Babushka's Doll

Well this was a surprise! I don't think I've ever encountered a Patricia Polacco title with such an overtly didactic purpose before, and I've now read thirty-five of her books! The story of an impatient little girl named Natasha, who never understood why her Babushka couldn't drop everything, and do just what she (Natasha) wanted her to, Babushka's Doll is a picture-book exploration of the theme of getting a taste of one's own medicine, as Natasha becomes the beleaguered one, when her grandmother's unusual doll comes to life.

I had mixed feelings about this one. On the one hand, I think young readers might enjoy the madcap sense of humor in Natash'a adventures, as she chases after Babushka's doll. On the other hand, while I do approve of show more the message - that sometimes we can't have what we want right away, and that it isn't very considerate to make a pest of ourselves - somehow the very presence of a "moral" in a Polacco book was jarring to me. show less

Ironically, I read this the day before Mother’s Day. Having a little person learn what the demands of a littler person are is an interesting read.

I don’t think I’d call this a nice book. But it is an interesting one. YMMV because you could consider this a shared imagination but could also consider this witchcraft or possession of a doll by a spirit or something like that.

Impatient, bratty and impulsive Natasha notices a doll high up on the shelf in her grandmother's house. Asking to play with the doll, her grandmother mentions that she only ever played with this item once.

After leaving the house, leaving Natasha with the doll, a great lesson is learned. The doll, a mirror image of behavior of Natasha demands rudely to hurry, hurry, hurry to flit from one thing to another. When Natasha is tired from the demands, she places the doll back on the shelf.

Increasingly, I find joy in the books of this author. The illustrations, the stories, and the importance of role models create wonderful reading.

Although the cover of this Scholastic reprint is shiny, the paper inside isn't and the pictures feel washed out and dull. They are also too hurried for my taste. But my primary complaint is with the blatant lesson that Natasha learns when a doll comes to life and behaves the way Natasha has. I don't mind subtle measure for measure, but I ended up feeling sorry for Natasha and I don't think I was supposed to.

Summary: Natasha can be a rather demanding girl, always asking her dear Babushka to tend to what she wants right away. But when Babushka lets her play with a magic doll, Natasha learns how heard it can be to let someone have their way all the time.

Review: A very sweet, true to life book, Babushka's Doll shows a side of childhood we've all either seen or taken part of firsthand. I think it's a great book to read with young children to help them understand the value of patience and appreciating the things others do for them.

Craft Elements/Lesson: Do you think Natasha is going to be as demanding to Babushka after playing with the doll? How is the doll like Natasha?

Polacco's very engaging illustrations, brightly colored, are a wonderful combination of the organic with the geometric. But really, you read this story if you have a four year old daughter. You hear a lot about the terrible twos, but nobody tells you about the f***ing fours, when kids often get demanding and try on selfishness for size. Not that I'm speaking from experience, or anything.

Sit down with that girl and read Babushka's Doll. Her eyes will be opened.

In this wonderful book by Patricia Polacco, a big lesson is learned. Natasha, the little girl, is very demanding and impatient. She keeps asking her grandmother for things while her grandma is busy. Finally the grandma asks to play with a doll on her grandma's shelf. The grandmother tells Natasha that she only played with it once when she was little. The grandmother lets Natasha play with the doll while she leaves the house. Once Natasha is alone with the doll, the doll comes to life. She starts bossing Natasha around. She eventually wears Natasha out with all of her demands. Natasha is upset and cries that she is just a little girl. When the grandmother arrives and hears Natasha's story, she tells Natasha she must have had a bad show more dream.She goes to sleep and the grandmother tells the doll that she heard she had a busy day, the doll then winks.
This teaches a lesson that patience is a virtue. It would be a good lesson in a classroom when teaching children manners. show less