Let’s Call Her Barbie: An Evening with Renée Rosen and Lauren Margolin

The Book Stall welcomes bestselling author Renée Rosen to the store on Wednesday, January 22 at 6:30 pm for a discussion featuring her new book, Let’s Call Her Barbie. Barbie is born in this bold new novel that includes exclusive vintage Barbie photos. Elizabeth Letts, New York Times bestselling author of The Ride of Her Life, says, “Think you know Barbie? Think again, in this delightful, fast-paced, compassionate, and well-researched story, Renée Rosen skillfully takes everything you think you know and turns it on its head, telling us the real story of the feisty, strong, original woman who created America’s most loved and most hated doll.” Renée will be joined by Lauren Margolin, aka, The Good Book Fairy.

This discussion is free with registration. To register, please CLICK HERE.

More About the Book: She was only eleven-and-a-half inches tall, but she would change the world. When Ruth Handler walks into the boardroom of the toy company she co-founded and pitches her idea for a doll unlike any other, she knows what she’s setting in motion. It might just take the world a moment to catch up. In 1956, the only dolls on the market for little girls let them pretend to be mothers. Ruth’s vision for a doll shaped like a grown woman and outfitted in an enviable wardrobe will let them dream they can be anything.

As Ruth assembles her team of creative rebels, she knows they’re working against a ticking clock to get this wild idea off the ground. In the decades to come, through soaring heights and devastating personal lows, public scandals and private tensions, each of them will have to decide how tightly to hold on to their creation. Because Barbie has never been just a doll—she’s a legacy.

Viola Shipman, USA Today bestselling author of The Page Turner, says, “The story of how Barbie came to be is as iconic as the doll herself. Renee Rosen’s research and deft writing bring Barbie – and those who brought her into the world – to vivid pink life and make ‘Let’s Call Her Barbie’ a riveting read for anyone who loves historical fiction, strong women (real and otherwise), Barbie the doll, Barbie the movie, or stories about the American dream…The first must-read of 2025! It’s DOLL-ing!”

More About the Author: Renée Rosen is the USA Today bestselling author of Fifth Avenue Glamour Girl, The Social Graces, Park Avenue Summer, Windy City Blues, White Collar Girl, What the Lady Wants, and Dollface. Renée lives in Chicago. Read more about her at reneerosen.com.

More About our Conversation Partner: Lauren Margolin is a speaker, book influencer, moderator, and creator of goodbookfairy.com. She has reviewed well over a thousand books and gives honest and relatable opinions, which has built her a loyal and trusted nationwide following. She connects regularly with authors, publishers and fellow readers which keeps her in the ‘know’ regarding books coming out and what to read next. Her speaking engagements have been called “entertaining, enlightening and informative” and New York Times best-selling author Stephanie Dray called her the Barbara Walters of book interviewers. Lauren and her husband live in Long Grove, IL and have two adult children that live in Chicago.