Who could imagine that Mattel, the toy company that brought us such icons as Barbie, Chatty Cathy, and Hot Wheels, had a dark side? In Toy Monster: The Big, Bad World of Mattel, published in time for Barbie’s 50th birthday, Jerry Oppenheimer looks at the company’s cast of characters and the scandals it has weathered, showing that it’s not all fun and games in the big business of toys.

Listen to a great Studio 360 segment on Barbie here