Scholastic Closes Book on Bratz Dolls Line

I never did like them skanky looking dolls...

Children's book distributor drops brand from roster.

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 that 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 persuasive North American campaign spearheaded by the Boston-based Campaign for a Commercial-Free Childhood, the company has relented and pulled books and products featuring the popular Bratz dolls.

The company confirmed yesterday 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 yesterday, 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 advisors and review thousands of titles from all publishers.

"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, which have gained notoriety for their skimpy wardrobe of miniskirts, high-heel boots and feather boas.

A New Yorker article about the powerhouse of marketing behind the brand described the appearance of the dolls as being akin to "kept girls," "pole dancers on their way to work at a gentlemen's club," and, most critically, wearing "the sly, dozy expression of a party girl after one too many mojitos."

The brand has become so popular that it has spun off into a full product line. In addition to books such as Lil' Bratz Dancin' Divas and Lil' Bratz Catwalk, Scholastic last year also offered the Bratz: Rock Angelz computer game so that girls can create their own fashion magazine and the Bratz Fashion Designer stencil kit for elementary students to design "the perfect purse."

Since February, 2007, Scholastic and its Canadian subsidiary received more than 5,000 e-mails as part of the anti-Bratz campaign.

"We're just really thrilled and it really attests to the power of people working together to try and make change," said campaign co-ordinator Susan Linn.

"The Bratz are a highly sexualized brand and when a brand is marketed in a school, it has that school's endorsement. Essentially, schools were saying to their students, 'This is a good way to portray girls, these are models that you should strive for.' "

Ms. Linn, a psychologist and author of The Case for Make-believe: Saving Play in a Commercialized World, said she was particularly troubled with Scholastic's apparent tacit endorsement of the Bratz brand.

"Scholastic has such a stellar reputation with parents and with teachers and for Scholastic to be supporting and promoting this kind of sexualization, it was very troubling."

Edmonton mother Wendy Boyko was among the thousands who flooded Scholastic with their objection to Bratz books for sale in schools. She said she's "very, very impressed" by the book distributor's decision.

"For me, my main concern was just the appearance, the makeup and the clothing being more suggestive than necessary ... and targeting that to little girls who don't need to be looking like that," said Ms. Boyko, whose daughters are ages five and eight.

MGA Entertainment, based in California, was not available to comment.

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