Review of Hearts For Hearts Doll Zelia From Brazil

PRODUCT DETAILS

Recommended Age:  6+ (not suitable for children under 3 years of age due to choking hazard--take seriously with this toy, which has small jewelry)

Produced by:  Playmates Toys

Websites:  www.hearts4heartsgirls.com
www.playmatestoys.com
www.worldvision.org

Date Produced:  2012

Made in China

Conforms to safety standards of ASTM F963:  Yes (This means this toy was tested by a third party to make sure it was safe--though they don't test for flammability)

UPC:  043377131380

Doll Biography:  Zelia is ten years old and lives on a coffee farm in São Paulo, Brazil.  She has a sunny disposition.  She works hard on the farm feeding the animals, collecting firewood, gathering eggs, and picking beans at harvest time so they can be dried in the sun.  Zelia learned how important the rainforests are and how they are disappearing fast.  A man tells her how coffee farms can help save the rainforest.

Nationality:  Brasilian

Hair Color:  Light Brown with reddish tint

Eye Color:  Brown

Skin Color:  Light Hispanic

Doll Height:  14 inches (36 cm)

Package contents:  One doll with very long (butt length) straight hair that is in a side ponytail that has two rubberbands (blue and green).    She has blue and silver dragonfly earrings.  She wears a yellow silky jacket that has a yellow cotton-like border on the top and bottom.  It has a light green stripe and a shield emblem that says "Brasil".  She wears a pretty blue strap t-shirt that has a picture of a lighter blue butterfly.  She wears blue denim blue jean shorts.  The clothing has VELCRO.  She wears no socks.  She has unlaced, plastic pink & green sneakers that have a heart charm on the side.  The accessories that also come with the doll include a code to enter an online community, a purple and teal double hearts bracelet on a black cord, a teal plastic brush with an extra pink rubber band, and a booklet that tells Zelia's story.

Doll Movement: Head can twist and nod.  Eyes do not close and have painted eyelashes.  Arms can rotate back and forth, and go up and down to shoulder height at the sides.  Torso does not twist.  Legs go up and down.  Elbows, hands, knees, and ankles do not bend.  Doll can stand on her own, but shoes may make it difficult.  She can sit if propped or have her hands behind her.

Other Information:  A portion of the purchase price goes to World Vision to help children worldwide.  This organization helps by providing education, water, hygiene, microenterprise, community development, and disaster relief.

Still in Production:  No

Where Doll Can Be Found:  Ebay and Amazon.  When first put out, they can be found at Target and Toys R Us--but these places sell out.  Very rarely will Playmates re-release dolls.  They put the dolls out for one year, and the next year they release a different set.

Price:  When new, they sell at $24.99.  However, as they become rarer, the price goes up.  Current prices start around $42.00.

Doll Composition:  Vinyl

Zelia was relatively rare at one time, and so I was pleased when I was able to get her even though she wasn't one of my favorites of the Hearts for Hearts series.  Lilian and Zelia were both the most difficult to find and usually expensive--I still don't have Lilian...though I have found her occasionally, but never when I have the money to spend.

I have to admit that I'm a little disappointed in Zelia.  The hair is not as good of quality, and I hate how her bangs are done.  The picture on the box does not reflect how the bangs actually are.  They claim the box uses prototype dolls as pictures, so often the actual product we buy may vary in appearance and color.  The earrings are not as pretty as some of the jewelry I've seen on the other dolls.  Perhaps because she is wearing a long-sleeve jacket, Zelia does not wear any bracelets.  The clothing is nice, though, and well made.

What I love about this doll series is that it makes you aware of different cultures.  Some of the places I've never even heard of.  They also introduce social and environmental problems in a non-traumatic way, and they show that everyone can work towards making the world a better place, even with the smallest actions.

Hearts for Hearts dolls did have some problems originally with their eyes turning a different color and their skin color fading.  I found the skin color problem could be helped by wiping the doll down with a moist rag.  It isn't dirt that fades the doll, but it seems the vinyl is slightly porous.  I think Playmates became aware of the problem with the eyes and has started fixing it with later dolls.  They even re-released some of the more popular older dolls like Tipi.  They were supposed to come out with new dolls this year, and I haven't seen them yet--making me wonder if the corrections have delayed the new releases.

Zelia's story gives some information about how Brazil's number one product is harvested:  coffee.  Zelia's family owns a coffee farm.

It also introduces the problems of deforestation of rainforests.  The rainforest not only houses numerous animals, but they produce the majority of oxygen that all of us need to survive.  Hence, that is why they are called "the lungs of the world".

Zelia learns what coffee owners can do to help the environment.  They can plant fruit trees that will provide homes and food for animals.  They can recycle waste and use it to fertilize plants.  Her parents become interested in these practices.

Zelia suggests that they have a special day set aside for planting new trees.  The workers and their families get to come to a celebration that has games and music.  They are given special food baskets.

Zelia's ambition is to help replenish the rainforest.