If you grew up in the 1940s, '50s or '60s, you will surely recognize the delightful toys and figures that spring from these pages. Made of colorful, durable polystyrene plastic, these novelties were originally found in five and dime stores, hardware stores, and department store catalogs. Cheerful, inexpensive, and often holiday related, these are the things that dreams were made of. Today, these same nostalgic and charming figures are eagerly sought by adult collectors at antique shows, flea markets, and online auctions. In this enjoyable and informative book, Jean Rossi gives readers a tour of the major companies that produced these plastic delights, including E. Rosen, Irwin, Knickerbocker, and Union Products. Hundreds of color photos showcase chubby Santas on skis and snowshoes, bunnies pushing carriages and wheelbarrows, roosters that rattle, Valentine hearts and figures, Halloween pumpkins, beguiling witches on motorcycles, and more — all guaranteed to evoke warm childhood memories. Background information on the development of plastic, tips on evaluating and caring for your collection, and current values all are included.