Kids' Stuff: Toys and the Changing World of American Childhood by Gary Cross chronicles the transformation that occurred as the interests and intentions of parents, children, and the toy industry gradually diverged. The book begins in the late 1800s and chronicles the transformation that occurred starting in the 1930s when toymakers began to appeal directly to the young. Cross asks how toys have been used in the historical relationships between children and parents, raising questions about the nature of childhood and adulthood.