Ann M. Martin's The Doll People is a great book. Annabelle Doll is eight-years old - has been since she was made, over 100 years ago. Part of a family of eight, Annabelle spends her days being played with, avoiding "The Captain" (her owner's cat), and most of all, avoiding being seen as alive by any human beings.

When Annabelle discovers the journal of Auntie Sarah, who has been missing for the last 45 years, she decides to find out what happened to her. The fantastic adventures of Annabelle and her new friend Tiffany Funcraft are unique and humorous. The story is imaginative and delightful, and I really enjoyed reading it. ( )

How many of us, as children, believed that our toys, dolls or stuffed animals, came to life at night when we were asleep or out of the house? The Doll People takes that childish faith and breathes life into the Doll Family and Funcraft family in this delightful tale.

For over 100 years the Doll Family has resided in the antique doll house and been playmates for four generations of young girls. When the family isn't at home or are asleep, the Dolls come to life and experience the same activities over and over. They have sing-along's at the old wooden piano and wonder around their own house. They cannot be caught moving or out of position because if they are, their punishment is 24 hrs of doll state - that's being unable to move. If there is a major offense they could end up in a permanent Doll state, OH NO!
Annabelle Doll, 8 years old, has not seen her Auntie Sarah doll in 45 years (these dolls don't age - we should all be so lucky). She finds her aunt's journal one day when she is in the library of the doll house and after reading it decides that Auntie Sarah must be somewhere "blending".
She decides that she wants to go looking for Auntie Sarah. Persuading her Uncle Doll to go with her, they sneak out in the night and discover that a new family is moving in next door. The story of the two families - one antique dolls and one modern dolls and the cultural differences is just perfect to make the reader smile with delight. The adventures that they get into are truly amusing - just what a child would dream up for their dolls.

I have to thank Whisper1 for the recommendation of this book. After the chunky reads I've done this month, I needed something light and playful and this fit the bill perfectly. This story was uniquely imaginative and thoroughly creative for everyone who as a child always imagined that their toys really were alive and had spirit. I still believe that my Teddy Bear talks to me even with the threat of a permanent stuffed state. ( )

The Doll family has made their home in the same dollhouse, in the same room of the Palmers’ home, generation after generation, for a whole century. Much may have changes for the Palmers, but little had changed for the Doll family. Well, except for that time about 45 years ago, when Auntie Sarah Doll disappeared....

Full review:
http://www.twentybyjenny.com/812Books... ( )

If you are looking for something in depth and intellectual, this isn't the book for you, but if you are weary, tired and simply wanting something smooth, delightfully creative, imaginative and unique, then by all means, take a journey through doll land where magic occurs.

A porcelain family of dolls have inhabited an antique doll house for four generations. They come alive during the day when the house is empty and at night when the house is quiet.

There are funny adventures, both inside the doll house where the 100 year old family bangs away at a old fashioned wooden piano singing Aretha Franklin's Respect sockittome. sockitome, sockitome and outside the doll house where they hesitantly wander down the dark halls, sneaking under the sofa, hiding from the family cat who is ever lurking to catch them.

The book is uniquely illustrated by Brian Selznick and would not be as wondrous without the stunning creative art work.

When the young daughter of the real life people family receives a gift, the 100 year old doll family meet a brand new, modern, adventurous plastic bunch of characters who are not as rigid, up tight or breakable.

The author delightfully intertwines the personalities and the cultural differences of the older and modern doll family members.

I liked this book for many reasons, primarily for the imaginative wonderment of it all. ( )

A chapter book with illustrations by Brain Selznick co-written by the author of the Baby-sitters Club series (which (I haven't read). Dolls can live active lives as long as no people are around to see them moving. Auntie Sarah Doll disappeared 45 years ago; when Annabelle, a child doll, finds Sarah's journal and a new family of dolls moves into their owners' home, adventures ensue.

The gray illustrations are well done and capture the emotions of dolls.

It finally occurs to Annabelle to worry about why her family never searched for Aunt Sarah and what they would do if Annabelle were to disappear. Her mother reassures her that the circumstances would be different and they would try to find her. The book is fine, but except for a brief discussion about Annabelle's fear of abandonment, not life-changing. Then again, not every book needs to be. ( )