To sort out who's who and what's what in the enchanting, vexing world of Barbies and Ninja Turtles, Tinkertoys and teddy bears, is to begin to see what's become of childhood in America. It is this changing world, and what it unveils about our values, that Gary Cross explores in Kids' Stuff, a revealing look into the meaning of American toys through this century.

What does the endless array of action figures and fashion dolls mean? Are children - or parents - the dupes of the film, television, and toy industries, with their latest fads and irresistible fantasies? What does this say about our time, and what does it bode for our future? Tapping a vein of rich cultural history, Kids' Stuff exposes the serious business behind a century of playthings.