Review by Booklist Review
On the day her mother drives her to the faraway town where her grandmother lives, Zoey learns several startling things: that she has a grandmother, who welcomes Zoey into her home; that her mother intends to leave her there indefinitely; and that the tiny china doll in her mother's old room sometimes comes to life. Handed down through generations of Zoey's foremothers, the imperious doll, Princess Regina, is a strong yet ultimately vulnerable character in her own right. The reader is often made aware of the narrator, who comments on the characters, their situations, and the storyteller's task itself. Her amiable, conversational tone could be called avuncular if it weren't so clearly feminine. Sayles' pleasing black-and-white pictures illustrate the book with sensitivity and wit. While the story's fantasy element does not always meld convincingly with the realistic depiction of Zoey's family problems, at its best this unusual early chapter book succeeds in both areas.--Phelan, Carolyn Copyright 2009 Booklist
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by Publisher's Weekly Review
In this blend of family drama and fantasy, Bauer plays with the classic notion of a doll coming to life, but in truth, the story is about a girl and her mother. One day Zoey's single mother takes her to visit a grandmother she never knew existed. Bewildered by the obvious friction between the two women, Zoey explores the house and discovers a tiny china doll, who is brought to life by Zoey's tear. Zoey has always believed toys could come alive, but is peculiarly rewarded for her faith as the domineering doll convinces Zoey that she is a princess and Zoey her servant. As the relationship between girl and doll develops, Zoey's mother's character unfolds in unsettling pieces. Told in alternating points of view between the doll and Zoey, with frequent addresses to the reader-"Just about now, you're probably wondering what kind of story this is, anyway"-Bauer's novel raises worrisome, unresolved questions about Zoey's fate. The characters' flaws give the story realism and depth, but those expecting a sunny, traditional tale will likely find it more disturbing than magical. Final art not seen by PW. Ages 6-9. (Feb.) (c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved
(c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved
Review by School Library Journal Review
Gr 2-4-Rummaging in the attic, Rose comes across a tiny china doll dressed like a princess and shoves it in her pocket. Her mother is sure that her careless, sloppy daughter will break the toy and is reluctant to let her have it. When she reaches for it, it falls from Rose's hand and over the banister. Scrambling down the stairs, Rose finds that the doll is unhurt. The next day, she decides that taking it to school for show-and-tell will impress her classmates. She changes her mind, but her teacher insists that she participate. The child bolts from school, carrying the doll tightly in her sweaty hand. She is not prepared for her to wiggle and squeal to be released immediately. This is one demanding and prickly princess. Even more amazing, Rose discovers that her teenaged brother is well acquainted with the doll. He named her Regina when his mother gave her to him as a little kid. Sam relates how he played with her and got into fights about the doll. The story meanders on with Rose and Regina bickering back and forth, but neither one changing, and Regina wonders if Rose will ever learn to be responsible. These two characters are not likable enough to make readers want to know more about them. Ann M. Martin and Laura Godwin's "The Doll People" series (Hyperion) is a much better choice.-Nancy Baumann, University of Missouri-Columbia (c) Copyright 2011. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
(c) Copyright Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Review by Horn Book Review
In Zoey's little family, "two is a just-right number": it's just Zoey and her mom. So, it's a surprise when her mom announces a trip -- to meet a grandmother Zoey didn't even know existed. It doesn't take long for Zoey to sense the tension between her mom and grandmother; their arguing sends Zoey looking for a respite, and here she discovers her mother's (very pink) girlhood room, complete with a dollhouse -- and a tiny doll who miraculously starts talking when splashed by Zoey's tear. What a perfect little pink princess this little doll turns out to be -- a perfectly bossy princess, that is! She assumes Zoey is her servant, and Zoey is intrigued enough to follow orders. Princess Regina has been around for a long time, and she knows Zoey's mother and grandmother better than Zoey does. More complicated than it seems, the story is both a sweet tale about a doll come to life and a bleaker, darker tale of a little girl facing some difficult truths about her mother. With the help of her grandmother and the doll, Zoey begins to acknowledge her mother's emotional ups and downs. The direct address of the reader by the narrator adds an intimacy that young readers will enjoy and helps insure that the serious undertone does not overwhelm the story. From HORN BOOK, (c) Copyright 2010. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
(c) Copyright The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
