Doll Reviews

Polly and her friend Steven are hitting the road for a day of, apparently, scooter riding and snack consumption. Besides posable figures of the adventurers themselves, this set features purple and blue rolling scooters and a snack stand setup, complete with tables and chairs. As with any self-respecting doll set, there are plenty of accessories included to round out the couple's day and enable a variety of pretend-play situations. Thoughtfully, Steven and Polly's outfits match their scooters (blue for him, purple for her) and, mindful of safety, are equipped with helmets. Are Polly and Steven just friends or is there something more going on here? That's not ours to say. We were impressed by this set's versatility and the ease with which the figures can interact with their gear. --Charlie Williams

Sporting choppy, yarn hair and a space suit with "wings," the sunny, optimistic Canary Yellow looks more like a character from an Exupéry book than a member of the Rainbow Brite bunch. Restyled for a new generation, the 5.75-inch Canary wears stylish, shimmering clothes, leg warmers, and cool turf sneakers that can all be removed. She also comes with her little yellow sidekick--a sprite named "Spark"--and a DVD featuring all of her Rainbow Brite friends. --Diane Beall

Just like the Care Bear of the same name, baby Cheer Bear is ready to spread cheer through her giggles and belly laughs. This sweet little doll combines two popular cuddly toys--Waterbabies and Care Bears--into one. Like other Waterbaby dolls, this one can be filled with warm water so she feels cozy and heavy like a real baby. Her thick rubberized body securely holds the water and a tight rubber plug in Cheer Bear’s back prevents leaking so kids can snuggle in close to her. For added coziness, this baby comes in a fleecy pink bear suit with Cheer Bear’s signature rainbow symbol emblazoned on the front. This Cheer Bear Waterbaby comes with her own mini bear-shaped rattle and a plastic funnel for filling her with water. --Cristina Vaamonde