Betty Doll

Like many other reviewers here online, it would seem, this lovely picture-book tribute to Patricia Polacco's mother, brought tears to my eyes. Based on true events from the author's life, Betty Doll tells the story of Polacco's mother, Mary Ellen Gaw Barber, and her beloved doll Betty, made after a terrible fire burned down her family's Michigan farmhouse. Betty Doll witnessed all the important moments of Mary Ellen's life: her first day of school, her time lost (and then found) in a blizzard, her trip to Chicago, to stay with Aunt Mala and Uncle Hugh, her college days, her marriage (and divorce), and the birth of children, and then grandchildren. Betty Doll was there during moments of triumph and tragedy, joy and grief. She was there show more when Mary Ellen discovered she had cancer, and decided to write a letter, to her beloved daughter, Trisha...

More than just the story of a beloved doll - although that itself will have appeal for many young people - this is the story of family, and the bonds between mother and daughter. It is deeply moving tribute to a mother, whose words give guidance and comfort to her daughter, even after she has died. The illustrations here are more muted than is usual, in a Polacco book, with black, white and gray pages enlivened, often, only by Betty Doll. This keeps the reader focused on the doll, on her role as witness to a family's rituals and rites-of-passage, and as a symbol of the love between mothers and daughters. Just a lovely, lovely little book, highly recommended to all young readers who may be struggling with the loss of a loved one. show less

A beautiful book. Betty Doll is a constant companion to her little girl. Betty was made by the author’s mother and grandmother after a house fire destroyed their home(and dolls).

Betty adventures with and supports her little girl and generations of children til her original owner dies and leaves Betty along with a letter to her adult daughter.

I cried and cried and am in fact crying again writing this review.

So five stars as an excellent book but also I was not expecting to cry my face off while cataloguing books today.

In grief and sorrow, when her mother died, the author packed away her beloved mother's possessions. A year later, she carefully opened a package to discover a hand-made, well-used doll named Betty.

A flood of memories occur, especially when reading the accompanying letter to the author softly outlining the many memories of the way in which Betty was the steadfast source to hold onto in good and difficult times.

Betty was made after a fire occurred, leaving her mother's family with few possessions. Lamenting that the three dolls she owned went with the fire, her grandmother looked on as her mother made a beautiful cloth doll.

Through illness, storms, marriages and divorces, Betty was present.

And, now, Betty comforts the author who misses show more her mother and rejoices that this special object remains. show less

In Betty Doll, we learn about a woman named Mary Ellen who is from Michigan. After a fire burned down their house Mary Ellen and her family were forced to move in with her aunt and uncle. The significance of Betty Doll is that Mary Ellen’s mother noticed that all her dolls were ruined from the fire so Mary’s mother promised to help stitch her a new doll. After that Mary took her doll that she named Betty everywhere she went. Betty the doll has survived many obstacles in life with Mary such as, thunderstorms, snowy blizzards, parties, weddings, and deaths of old friends. Throughout this biography Mary Ellen explains her life with Betty Doll from the day she stitched her up to her last days as she held Betty close to her chest. In the show more story we notice that it then jumps to Mary Ellen’s daughter Patricia opening a box from her mother and showing Patricia reading a letter from her mother with Betty in her hands. I really enjoyed reading this biography. It kind of took me by surprise as to how it was all going to unfold in the end. show less

Betty Doll was an excellent book, that could help in comforting any child going through a tough situation or the loss of a loved one. This biography of the author's mother was heartfelt and captivating. I loved the story of how a doll could have such a large impact on a person and a family.

Polacco tells the story of her mother's childhood experience with Betty Doll. She writes Patricia Polacco a note before she dies from a long battle with cancer. She passes the doll down to Patricia in hopes that the doll comforts Patricia just as it helped her. The doll holds memories from family events, Polacco's mother's childhood, and very scary events such as the snow storm. The doll is Polacco's mother in a sense. Polacco's mother passes the doll on to make sure she knows that she is always with her even though she will be passing away soon. This is a good book to read to children coping with family loss.

I really like this book. It begins with an introduction from Patricia Polacco explaining the how the story came about from her own personal experience with her mother’s doll. It tells of how a doll grew along with Polacco’s mother from childhood all the way to the end of her life. The doll was a silent observer and a constant friend. I think this would be great to read and have students talk about their favorite item or something that is special to them. It would also be great to discuss family heirlooms.