Brown-skinned Teddy has many cool toys, but his favorite is “Bren-Da, Warrior Queen of Pacifica,” who looks like an off-brand Barbie. With her impeccable manners, “sickest fighting skills,” and ability to rock a vast range of outfits (including a sandwich bag still containing pretzels), Bren-Da stars as the lead in Teddy’s imaginative play, until the day her leg snaps off. Teddy tries to fix her— unsuccessfully—before he heads off to school, leaving Bren-Da bundled in a wad of tape on his bed. His well-intentioned mother chooses that day to tidy Teddy’s room, and tosses the maimed doll out with the trash. When a panicked Teddy reports that his prize toy is missing, his mom springs into an impressive action mode that mirrors how Teddy plays with Brend-Da, saving both the doll and the day. This celebration of unstructured play affirms Teddy’s cherished toy choice while never directly commenting on its break with traditional gender alignment. (Ages 3–7)

A mom goes to great lengths to rescue her son’s favorite doll in this delightful tribute to treasured toys—and mothers.

Teddy has a lot of cool toys. But his very favorite doll has the best manners, the sickest fighting skills, and a fierce sense of style. Then one morning, something truly awful happens. And there’s only one woman fierce enough to save the day. Can Teddy’s mom reunite Teddy with his favorite toy?