Doll People

4/5 (If you’re a kid)

This is a children’s book, so I am reviewing it as if I were a kid. Adults will find this book charming, but aren’t likely to want to read it to themselves. It would probably rate a 2/5 for an adult.

If I had to guess (though I have no expertise in this area) this book would appeal to any grammar school aged kid. The younger kids would likely need help reading it, and the older kids will race through it, but it should be entertaining for most.

The book is about a family of porcelain dolls who have lived in the same house for 3 human generations. The dolls don’t age, and if they’re caught acting alive (for example moving around or found in a place they weren’t left) they cease to be alive (temporarily if the infraction isn’t major). The story involves a minor mystery, and the premise is fun. Who hasn’t enjoyed a story about live toys? I actually enjoyed it myself, though I wouldn’t think many other adults would. Its a bit younger than the Velveteen Rabbit, I think, and it feels much less sad since the dolls accept each new owner without feeling the loss of love of the old owner. Its a very simple story, without the more adult themes of loss and love that the Velveteen Rabbit has.

-TC