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Girl-talk, make-believe, dress-up, the world of dolls is wonderful!

I love little girls, mine are almost 4 and 6. I cherish the moments I can sit down and eavesdrop into their imaginative world. They have a cousin who is 11 and she still likes to engage in the hair combing and fashion combinations of this form of play. I love little girls to be little girls and as a parent, enjoy finding appropriate toys.

There are many dolls that are marketed to this age range, however, only a few are really appropriate for little ones who can not process the sexually charged images of brands like the Bratz. What is a parent to do with body parts and low cut fashion that these girls are exposed to but not ready to understand? Run, don't walk, to check out these tween dolls:

1. The Only Hearts Club. These are truly tween girls and strive to "listen to your heart and try to do the right thing." Each girl has realistic features and engages in things appealing to little girls such as gymnastics, horseback riding, soccer, and friendship.

The original girls are a group of six diverse friends and include Caucasian blond, brunette, and redhead, an girl who could be Hispanic, mixed-race, or can be African-American, and two new friends this year including Asian American and darker skinned African American. I love these dolls that are multi-ethnic and have books attached to their play. The girls are Each girl is named and has a personality.

They play sports and relish friendship. The dolls are about $16 and their accessories can range fro $11-20. This year also found the introduction of the six Lil' Kids that include a little brother. These dolls are 4" and are also multi-ethnic. The s a website is http://www.onlyheartsclub.com. The two newer dolls are currently sold out and can be preordered for 12/20/07 availability. These dolls can be purchased online, at Target, and at specialty toys stores.

2. Friends2BMade. These retail-based dolls are either a stand-alone or smaller feature inside Build-a-Bear Workshop. The smaller dolls are $12 and the larger ones are $16. The smaller dolls range in ethnicity and even have fairy-tale colors with pink, blue, and purple hair. Tween girls who receive an allowance will love the low price of the clothes that range from $4-12.

These girls also include a friendship theme that appeals to girls in the age range of 8-12. The dolls are given personalities, hearts, and voices if parents bring their generosity! Each girl can have her range of clothes and accessories.

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