LEGO has evolved a lot in its 90 years of existence, with this book detailing the major changes across each decade. LEGO first launched its mini figure line in the 1970s and broke into the American toy market in the 1980s through a Happy meal collaboration deal with McDonalds. I loved playing with LEGOs as a kid in the 90s and the company has continued to evolve drastically since then, expanding to premiere The LEGO Movie in 2014 and creating additional product lines targeted to girls, to grow its market and customer base.

This book is an interesting mix of family history and business history behind Lego. I found the early history of how Ole Christiansen evolved from a carpenter to toy maker, living in rural Denmark in the 1930s, the most fascinating part. During the Depression making buildings became very difficult, but toys for children was still a growing business. They had their business destroyed by fire three times, but each time they went "all in" and successfully emerged as an even larger organization. Any fan of Disney’s Little Mermaid will absolutely love this set. The unique, opening book reveals a complete micro-world that will thrill any child as a great Christmas, birthday or anytime gift for boys and girls aged 5+. Give children detailed characters and places to play with in LEGO® ǀ Disney sets. This imaginative Disney’s Little Mermaid playset offers cute story starters and encourages open creative play to build important skills. LEGO is a translation of Danish words leg godt, which means “play well” and despite the various challenges the company has faced over the last several years, it does a great job keeping kids, imagination and creativity at the forefront of its purpose. Alternately admiring and critical, unvarnished, and a closely detailed account of a troubled innovator.

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LEGO® Books come in many forms and cover many aspects of the brand and its fandom. But the book I’m taking a look at today is unlike most other titles. As the name suggests, it tells the story of the LEGO brand from the very beginning, that’s even before a single wooden toy was ever crafted. The history of the LEGO Group is a long one and over that time many things have happened. This book offers an in-depth recollection of that history with help from someone who knows it well, Kjeld Kirk Kristiansen. So here are my thoughts on The LEGO Story: How a Little Toy Sparked the World’s Imagination. This book tells the extraordinary story of a global company and a Danish family who for ninety years have defended children's right to play--and who believe grown-ups, too, should make the time to nurture their inner child. The LEGO Story is built on Jens Andersen's unique access to LEGO's own archives, as well as on Andersen's extensive conversations with Kjeld Kirk Kristiansen, former president and CEO of the LEGO group and grandson of its founder, Ole Kirk Christiansen. Open the toy book and the play begins. Easy-to-follow instructions help make building a snap, giving kids the joy of imagining new scenarios and lots of creative excitement with the well-known ones in the book.

Still, there is definitely value here for those who are into these types of stories. Just be warned that it can be a bit dry and it's probably more for people who are hardcore into LEGO and want to know more about the family behind it, perhaps business-types who are curious to see how a brand can change and adapt and evolve with the times, etc. If you're someone who is casually interested, this might not be for you.This book tells the story of how my family built the LEGO brand. --Kjeld Kirk Kristiansen, former President/CEO of the LEGO Group and 3rd generation owner The LEGO Story was a really interesting listen about the history and evolution of the company and the family behind it. I've loved LEGO since I was a child and my own children have become fans as well, so it was fun to get this in depth behind the scenes look. The material was at times dense (especially the business aspects), but I thought the information was well organized and painted a great overview of the company's journey. This isn't a book about the LEGO toys themselves, though the development of the toys are discussed. This is a book about the Christiansen/Kristiansen family and their struggles and triumphs in creating the LEGO brand. A riveting cultural history of changing generations’ views of childhood and the importance of play, The LEGO Story also a fascinating case study of how innovation and creativity helped leaders transform LEGO from a small carpentry business into the world’s largest producer of play materials and one of the most beloved brands in the world. Richly illustrated with never-before-seen photos from the family’s private archive, this is the ultimate book for fans of LEGO, revealing everything you ever wanted to know about the brand.

What secrets lie behind the door? Kids can flex their role-play and creative skills as they uncover the mysteries of the castle. The magical rose, a place for Disney’s Belle to sleep, even a dance floor await discovery inside. Work hard and pray - the initial slogan for Ole Kirk as he was building the early company in the 20s / 3os.He was so in debt initially that the first owner of Lego was a woman (Sophie his wife) as she was the only one the bank would give a loan to. Despite this, Lego has battled with having women in leadership over the years. Any fan of Disney’s Frozen 2 will adore this awesome set. The clever, opening book reveals a complete micro-world that will thrill any child as a great Christmas, birthday or anytime gift for boys and girls aged 5+. Encourage role play with this LEGO® ǀ Disney (43177) set, featuring Disney Princess Belle, Beast, Mrs. Potts, Chip, Cogsworth and Wardrobe. Makes a great gift for kids and fans. Play starts when the book opens! The LEGO Story: How a Little Toy Sparked the World’s Imagination is an inside look at the origins of one of the coolest companies. LEGO was originally founded in 1932, by Ole Kirk Kristiansen as a wooden toy company in Denmark. Savings from Ole Kirk’s wife, Sofie, allowed the company to continue, saving it from bankruptcy twice. The company faced challenges with fires, debts, minimal credit resources and limited supplies at times as a result of war.