Publisher Description

This wholesome, award-winning classic that has sold more than 1 million copies is written by bestselling authors and illustrated by a Caldecott-winning artist, telling the story of a 100-year-old china doll who discovers surprising friendships and thrilling adventures. The Doll family, beautifully crafted china dolls, has been passed down through four generations of girls in one American family. Annabelle Doll is eight years old and has been for over 100 years. Not a lot has happened to her, cooped up in the dollhouse, with the same doll people, day after day, year after year...until the Funcrafts move in. Unlike the cautious, traditional Doll family in every way, the Funcrafts are carefree and delivered straight from the factory shelves. Tiffany Funcraft is made entirely of plastic and lives in the scariest room of the house, but she's an adventurer and after 100 years of boredom, that's just what Anabelle needs. Especially when she vows to solve a decades-long family mystery. This fresh twist on the beloved genre of doll stories will spark imagination and a sense of wonder in young readers and will send them on a search for the second book in the series, The Meanest Doll in the World.

Author Biography

Ann M. Martin is the bestselling author of the momentous Baby-Sitters Club series as well as the Main Street series. Her other acclaimed novels include A Dog's Life, Belle Teal, Rain Reign, and the Newbery Honor Book A Corner of the Universe. She lives in upstate New York. Laura Godwin lives and works in New York City but grew up in Alberta, Canada. She has written many well-loved books for children, including Owl Sees Owl, Christmas in the Manger, This Is the Construction Worker, and Oh, Cats! Brian Selznick is the author and illustrator of the New York Times bestselling Invention of Hugo Cabret, winner of the Caldecott Medal and a National Book Award nominee. He has illustrated many other books for children, including Frindle by Andrew Clements, Amelia and Eleanor Go for a Ride by Pam Muoz Ryan, and The Dinosaurs of Waterhouse Hawkins by Barbara Kerley, which received a Caldecott Honor. Brian lives in Brooklyn and San Diego.

Review

"[Readers] are in for a marvelous treat in this delicious fantasy."--Kirkus, starred review
"A lighthearted touch and a dash of drama make this a satisfying read. Selznick's illustrations are perfectly suited to the innocent charm of the dolls and do much to draw readers into their world."--School and Library Journal
"Black-and-white pencil drawings illustrate this lively addition to the doll-fantasy genre."--Horn Book
"It's not easy to write a good book about dolls. Martin and Godwin not only set up a realistic doll world but also provide a credible mystery. The story gets a wonderful boost from Brian Selznick's pencil drawings...he catches every bit of humor."--Booklist
"Martin and Godwin inventively spin out their own variation on the perennially popular theme of toys who secretly come to life...Doll lovers may well approach their imaginative play with renewed enthusiasm and a sense of wonder after reading this fun-filled adventure."--Publishers Weekly, starred review
"'The Doll People' is part of a solid tradition of doll stories. But Ann M. Martin and Laura Godwin have given their amusing novel a decidedly contemporary twist: 19th-century porcelain meets 20th-century plastic."--The New York Times

Review Quote

Praise for The Doll People : An ALA Notable Children's Book A Capitol Choices Noteworthy Title for Children and Teens CCIRA Colorado Children's Book Award Runner-Up A Child Magazine Best Book of the Year Dorothy Canfield Fisher Children's Book award Masterlist An Indian Paintbrush Book Award Nominee Kentucky Bluegrass Award Master List Maryland Children's Book Award Massachusetts Children's Book award Master List Maud Hart Lovelace Book Award A National Parenting Center Seal of Approval Pennsylvania Young Readers' Choice Award Master List A Publishers Weekly Best Book A Rhode Island Children's Book Award Nominee A School Library Journal Best Book A Texas Bluebonnet Award Nominee A Volunteer State Book Award Nominee

Details