Barbie's Sister Chelsea and Her Pet Fish

I've mentioned that I am not a Barbie expert, but when I saw this doll, I got pretty excited.  I got a little confused, too, because I always thought Barbie's younger sister was "Kelly."  I like the name Kelly and I think it goes really well with the name Barbie, but never mind that. What's really great about this doll (aside from her $6 price tag) is that she has a pet fish.  A fish.  In a plastic bag.

Let's face it, Barbie dolls usually come with impressive, out-of-reach accessories.  Barbie sometimes comes with a pure-bred dog (or a pure-bred dog with puppies), a new custom pink convertible car, a "dream townhouse," a new kitchen, a vacation jet plane, a pool...heck, even Barbie's shoes are so cute they're probably Manolo Blahniks.  But a fish?  That's an awesome accessory.  Virtually anyone who wants to can have a fish.  And as a parent, it's easy to say "yes!" to a fish.  If your little girl buys a Chelsea doll and wants to emulate her by having a pet fish--that's a slam dunk moment.  Buy a pet fish in a plastic bag and be Mom of the Year.  Seriously, though, maybe buy the fish a nice tank, too.  Actually, did you know that at certain chain pet stores they won't let you buy a goldfish (even a $0.25 "feeder" goldfish that is sold as food for other animals...) if you don't also buy a tank and a filter?  Yep.  My son wanted to "rescue" a feeder goldfish and they wouldn't let us buy it because we didn't want to buy a filtered tank.  Needless to say, we went to another store, rescued our fish, and put it in a nice big (unfiltered) tank.  That was six years ago and the fish is still alive and happy.  True story.  That's a huge tangent, though.  Sorry.

Look how thrilled Chelsea is with her fish:

In a plastic bag.

The other Chelsea dolls in this line have a chihuahua, a cat, a rabbit, a lizard and a hamster:

Those pets are all difficult at some level.  Chihuahuas are expensive, lizards have to eat bugs or small rodents, hamsters are nocturnal desert animals and bunnies can chew your electrical wires.  But the thing is, because that one Chelsea doll comes with a fish in a bag, I love all Chelsea dolls just a little bit more.  Besides, this is a pretty cute doll for $6:

She comes in a nice small package and it looks like she'll be fairly easy to get out:

She is fairly easy to get out, except there's one plastic tie that goes into her head that is a pain to cut. Somehow mine still has the plastic tie in her head even once she's out of the box:

The fish bag is tied to her hand very securely with those transparent rubber bands:

If I cut those rubber bands will she drop her fish??

Without the fish, that left arm looks a bit awkward.  There aren't a lot of natural poses she can strike with that arm:

Scratching her head?

The pattern on her dress looks like it is bubbles and sea weed...maybe some starfish?  It's great that it matches the fish theme.

The dress opens all of the way down the back and closes with velcro.  It would be very easy for a little kid to change her clothes.

I think she looks sweet without her shoes on, but the shoes are nicely designed and easy to get on and off.  I guess they match the pink collar on her dress.  I hate to complain, but how much cuter would the shoes be if those hearts were painted a different color--like maybe yellow.  Better yet, the shoes could be yellow with pink hearts.  Oh, well.

She has a side part and a ponytail, but the ponytail can be let down.  Her hair is very nice and soft.  I actually think it is better hair than my Fashionista Artsy's hair.

Here is Barbie Fashionista Artsy giving Chelsea her new fish! 

Mom of the Year.

I am not sure how old Chelsea is supposed to be.  Her features seem like those of a five or six year old...if not a bit older.

Is that pink eyeshadow?

The lips are really pink.

But next to Artsy, she seems too short to be five or six.  It's been a while since my kids were five or six (and they are both really tall) but I am still pretty sure she's a tad short.   I'll direct you to a picture of my favorite celebrity toddler and you can see what I mean if you want.  That little cutie is two and looks the same relative size as Chelsea.  

Maybe she's supposed to be two?

Chelsea's posing is limited.  She has articulation in her shoulders, neck and hips.  Her head only moves from side to side, not up and down. Her head seems tilted up a bit, which is too bad because she can't admire her new fish.

She can sit on the floor, but probably wouldn't do too well in a chair:

She holds on to that fish bag pretty well, even without the rubber bands:

The bag has a handle.

Here's the fish up close:

Some areas of the bag are not as easy to see through as others, mostly because of the seam down the middle.  Still, it is a good overall effect:

Captain Bubbles

Here is Chelsea next to the Only Hearts Club Jessica toddler (she looks like she should be about two years old):

Bottom line?  I don't get too picky for $6.00.  The delight I felt at seeing this doll on the shelf with her little pet fish was almost worth $6 right there.  Now that I've discovered that this is a nicely-made little play doll with changeable shoes and clothes, soft rooted hair and a charming expression, I am easily sold.  I wouldn't pay $15 for this doll on Amazon, but at $6, she's a treat.  I could complain more about the lack of articulation and the too-pink lips, but I'd rather not.  

Summary:

Age Level	3 and up
Value	Good value at $6
Quality	Good play quality.  Sturdy little doll with removable clothes, nice rooted hair and removable plastic shoes.
Packaging	Standard small window box with cardboard background and plastic ties.
Collectable?	No.  This is a play doll.
Versatility	The fish-holding pose is not very versatile, and the articulation is limited, but the clothes and shoes are changeable and the hair can be styled.
Overall	Recommended.  Very cute doll with a unique pet for a good price.