A little girl is invited to a party. The invitation says there will be prizes for the best-dressed doll, oldest doll, and the doll who can do the most things. The girl has three dolls that suit those criteria - but ultimately she brings Jennifer, her best-loved doll. Old-fashioned and sweet. ( )

I'm frustrated that I cannot remember whether I read this as a child or not... the story seems familiar but the cover does not at all....

When Betsy is invited to a special party at which prizes will be given to the owners of the best-dressed, the oldest and the most talented dolls, the young girl debates which one of her collection she should take. Finally, rejecting the prize-winners, she choose Jennifer, a rather bedraggled doll whose dress is tattered and who has no special attributes. None, that is, save for being a well-loved companion to her little girl...

I adored The Best-Loved Doll as a little girl, and read my childhood copy to tatters! There is a melancholy quality to the story, that seems quite common in stories of dolls and toys that are either abandoned, or in danger of being abandoned. What makes Caudill's narrative so satisfying, for the child reader, is that this abandonment is firmly rejected, not just by Betsy, who chooses to take Jennifer to the party, but by the adult authority figure (and elegant grown-up lady!) Mrs. Anderson, who creates a special prize just for this unusual doll. I liked the implicit message here about following your heart, rather than trying to impress others, and choosing to emphasize internal worth and emotional value (even in dolls!) rather than appearance or prestige. This one is a classic, and I'm so glad to see that it remains in print, so today's children can enjoy it as much as I did! ( )

I loved this story when I was growing up, and when I introduced my daughter to it, it became one of her favorite read-aloud stories as well. Lots of nostalgic warm fuzzies. ( )

Sweet book another childhood favorite. ( )