With all fabric features (including her eyes) and soft plush body, the Babicorolle makes an ideal first huggable. We loved the bright, cheerful colors of Cherry's outfit.  As you would expect from a little French doll, she is very stylish.  For older babies and toddlers, this vanilla-scented armful will be a favorite.

Age: Infants, Toddlers. Award Year: 2012. Click here to purchase the product on Amazon.com.

These black and white puppies, an 18-inch or 8-inch squeaker will grab the attention of newborns and continue to please for a long time ahead. Like the other Baby Long Legs from the same maker, these dolls are a lovely combination of knit and plush. The big one is totally on the mark for toddlers who like a big but light enough huggable to drag about. The photo of this soft cuddly doll with long legs and arms and floppy ears does not really convey just how cute it is. The legs are not rigid or wired, but soft and easy for little ones to grasp. The features are stitched and baby safe. There is also a grey elephant version as well as a pink mouse and a pink or blue bunny. Also adorable, Baby Long Legs Squeakers, Puppies, Bunnies, Elephants and Pink Mouse ($12.99 each) 8-inch miniatures of the bigger dolls that are good for tracking games and will be easy for baby to clutch and carry. Baby safe and machine washable.   All ages.

SNAP: We suggest the Baby Long Legs Squeaker from this collection. Use the small high contrast black and white pup for tracking games. It is eye catching and the squeaker inside will attract baby's listening as well as visual attention. Soft,safe and totally cleanable for infants and toddlers.

Age: Infants, Toddlers. Award Year: 2012. Click here to purchase the product on Amazon.com.

Soft and huggable, Luigi is a green frog with big eyes and a pencil thin curled mustachio. He wears long brown pants with suspenders and a white shirt. Every detail of this adorable frog is knitted. Like other dolls in the line it is also available in a 12-inch size. If you fancy a girl frog, consider Lilipop, in a paler shade of green ith ballet slippers and a pink yarn tutu.

Age: Toddlers, Preschool, Early School Years. Award Year: 2012. Click here to purchase the product on Amazon.com.

Huggalos are soft huggable dolls with a dedicated place on their chest for placing a photo of someone special. There's Doodle Dude (made of canvas and intended to be written on), Camo Joe (done in green fleece camaflouge), Huggsley (our favorite - he comes with a cape and is clearly the super hero of the line), and Camo Flo (same idea as Camo Joe but done in pink).  We think this collection will have an audience with not only the preschool set--but tweens/teens.  The line has a sense of humor and whimsy to it that will likely have wide appeal.

SNAP: Having a photo of a family member can be a comfort take-along when going out into the world. This one is less young looking than most and a little more amusing.

Age: Toddlers, Preschool, Early School Years, Later School Years, Tweens. Award Year: 2012. Click here to purchase the product on Amazon.com.

For older toddlers, Corolle's 12-inch Calin dolls have long been our favorites. This year's winners in a continuing line, are Calin Laughing Flowers, dressed in a hot pink knit sweater and rompers with a flowered pink and white flowered top. Her matching knit hat is red and pink. She has dark brown eyes and a sweet vanilla scent. For those who prefer a more pastel look, consider Calin Sorbet in a pink and printed velour romper that is trimmed with eyelet. This little Calin has blue eyes. Their bald heads are a safe choice for toddlers who are still mouthing toys. Their bean-bag bodies allow them to sit in many poses and their sleeping eyes open and close. Best of all they are light and cuddly for early pretend play. Hand washable they have soft vinyl heads, legs and arms and beautiful clothes. Check out other  Calin dolls for multi-ethnic choices.

Age: . Award Year: 2011. Click here to purchase the product on Amazon.com.

This has to be one of the most adorable dolls of the year! Rosy Cheeks Big Sister Doll is done in an African American version with very contemporary hair-style and removable clothing. She is an armful, an 18-inch rag doll with a soft huggable body covered in a knit fabric. She has stitched features. Her body is of a knit fabric, her jumper with Velcro closing is corduroy. Designed for preschoolers and up. She is available with the same outfit as a Caucasian girl with red yard hair.

Age: Preschool. Award Year: 2012. Click here to purchase the product on Amazon.com.

15" soft-bodied dolls with vinyl heads, arms and legs available in five different skin tones with various hair and eye colors. Beautiful clothes and accessories available. Each doll comes with a 5" Bitty Bear. The additional outfits also come with a book and a coordinating outfit for Bitty Bear. We also recommend the Bitty Baby Twins. New for this season, extra outfits and pj's for the baby and matching clothes for the child. Though they are not anatomically correct, there are boy dolls available in the collection for big brothers as well as big sisters.

Age: Preschool, Early School Years. Award Year: 2012.

Three feet tall, Charles is truly a giant in Toyland. Knitted of cotton yarn he is soft and huggable and will make a decorative centerpiece of any child's room. But more than that, he is apt to play a big role in a child's pretend play. With his orange whiskers, happy grin, long green tail with orange tufts, and brown shaggy yarn mane, Charles is a friendly sort of lion with big blue eyes and striped trousers. This is the kind of memorable plaything that listens well and says only what a child imagines it can say. The smaller doll pictured does not come with Charles. Blabla makes many smaller and less pricey dolls that are equally charming. Handmade in Peru, these dolls capture the affection and imagination at first glance. All ages.

Age: Toddlers, Preschool. Award Year: 2012.

We believe this comes under the heading of biggest piece of fantasy plastic of the season. That said, we know a lot of girls are going to love it. Cinderella's coach actually has a pumpkin shell that turns to reveal a royal style coach to take her to the ball and her wedding. She wears a white satin gown and looks every inch a princess! Marked 3 & up, we think this is more like a big box gift item for older 4 and 5 year olds.

Age: Preschool, Early School Years. Award Year: 2012.

If you are looking for an anatomically correct doll for big sisters or brothers, Paul is your guy. He's a 14" vinyl doll that can go in the tub, drink from a toy bottle and wet. He comes with his own potty chair as well as diapers. This is also a useful prop for kids who are in the potty training stage. Also available: Emma, a bath and potty training doll with a "small difference. "

Age: . Award Year: 2005. Click here to purchase the product on Amazon.com.

One of an adorable collection of 7-inch dolls with removable clothing and moveable joints for poseable play. They have painted faces with big eyes and plenty of hair to arrange. These are not fashion dolls in the traditional sense, but girl dolls. Their clothes have a high-end look, though the girls are plastic and not overly pricey. Marked 3 & up although kids under 5-6 will seldom have the dexterity to dress them. Also see Snow Queen doll and Spring Celebration Ballet doll from the same line.

Age: Preschool, Early School Years. Award Year: 2012. Click here to purchase the product on Amazon.com.

Newest addition in the historical doll and book collection, Caroline Abbott lived during the time of the second American War of Independence, the War of 1812. Caroline, a lovely blonde 18" doll has blue eyes and comes dressed in a long pink dress, pantaloons, and pink shoes. She is the daughter of a shipbuilder and lives in Sackets Harbor, New York. When her father is captured by the British, Caroline has to try to live up to a promise she gave her father to prove her steadiness and courage. Her dream is to captain her own ship one day. Kathleen Ernst has authored six books about this brave young girl. Meet Caroline is the first and comes with the doll. No doubt there will be a sailing boat, craft kits, historically accurate clothes, and other accessories. We know a lot of little ones can't wait for this kind of doll, but the story part and the details are really most appropriate for the school years girl.

Age: Early School Years, Later School Years. Award Year: 2012.

Dressed for gymnastics practice, 18-inch McKenna is determined to master the challenges of the balance beam and more. She arrives with her long caramel-colored hair is tied up for her active life style. In this Summer Olympic season, you can be sure, the young athletes, in London, will inspire girls all over the world, as they go through their routines. McKenna is not an Olympian; though one day she may be one! American Girl has created a whole line of accessories for McKenna. There is an accessory bag ($26) with mini water bottle, trail mix, school papers, exercise booklet and more. We love her team gear with jacket, trousers, medal, and slippers($28.)  There is also a beam and bar set ($85) for McKenna to practice on, two outfits in a practice wardrobe ($35) and just in case, a cast and crutches ($30) should she stumble when she does a daring double backflip!

Age: Early School Years, Later School Years. Award Year: 2012.

From our friends across the pond, comes a new collection of girl dolls that will give our well-loved historic American Girl Dolls a run for the money. The dolls, each from a different time period, are executed with the kind of finesse of a Masterpiece Theater production. Amelia, a Victorian girl, is about to turn 13. Her wardrobe, a pink Victorian party dress, her velvet opera cloak, and a gauzy blue stage costume are all part of the fare. She comes dressed in a charming school girl's blue cotton dress, a straw hat, and two toned button shoes. Her jointed arms and legs make her playable, although she looks in every way like a worthy collectible - the kind you were supposed to keep on a shelf. Each additional outfit is pricey, but a stunning time piece that older girls (and even collectors) will appreciate. Her two-piece pink party dress has a lace-trimmed bodice with tiny buttons, a skirt with bows, a lace hat with a puff of white feathers, and pink silk slippers. The A Girl for All Time collection actually begins with a sterner looking doll, Matilda, a Tudor girl of 13, who becomes a lady in waiting in the court of Henry VIII. She also has a marvelous set of clothing and an interesting back-story. Each of the dolls has a novel (we have not read them yet) that will introduce older girls of 8 & up to a chapter of English history. These are seriously designed for older girls, for that last beautiful doll that is often remembered or even treasured as a lasting gift of childhood. Our review of the books will come later. 8 & up. These are only available at this time online.
www.agirlforalltime.us

Age: Later School Years. Award Year: 2012.

A wowee of a doll set with six--count them- -all six of the main characters done up in a splendid carrying case package. There is a 12-inch Cinderella, of course, in a ball gown, but her cinder dress, an extra gown, plus a dress form. Ready for playing out the story (or new ones) is the rest of the cast all dressed in their satiny gowns. Her wicked looking stepmother, two very ugly sisters, the prince, and her sear fairy godmother. The dolls can be posed with jointed legs and arms, though their little feet will not let them stand on their own. All together this is a pricey but special gift for pretend play-not merely for display. Marked 3 & up, this makes more sense for 5 & up.

Age: Early School Years. Award Year: 2012. Click here to purchase the product on Amazon.com.

With her striking auburn hair and hazel eyes, our 2011 Platinum winner, Kelsey is one of a collection of multi-ethnic 18" dolls that will not break the bank. For 2012, new clothes have been added to the collection and her affordable wheel chair is still available. She's featured as the most fearless--a girl who likes to go climbing and hiking. Maybe that is why she arrived along with a wheel chair and crutches set ( sold separately $24.99) She wears sensible outdoor clothes, a fleecy zippered vest, insulated knit shirt, shorts, walking shoes and carries a rugged backpack. All the dolls in the collection have soft bodies, jointed shoulders and luxurious hair for styling. Dressed in sports clothes they are active girls ready to take adventurous journeys. Their eyes do not open and close and they are not very flexible. Kelsey sits in the wheel chair with her legs stiff in front of her. Her hips are not jointed, so she sits, but stiffly. That said, they are an affordable alternative to many very pricey 18" dolls. Tanya is African American and heading for New Orleans Jazz Festival. Meredith is a blonde beauty dreaming of skiing in the Alps. Callie is an Asian girl, who longs to go to London and Alana is a Latina heading for Rome.

The company has signed a verification form complying with our safety requirements. We did not independently test this toy in a lab.

The wheel chair and crutches are listed and sold separately. Like the dolls, they are more affordable than most and well made.

Age: Early School Years. Award Year: 2012.

A stunning 18" version of Merida steps out of the film Brave and onto the shelf where she can be admired by young collectors. We do not usually do collector dolls and this red-haired beauty in her royal robes and velvet gown is not a play doll. That said, she will fill a special place for older girls. There are several other versions of Merida that have soft bodies, tons of hair and a much lower price tag. Our testers especially liked the Merida Toddler girl($20) with her quirky smile and jaunty look. Fashion doll fans like the 16" princess ($20) who is wearing a much less pricey knockoff of the same outfit the collector doll is wearing. 6 & up.

Age: Early School Years, Later School Years. Award Year: 2012. Click here to purchase the product on Amazon.com.

Hands down our favorite novelty doll of 2012. Grover playfully engages your child in his ability to fly like a super hero.  He comes with a bright red cape (hey, he's a super hero) and a big "G" on his chest.  The best part -- his arms move as you "fly" him up and down.  All the while Grover provides the narrative of him going up, up, up or down, down, down.  Truth be told, he doesn't always know which way he's going. Cute sound effects that propel him as he soars.  He has a sense of humor-- something we really appreciate.

Age: Toddlers, Preschool. Award Year: 2012. Click here to purchase the product on Amazon.com.

Happy-go-lucky Elmo is bubbling over with laughs again. Press his foot and his laughing begins, squeeze the remote control fishbowl and he laughs and wiggles even more. Tickle his tummy and Elmo not only laughs, he tells little jokes, too. Guaranteed to bring on a case of the giggles, this season's Elmo is smaller than he used to be and not too cuddly. You can feel the mechanism through his plush body. That said, this is a novelty toy that will be a sure fire favorite of kids and grown-ups alike. 18 months and up.

SNAP: Activating Elmo just might interest kids who need to work on strengthening hands and fingers. Elmo certainly will motivate them and there are three different ways to discover and remember how he moves. Squeeze his foot, tickle his tummy and press the remote. That's a lot of ways to make things happen. Is it a long term toy? Probably not. This is one of those novelty items that has some redeeming features.

Age: Toddlers, Preschool. Award Year: 2012. Click here to purchase the product on Amazon.com.

Camera meets Barbie again! This time instead of a video camera, she's sporting a point and shoot 5- megapixel camera. The camera's eye is on Barbie's back, but the images are displayed on her torso and can be shown in a slideshow, too. Dressed in dark stretch denim skinny jeans, pink platform shoes and a semi-glitzy top, this Barbie camera doll stores up to 200 photos she has 4 MB of memory and comes with her own USB cable, so photos can be downloaded. Added to all that, she has a fun feature that allows kids to use extra design features from Barbie's website.  6 & up.

Age: Early School Years, Later School Years. Award Year: 2012. Click here to purchase the product on Amazon.com.