“Santa gave me this doll when I was 9, and I was over the moon,” says PureWow Vice President of Editorial Candace Davison. “Beyond loving her accessories, her backstory was similar to my grandmother’s growing up during World War II. At the time, my grandmother was living with us while undergoing chemotherapy, and it gave us something to talk about other than cancer. I still have the doll to this day (she’s held up remarkably well, despite the years of play!), and now my daughter plays with her. As a parent, I look for toys that can bring connection like that, which I can also share with my daughter, given that I’m now old enough to merit a historical doll myself (the Y2K twins, Isabel and Nikki). Oof, but also, kinda cool.”
Sadly for the newcomers, Molly is no longer available as a full-size doll. However, she does come in a mini version—with a much more palatable price under $50.