertising. It examines the uses and misuses of America's playthings. The book includes entries on racist and multicultural toys. It also discusses toys Made in America compared with those Made in China. The encyclopedia discusses the American toy industry including the Toy Industry Association (TIA) and annual Toy Fair in New York City. It examines the history of classic toys such as teddy bears, dolls and dollhouses as well as more recent inventions such as Webkinz and Pixos. Entries cover 20th Century American toys such as Slinky, Play-Doh, Silly Putty, Radio Flyer, Mr. Potato Head, and Barbie. It also covers toy stores, and toy distributors such as FAO Schwarz, Wal-Mart, Sears, and Target. Toys and American includes biographies of toy inventors like Morris Mitchtom and Rose Mitchtom, Ruth Handler, and Kay Zufall. The encyclopedia also includes a history of toy manufacturing materials from wood to die-cast metals to plastic. Many toy photographs, illustrations, and other historical toy images are included in 175 entries that over 420 pages. The hardcover book also includes toy facts and toy trivia. A toy timeline and resource guide to toys in movies, toys in books. The development of 20th century American society is examined along side the invention and development of toys. The history of toy advertising is examined alongside concepts of branding, TV deregulation, and character toys. Specific entries are dedicated to toy collectors and toy collections. Toy Museums and the American Toy Hall of Fame are included in this A - Z Encyclopedia of American Toys. Sharon Scott’s Toys and American Culture includes entries on Antique toys and Contemporary Toys: their use and misuse. Toys and American Culture: An Encyclopedia by Sharon M. Scott and Greenwood Press, a division of ABC-CLIO. 2010.