Tag Archives: doll

290K: 50s or 60s girl with doll builds wagon, makes friends

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I read this novel in 1963 or 1964. A little girl is left to live with a childless couple in an apartment building, because her father goes away for work. The other children in the building talk about her among themselves, thinking she is like a snooty princess. But no, she is a very lonely little girl, and has only one possession, a doll. There is a broken wagon, and the children become friends with the girl when they all work together to repair the wagon. The wagon is a bed for the doll and it is given to the girl to take with her when her father returns.

289L: She discovers an antique China doll in the rags

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The book I’m looking for is a chapter book. It was in my elementary school library in the late 1970s but it was an old book. The cover was purple. The story was a girl who had to stay with an uncle and aunt. She goes to an auction and buys a bundle of rags for a penny. When she gets home she discovers an antique China doll in the rags. She loves the doll but in the end returns it to the lady who owns it and gets another doll in exchange.

289C: Curious old doll gets new clothes and a new owner for Christmas

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From what I recall about the ending of the book: There is an older doll who used to be played with all the time but now had long since been forgotten and was put in an attic. One Christmas she comes down the stairs to experience the warmth and beauty of the Christmas tree lights once everyone had gone to bed on Christmas Eve. While she is downstairs, Santa Claus realises he forgot a present for one of the children (was this an orphanage?) and he spots the doll. (And for some reason I keep thinking the doll’s name was Clara.) The doll is mortified that Santa picks her up and puts her under the tree as a gift. She is too old (too stiff) to make it back up stairs and she realises how outdated he clothes and hair look when the newer dolls are laughing at her. The angel atop the tree looks down and feels sorry for her so she somehow manages to adorn the tree with lots of new clothes. When the children come down the stairs on Christmas morning they want to play with the old doll who now looks new and stylish. (I do not recall if the doll was intended for one special child or not).

278F: A picture book with a doll, a bear and a kitten (Solved)

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I read this children’s book in the 1960’s. It contained photographs, not illustrations, and featured a stuffed bear, not plush, a doll with long blonde hair and a kitten. I think there is a scene in a barber shop where the doll’s hair is cut and I also seem to recall a ball of yarn being involved. The book was large format and I believe it was in color.  The bear was one of those that had movable mechanical limbs. The doll was also mechanical in that her arms and legs could be positioned. She reminds me of one of the early talking dolls from that era that were about two feet tall.

235D: Creepy anthology from the 70s (Solved!)

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Anthology of monsters or horror. One of the first stories was about a boy and his sister (or baby-sitter?), and the boy has an ugly doll with a red yarn string as a mouth. I think the yarn doll has a wire in the arm, and it scratches the girl, and she thinks it did it on purpose.
At the end of the story, the boy is wearing pajamas that look like those of the doll, and the boy starts to smile, and his smile stretches out into a red yard mouth.
I get the creeps just describing it again! Probably from the 1970’s. My memory is that it was illustrated, and hardcover.

227I: Told from a doll’s point of view

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I am looking for a children’s book that I read when I was in grade 3 in 1955 in Toronto. C. 1953? American?  It was a small short picture book/easy reader chapters 5.5″x5.5″, black and white illustrations and hardcover.

In the attic, in a trunk there is a doll (old) who wishes that a little girl will find her and play with her. Emily? is playing one day and wanders up to the attic of her house and discovers a small trunk.  I can still feel the hope and excitement of the doll (Henrietta?).  Emily opens the trunk to reveal a beautiful doll with a complete wardrobe of clothes and a parasol.

Thank you so much for searching for this book for me.

p.s. I named my daughter Emily after the little girl in this book!