Rating: 4 Stars
First off, dolls are creepy AF. Always have been, always will be. I am so incredibly grateful that Eleanor has a very limited interest in dolls, so we don't have a bunch lying around the house staring at me.
This was exactly the kind of book I would have gone for in elementary school, based on the cover alone. It's creepy and the story is pretty interesting. In fact, I discovered this book when one of my students brought it to school and has been reading it for the last two weeks or so. I kept telling her to hurry and finish it, so I could borrow it. Luckily, I didn't have to wait because this week Eleanor's school had a family literacy night and the book was available for purchase at the book fair. I had to buy it, and 5th grade Sarah was not at all disappointed.
The story centers on a girl named Josie, who has to move with her mom and sister to their grandmother's house in the country after her mom loses her job in Chicago. Josie has all the typical worries as a new kid in sixth grade, and juggles those worries with the strange rules her grandma has laid out:
1. Do not bring dolls into the house
2. Never go to the house in the woods
Pretty straight forward, no?
Josie starts hanging out with this girl Vanessa, and immediately everyone stops teasing and picking on Josie. She likes this, because she thinks Vanessa is just the cooooolest, and the other kids seem to be afraid of her. As an adult of course it was pretty easy to see what role Vanessa would play in the story, even without knowing exactly how the story would get where it was heading. The notation of the locket was a pretty big hint, especially when followed later by Josie's grandmother telling Josie the story of her childhood friend, Victoria.
I'm tellin' y'all, anyone has something antique? They're the villain or an accomplice.
This book is definitely appropriate for upper elementary/middle schoolers. There's enough creepy suspense to keep some of those on-the-fence readers interested. I personally enjoyed it and it reminded me of the books I used to read at that age. I will absolutely be reading it to my class at some point this year.
No dolls thank you very much. They ARE creepy AF, I agree. I tend to avoid... :)
ReplyDeleteYES!! Especially the old-fashioned ones. Although, a few years ago my grandma had dolls specially made that were created from my baby pictures. That one is pretty cool. Otherwise, NOOOO THANK YOU!
DeleteThe cover is creepy looking. My grandma had a huge collection of dolls and I would never sleep in the bedroom that she kept them in. My mother has an old antique one, every time I see that dolls face it... I don't like it. I'll stick to cute teddy bears!
ReplyDeleteSame!! The old fashioned dolls like this one definitely creep me out the most. And there's nothing worse on the 'scary doll scale' than one that has a speech box and randomly starts talking in the middle of the night!
DeleteOh that would be scary to wake up to something like that.
DeleteRight?! I remember having one of those when I was a kid. I buried under my stuff animals a lot. Luckily it just talked and didn't end up in different places in the morning from where I had put it the night before. Not that I think dolls can be possessed or anything...yikes!
DeleteThis sounds terrifying! Dolls are one of the few things that are truly horrifying to me. I may have to check this one out! :)
ReplyDeleteYes! I really think it was a fun little read even as an adult. And if you know any reluctant readers who like creepy stuff, this might help them become interested!
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