****** - Verified Buyer
4.5
I bought this book purely out of nostalgia. I don't have kids, but this was my very favorite book as a little girl and I never forgot it. After treating my childhood rag doll to a new dress recently, a one-armed doll with tattered toes that I've loved for over 40 years, I remembered this book and was thrilled to find it still available. It tells the story of a little girl who gets invited to a party where there will be a doll contest. She has antique dolls, fancy dolls, dolls that do things, and then she has her favorite doll, who is a bit ragged and worn from years of love. Her loyalty to her beloved doll is rewarded at the party and there is a wonderful moral about staying true to yourself and being proud of who you are, even when you might feel inferior. The story is full of simple dialogue, and near the beginning the dolls themselves have secret conversations with each other when "their" little girl is out of the room, and I always loved the idea of that.Originally written in 1962, the book itself is somewhat dated on one hand, in that there is some slightly outdated wording like "I shall", "your dress is a fright", etc. But on the other hand it's a truly timeless story that outshines any slightly dated language. I actually like the older-style wording, it makes it fun to read. It's a classic! The illustrations are simple, using only the colors of lavender, black and gray. But they're still very expressive, showing that sometimes the simplest of drawings can portray a whole lot of emotion. Personally, I was very relieved to see the original artwork being used in this newer edition, it wouldn't have been the same with updated drawings, but again, I come from the perspective of nostalgia.I absolutely loved books as a kid and had hundreds of them, donating boxes full to the library every year as I accumulated new ones. But this one stands out by far as my favorite, even after all these years. I am very pleased to have found it again.
