A Doll Like Me

Jordan and her dollFor years, we’ve talked about dolls on this website. Dolls are something Jordan has always loved and she continues to enjoy. (Along with a serious love for Beanie Boo stuffed animals.) One doll that means a lot to Jordan is her custom-made limb difference doll, “Little Boo.” Her sweet doll was made by a woman who knows how special it is for a child to have a doll that celebrates him or her in every way. She sells them through her Facebook page, A Doll Like Me. At this point, there are no mainstream doll makers that have limb differences. It has come up as an issue in conversations many times with Jordan through the years.

Today, the American Girl stores will begin offering a diabetes care kit for dolls. How cool is that? Kids who need to use an insulin pump can now have a doll that really looks like them. The creation of the kits came from a Change.org campaign where fewer than 5,000 people signed a petition to encourage American Girl to create the accessory. Pretty amazing.

I mentioned this development on the Born Just Right Facebook page and there was a discussion about launching a petition to encourage American Girl to consider limb difference dolls. It’s something I’ve written about before and it’s something the company has said no to for years. What if we really worked together to let Mattel, its leadership and the American Girl brand understand how special a doll can be with physical differences? Yes, it’s a huge ask. A mass-produced doll with a limb difference option? It sounds like a huge manufacturing challenge. Let’s tell American Girl it’s a worthwhile effort.

In the meantime, A Doll Like Me is creating very special dolls for kids. You can privately message Amy, the awesome doll maker, on her Facebook page if you want to order a doll. Amy shouldn’t be the only person who makes a special doll for our kids. Let’s encourage the mainstream world to acknowledge limb differences with dolls. It’s a dream worth sharing. If you agree, check out the Change.org petition, sign it and spread the word about it!

13 Comments

  1. Marc E. on October 4, 2018 at 4:09 pm

    I would like to make some doll quilts to donate to Amy but I don’t use Facebook. Is there another way to contact her – an email or even a snail mail address?

    • Jen Lee Reeves on November 2, 2018 at 10:13 am

      Marc – I’ll send you an email with her info!

      • Casey Stallsmith on July 16, 2019 at 7:58 pm

        Is there any way you could also send me her contact information? I do not use facebook and have a 7 year old nephew with a brain tumor that would love one of these! Thank yo!

        • Jen Lee Reeves on July 21, 2019 at 1:02 pm

          I forwarded your information! She gets a lot of requests but I hope she’s able to touch base soon.

  2. Cindy on February 23, 2019 at 10:48 pm

    I am interested in making doll quilts too – will you send me the info?

    • Jen Lee Reeves on February 25, 2019 at 9:00 am

      I’ll share your email with Amy!

      • melfunk on July 7, 2020 at 3:49 pm

        I am interested in making doll quilts too, would you pass on my email?

  3. Deana on February 28, 2019 at 6:15 pm

    How do I go about ordering a doll for my daughter?

  4. Casey Stallsmith on July 15, 2019 at 9:33 pm

    hello- i have a young nephew with two brain tumors and a large scar from a previous tumor removal….he is starting chemo soon and LOVES “babies”…i can only imagine how much he’d love having one that looks just like him! I do not have a facebook account but was hoping someone would be able to share Amy’s contact information with me? Thank you!

  5. Gina on November 5, 2019 at 3:03 pm

    Do you have any dolls for mental health? TW: a doll with scars to help her feel better and not the be ashamed

  6. Tammi Dyrud on December 8, 2019 at 10:58 pm

    Do you have any other means to contact Amy besides the Facebook group? We’ve been trying to get in touch with her via the Facebook group for several months and have not received a response. Thanks!

  7. Peggy on October 27, 2020 at 9:19 pm

    I would like to contribute to this fabulous endeavor but don’t use Facebook. How can I reach Amy? Thabks

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