80s Nostalgia Inspires My Little Pony Collector Book

Lafayette, IN — April Mist, Heatherwinds, Misty Blue, and Penny Candy are all characters that appear in Summer Hayes' newly released book, and shockingly enough, it isn't a steamy romance novel, it is a guide to My Little Pony toys!

When you walk into Hayes' home, nothing seems to be out of the ordinary. That is, until you open the spare bedroom door. Hundreds of My Little Ponies line the walls and play sets, accessories, and My Little Pony themed merchandise cover every available surface. This room is affectionately called “the pony room.”

“I've collected My Little Ponies for over 20 years and now have over 1,200 ponies,”she said.

“I wrote The My Little Pony G3 Collector's Resource because there was not a reference guide for the newest My Little Ponies, and it was difficult to find accurate information about what had been produced so far in the line. There was a need for a My Little Pony collector's guide, so I wrote it.” she laughs.

Surprisingly, hundreds of others share in Hayes' hobby of My Little Pony collecting. With the recent 80s nostalgia fad, there has been an influx of 80s toy collectors. Many twenty-somethings are rediscovering the toys of their childhood and instead of throwing them out, they have decided to accumulate more. Now, it is easier than ever to add missing pieces to a collection by searching on-line auction sites like Ebay. Hayes' book may help some of these new collectors figure out what they need, while assisting older collectors in organizing what they have.

The My Little Pony G3 Collector's Resource (ISBN:1411675908, Lulu Press) has garnered favorable reviews from new and old collectors alike and Hasbro's marketing and development Dept. has bought multiple copies of the book.

Hayes has been asked to be a guest speaker and featured author at the My Little Pony Fair, a national yearly convention for pony collectors, in San Francisco in July. She will be signing books at the event.

“I'm looking forward to the Fair. I always enjoy meeting fellow collectors,” she said. Last year, she attended the MLP Fair in Minneapolis, and Hasbro made exclusive ponies for those who attended. (The fair is held at a different location each year.)

“I hope that other collectors can benefit from this book. It was something I enjoyed creating,”she said.

Hayes' book covers the newest line of My Little Ponies that are available in stores. The book contains more than 550 color photographs and 121 pages of general information about the G3 line, as well as checklists and pictures of all the items. And for quick reference, the book has a handy index listing each pony name. This is the first book for this line.

Pictures of Hayes' book cover, page scans and information about the book can be reviewed on the Purple Pajama Press Web site: www.purplepajamapress.com. The book is available for purchase through this Web site as well as other book retailers. The cost of the book is $25.99.

My Little Pony is the exclusive trademark of Hasbro, Inc.