Kirsten also had Anne of Green Gables energy, and I LOVED those books, too. More on reddit.com

I am always shocked at just HOW MUCH dark stuff happened in the Kirsten books (and her short stories and mystery books, too) when I re-read. Spoiler alert I guess but you have Marta and cholera, the kids left alone in a blizzard and have to break furniture for warmth, the dead trapper, Kirsten worries that her mother will die in childbirth, Kirsten and Papa are chased by a wolf in one of her mystery books and she has to hack up some meat they butchered and throw it to the wolf to keep it from eating them, etc etc etc. More on reddit.com

Please do not sell this doll unless and until you are 100% sure you want to, no matter how much money collectors try to fling at you (and they will). She is a very early doll, she's signed, she has a rare eye color variation, she has no issues that couldn't be addressed with some gentle restoration (if you so choose, there are a couple of well-regarded professionals who do this type of work). And most importantly, she is your childhood doll! She is so, so special. Hang onto this one and get your toddler a gently used one she can love until she's ready to treat this doll and her things like the heirlooms they are. More on reddit.com

This was absolutely a money-grubbing move, and I'm gonna tell you why: they're pulling on the heartstrings of "nostalgic now-moms" to get a new customer base in their children ("I loved my dolls, now my daughter will too!") And the more awful and insidious tactic: tugging on heartstrings of millennial and late-X girls whose families were too poor/neglectful to provide (personally came from a little of column A and B...and before you say "oh, they tried..." no, I didn't have glasses when I needed them, new shoes when I needed them...but there were always cigarettes!) and now that those same millennial/X-ers have a couple bucks (theoretically), Mattel's trying to pump THAT well dry too. I bought Kirsten back in May for her ridiculously inflated price because 35 years was already too long to wait. But when I saw them pull this mandatory bundle crap I said ok Mattel, I got your number. Show them who's boss, ladies...hold out for the dress and tray. They'll release em when they realize oops we underestimated these girls' resolve. More on reddit.com