The Mennyms

Mennyms #1

by Sylvia Waugh

The Mennyms, a family of life-size rag dolls living in England and pretending to be human, see their peaceful existence threatened when the house's owner announces he is coming from Australia for a visit.

Genres: Fantasy, Fiction, Childrens, Young Adult, Middle Grade, Juvenile, British Literature

Library Binding

First published January 1, 1993

About the author

Sylvia Waugh (sounds like "cough") was born in Gateshead, County Durham -there was no Tyne & Wear till 1974- in Northern England in 1935. Having worked full-time as a grammar teacher for seventeen years, Waugh began her writing career in her late forties, after her three children were grown. In 1993, she published her first book, The Mennyms, which eventually evolved into an entire series. Ms. Waugh said in an "Entertainment Weekly," interview with Lois Alter Mark, "I created the Mennyms because the world is too cynical, too lacking in magic. People with dreams are an endangered species, and I wanted to write for them. I don't want the nastiness-the stuff I see on TV." Since completing her "Mennyms" books, Waugh has continued her focus, as "Horn Book" contributor Martha V. Parravano noted, on "what it means to be human by exploring the lives of those who are not."

Reviews

[Hilary · Rating 4 out of 5]

The author description for Sylvia Waugh has a quote - what it means to be human by exploring the lives of those who are not
This quote is fitting for the Mennym family, a family of dolls who find themselves 'real' after the death of their creator. This was surprisingly different for a 'doll' story, enjoyable characters and family dynamics. We loved the inventive ways the author made it seem perfectly plausible that these dolls could carry on living independently and without detection. For a read aloud there were so many interesting ideas to talk about, the idea of 'pretends' and 'reals', the way they stayed the same age made you realise that despite not wanting to age life isn't the same without it, it made us wonder what age would we choose if we had to stick at one age? It made us think about people who have nowhere to live whilst rooms and buildings are empty. We enjoyed Miss Quigley's role as visitor but was so glad about her change of circumstances. The teen angst made us laugh and we enjoyed Soobie's surprise find. There were several twists that we weren't expecting, although this is a book some people found sad, we didn't and found it quite optimistic. I certainly found it a sort of book that when the outside world feels too much this world felt like a good one to escape into. Looking forward to the others in this series.

P.S after reading this series, I would highly recommend this to older readers, YA and adults, although there is nothing particularly unsuitable for children, the series does deal with some heavy themes such as depression, death, and loss of a loved one. This is a very special series of books with characters you will never forget!

[Eddie Watkins · Rating 4 out of 5]

I recently recommended this book to a friend, a very sensitive friend, a Gilbert & Sulliven listening light poetry reading friend who does not want to deal with anything that makes him squeamish (one of his favorite words, which compels me to carefully poke his sensitive spots during our conversations to see exactly what he considers "squeamish"). He's always asking what I'm reading, and I say "I'm reading _____ and it's great but it'll make you squeamish. DO NOT GO NEAR IT." I don't even bring up Dennis Cooper with him...

I admit to getting some light kicks from poking his sensitive spots, but I also pride myself on diagnosing my friends’ reading deficiencies and prescribing just the right book for what ails them. So a few months ago I suggested he read The Mennyms, which is the first of five YA books chronicling the lives of a family of animate rag dolls. I had no doubts it would rock his sensitive skiff and fulfill all his non-squeamish needs. And it did! though he couldn’t believe he was reading and actually caring about a family of rag dolls.

Me? I’ve read all five books in the series twice. I read it the second time after buying a house because I wanted to read it in our new dwelling so that my reading experience would infiltrate the house’s atmosphere. Yes, that’s a weird notion, but I can’t be the only one here who knows what I’m talking about…

The premise? Three generations of rag dolls have lived for forty years in a house owned by a distant landlord. During those forty years they have had no direct contact with the outer world (though one doll has worked for years as a graveyard shift security guard), living in what was essentially domestic bliss; though, as it turns out, some of the younger dolls would beg to differ. But those forty years are not directly covered in the books, rather we meet them in media res as book one opens with the receipt of a letter from the heir of the recently deceased landlord saying that he is traveling to England to see them. This makes them all aflutter and the plot proceeds from there - through five books of vicissitudes and familial problems; through seeming death and reanimation; through sacrificial bonfires (squeamish!); through live rag dolls having to pretend they're inanimate rag dolls; and finally through the purchase of a new house that restores their previous domestic order and social invisibility, and presumably 40+ more years of homely bliss (with inevitable interior dramas).

All five books are fantastic. They are droll and wise and slightly satirical and even delve into metaphysical issues and fundamental notions of what it means to exist, all with the lightest of touches.

[Rosamund Taylor · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very strange children's book, in which a family of life-sized ragdolls become sentient and try to make a life for themselves in a suburban house. Always the same age, always stuck in family roles, unable to eat or drink, the Mennyms keep themselves separate from humans, and maintain privacy at all costs. They repeat the same events over and over, celebrating the same birthdays, pretending to eat Christmas dinner, afraid to leave the house lest someone figure out that they are dolls. This is a deeply strange book, full of a sense of dread and existential horror, and a bizarre parody of family life. Waugh captures a claustrophobic atmosphere of unhappiness and futility, with a few moments of hope. Imagine if Samuel Beckett came up with an idea for a children's book.

[Sally Derby · Rating 5 out of 5]

If I had my way, the Mennym series would be in every middle school library. I fell in love with the first one, in 1994--so much so that Iwrote a fan letter to Sylvia Waugh, the author. I subsequently met her at the Children's Literature New England conference in Cambridge, England, and we have been corresponding ever since. But even had I never met her I would love these books. Each of the Mennyms (human-sized rag dolls who have been mysteriously endowed with life) is such a complete, well-rounded person that their world becomes as real as a fictional world can be. Teen-ager Appleby, especially, is not to be missed!

[Dennis Fischman · Rating 4 out of 5]

I missed this series when it first came out, because I was too old to hear about it for myself and I never had children to whom I could read it aloud. It wasn’t until this book showed up in a Little Free Library last week (with what looks like a tooth bite taken out of the bottom margin and the word “wellingtons” defined in startling blue ink) that I discovered the Mennyms.

The book starts out slow and it starts out all cute, and as it goes on it reveals that not having to eat, drink, or age is no preventative for confusion, petty spite, teen angst, existential dread, or love. Surprise!

I forget who said that a really good children’s book is a book that will keep your interest at any age. They were right, and this is a really good children’s book.

[Chelsea · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 STARS

I was expecting a little more from this story considering the reviews. I’m not exactly sure what I mean by “more,” but I feel as though I missed out on the magic of the Mennyms 🙁. I imagine as time passes their family’s tale of trying to live life with its complicated mix of pretends and realities may grow on me.

Does anyone else ever have that problem where a story becomes better than the initial reading after you’ve had time to ruminate over it a while?

The plot was very character driven, which is quite impressive considering the characters are rag dolls. Each of the family members have their own intrinsic flaws. I may be the minority, but Appleby’s character got on my nerves. She was so self-absorbed and arrogant; the epitome of an adolescent teen 😉. Goal accomplished lol.

Another Goodreads reviewer, blmagm, wrote, “The characters are believable enough, unfortunately, they are just not very endearing or even likable. Instead they are self-centered and for the most part surly with one another.” I couldn’t agree more! I suppose I was expecting to fall in love with the Mennyms family. Yet as the story progressed, I couldn’t help but feel disappointed when I realized that wasn’t going to happen. There are definitely some great parts to this book, but it’s not one I intend on reading again.

On a side note, their names are something else! I couldn’t help but grin a little every time I came across the twins’ names.

[Kaille · Rating 4 out of 5]

I still remember this book, and I haven't owned a copy in almost a decade.

The idea of dolls being alive should be childish and silly, but in reality, it's quite a haunting, dark story. The Mennyms are incredibly human in their worries and lives and conflicts, and I really came to empathize with them. Each family member is distinct and memorable, and I often found myself torn between what I wanted to happen.

Past the second sequel, the series isn't quite as well done, but I still think this is an EXCELLENT series and would recommend it to anyone 10+ who has an appetite for a 'different' kind of story.

[Sandra · Rating 4 out of 5]

Hmmm. This should be a book that I loved. The premise is just up my alley -- a family of life-size rag dolls who outlived their creator, only becoming sentient after she died. But somehow it seemed to get stuck now and then, and it wasn't easy to keep reading.

That said, it is fascinating in its own way, and the author created an unusual and compelling dilemma for her characters -- how to live and thrive without being found out by humans (who we assume just couldn't handle it, and dire results would ensue), and with some of their differences from human beings. I suspect if I had encountered this as a child, when I read even more voraciously and less critically, it would have been one of my favorite books.

Now I'd like to read the second volume to see if the pace of Waugh's writing improves. Other than the pace, I did enjoy it a lot; the thoughts and actions of the characters are really perceptive, and sometimes quite sophisticated. I think that the parts too sophisticated for most children to understand make this a more interesting read for adults than much fiction for children (although I am a huge fan of children's books, and find that good children's lit is much better than most adult fiction).

So I think I'll probably read Mennyms in the Wilderness, to see if it's a bit of an improvement. If I don't particularly enjoy it, I may still read the fifth and concluding volume, since I'm interested in how Waugh deals with what could be virtually eternal life, at least compared to human life, and how such beings might continue to thrive.

[blmagm · Rating 2 out of 5]

A children's fantasy involving a three-generation family of rag dolls who have been created some forty years before. The characters are believable enough, unfortunately, they are just not very endearing or even likable. Instead they are self-centered and for the most part surly with one another. Of course I'm sure I would be snippy too if I had experienced adolescent hormones for that long and could only PRETEND to eat and drink! My favorite part: Soobie, the teen brother ventures out to find his runaway sister, wanders into a church, and has a heartfelt conversation with God.

[Jannah · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is pretty ingenious, has slight similarities to the borrowers but quite original and Waugh has written likable realistic characters of a unique species :D
I love the author's voice, a dry warm British one reminding me of the Wombles and my school library ..

[Caro (carosbookcase) · Rating 4 out of 5]

The premise of this book is completely mad, but despite that — or perhaps because of it — The Mennyms is an incredible book.

The Mennyms live a quiet life in a British village just like many other families do. Only the Mennyms aren’t like other families. They are a family of life-sized rag dolls. They have lived without too much bother for the past 40 years. But their lives are turned upside down when they receive a letter from their landlord in Australia with a request to come visit.

Going into it, I was very skeptical about this book, but Sylvia Waugh does such a good job of making the Mennyms seem like any other family with a deep dark secret that could destroy them. The Mennyms secret just happens to be quite unusual! I felt so strongly for these characters because the character development is so well done.

The family spans the generations, including grandparents, parents, teenagers, twin grade school children, and a baby. There is even a friend who is said to live down the street, but who actually lives in the cupboard under the stairs. Life is complicated when you’re a rag doll!

This book has a twist that made me gasp. I kid you not! And at another point I said, “Oh, no!” aloud. I cannot recommend this book enough! I can’t wait to find out what other surprises this series has in store!

[Summer · Rating 4 out of 5]

I remember reading this book with my friend Lauren in 6th grade and I'm not sure but I just had a flashback to the sleepover in which we discovered the twist of this book. Hah

[Jennifer Lavonier · Rating 5 out of 5]

Who, or what, the Mennyms are is best summed up by a few lines from Chapter Three;

“They were not human you see — at least not in the normal sense of the word. They were not made of flesh and blood. They were just a whole, lovely family of life-sized ¬¬rag dolls.”

When Kate Penshaw died 40 years ago, the ten dolls she created came to life. Miss Quigly and nine Mennyms were each “born” with their own histories and personalities. Collectively they’re able to tend to all the household needs, but they’re careful not to draw attention to their unusual existence. To appear human, they “pretend” various activities, including sitting down to dinner together though they needn’t ever eat.

Sir Magnus, aka Grandpa Mennym, is quite proper with a respected past. He writes articles, some about his heroics in the military, for academic publications. He manages all his business via post and is able to remain unseen. His wife Tulip takes care of the household finances. Their son Joshua works as a night watchman at a local factory. He disguises himself well and only ever converses with one person, to whom he just appears shy. Joshua’s wife Vinetta makes clothing to be sold in local shops. Orders are placed over the phone and Appleby, one of the couple’s five children, makes the deliveries.

Appleby is fifteen and the exact picture of a difficult teenager. She’s insolent and audacious. She’s also the only one who can pass for human in the outside world, making her fearlessness all the more dangerous. Soobie is the oldest child at sixteen and is very practical. He is the only one who won’t partake in the family’s “pretends.” He’s also made from blue yarn. The twins, Poopie and Wimpie, are around five or six, and are typically imaginative children. Though Googles is a baby and mostly just sleeps, when she is awake she’s quite happy and playful.

Miss Quigly, the poor thing, lives in the hall closet and comes to “visit” every couple of weeks. The Mennyms, with the exception of Soobie, pretend not to notice when she sneaks out of the closet, goes out the side door, around to the front of the house and rings the bell. After visiting with the family for a few hours, Miss Quigley departs through the front door, sneaks back into the house and then into her closet until the next visit.

The Mennyms have lived in the same house since their creation. For forty years they’ve been paying rent to the inheritor of Kate’s estate through a management company. When they receive a letter from Albert Pond, the nephew of the man who owns their house, they fear discovery. Uncle Chesney has passed away; Albert is the Mennym’s new landlord and he wants to pay a visit to meet them. For obvious reasons, this cannot happen.

The family has other pressing issues to deal with. Joshua is laid off and must try to find another job in which he can remain concealed. Appleby is engaging in a secret pretend of her own and Soobie has found an unfinished doll tucked away in the attic. She’s another Mennym and his very own twin!

Waugh is a gifted storyteller and is able to draw readers into the lives of these unlikely protagonists. She’s created characters that are captivating and relatable, and the troubles they face are familiar and real, even if the Mennynm’s are not.

[Annelie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sylvia Waugh's "The Mennyms" is a fantasty-based novel following the lives of the Mennyms, a family of rag dolls that have come to life. After spending many years of self induced solitude after their creator died, they receive a letter from a mysterious man named Albert Pond, stating that their old land lord has died, and that he will be visiting them around Christmas. The Mennyms are frantic. Will their secret leak out? Can the ignorant Albert Pond be persuaded into not coming? How will this impact their lives from here on out?

The Mennyms family contains nine members, all who are equally featured in this story. The first, and most lethargic, is Sir Magnus. He spends most of his time in bed, creating crossword puzzles for the newspaper as well as frequent articles. The second is Tulip, a talkative, energetic grandmother who deals with all the bills and knitting. The third is Magnus's son, Joshua. Joshua is practical,realistic, and down to earth. His wife, Vinetta, is the fourth. Vinetta loves all the domestic duties that being a mother brings, and also enjoys entertaining Mrs.Quigley. another rag doll created. Soobie is the fifth. Sad, doleful, and blunt, he hates the playing pretend his family enjoys doing, impassively pointing out guilty flaws of the family. Appleby, the sixth, is a teen constantly tasting the bitterness of adolescence. A master of pretend and a collector of stamps, she is Magnus's favorite, being smart, energetic, and, unfortunately, crafty. Poopey and Wimpey, the twins of the family, are the seventh and eighth. Constantly in a life of play, they enjoy childhood and all the mischief that it comes with. Googles, the baby of the family, spends all of her time in the crib, occasionally being picked up by Vinetta for a "diaper change".

And then, of course, is Ms.Quigley. While the Mennyms (besides Soobie) pretend that she lives in near by street, in reality she lives in the hallway cupboard. The Mennyms, while they invite her over a lot, agree that they can't handle her in but small doses, and that she'll never be on the family.

All in all, I think this book showcased betrayal, life, guilt, and misery beautifully. I recommend it to those who have some free time. This book is both captivating and magical, if you see it through.

[Shoshanah · Rating 5 out of 5]

Growing up I used to reread books all the time. (This could be off, but I'm guessing I've read this one book 6 times at this point.) Except as I've gotten more and more into book blogging and as my to-read pile grows exponentially I feel far too guilty to do much rereading. But I miss it, which is why on my 101 in 1001 list I included rereading 3 of my favorite childhood series as something I wanted to do. I have several I could have chosen, but decided for my first to go with The Mennyms.

The Mennyms are a family living in modern day (or 90s modern day when the book was written, which basically means pre-internet) England. There are two grandparents, two parents, two teenagers, 10-year-old twins, and a baby all living in the same house. They're a pretty normal family with money woes and teenage angst, except one thing is a little different... they're actually a family of rag dolls. Life-sized rag dolls that realize how much of a novelty they could be to others if they were ever found out, but that doesn't stop them from finding a way to navigate the world around them through tricks they've learned.

I've heard of others going back and rereading childhood favorites to find they don't quite had the magic they remember, but thankfully these do for me. I do think it's interesting reading them before and loving Appleby (their teenage daughter) the best, but now it's really Soobie (their teenage son) that stands out. I do think it's a testament of how well the story is written that there's so many different characters, yet you really feel like you know each and every one.

I think the main observation I can make from reading these books so many times is how easily I notice the foreshadowing. I have to wonder if I read them for the first time now, would I have quite figured out the plot twist or would I have been just as surprised as I was reading these in elementary school?

[Soobie is expired · Rating 5 out of 5]

Se qualcuno si fosse mai chiesto dove ho pescato il mio nome, ecco la risposta. Per parecchio tempo ho addirittura usato il ritratto di Soobie della copertina come foto del profilo.

Avevo 11 anni quando ho letto per la prima volta Occhi di bottone. E l'ho letto ancora e ancora. La piccola me era stata conquistata da questo libro e dal mondo che l'autrice aveva creato. E soprattutto, la piccola me aveva trovato un'anima affine: Soobie. In una famiglia di bambole a grandezza intera che riuscivano a passare per umani, Soobie era l'unico fatto con della stoffa blu. Era l'unico a non poter uscire di casa, costretto a guardare il mondo dalla finestra.

Ma Soobie è anche quello che si prende la responsabilità di uscire di notte per cercare la sorella. È quello che va in chiesa per cercare aiuto ma non è sicuro di credere veramente. La sua disperazione mentre cerca di pregare dà vita ad una delle mie citazioni preferite:

“Being Soobie, always honest to himself, he was prepared to be no less than honest to God.
– I do not know who made the part of me that thinks. I do not know who I really am or what I really am. I am never satisfied to pretend. I cannot pretend that you are listening to me. I can only give you the benefit of the doubt. And it is a massive doubt, I can tell you. I do not know whether I believe in you, and, what is worse, you might not believe in me. But I need help and there is nowhere else to turn. The flesh-and-blood people who come here have something they called faith. Please, if you are listening to a rag doll with a blue face, let the faith of those others be enough for you to help me. I must find my sister, or my mother will be the first of us to die. Dear God, I don’t even know what that means!”

Soobie è il primo personaggio letterario di cui mi sia mai innamorata. E per questo motivo, questo romanzo è uno dei miei preferiti.

[Gardy (Elisa G) · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ho rincorso questo libro per anni, dopo averlo letto da bimba.
Che emozione, finalmente, reimmergermi nell'ombrosa e cupa atmosfera di casa Mennym, dove bambole di pezza di grandezza umana hanno preso vita senza una precisa spiegazione e vivono assieme, condividendo ricordi che non hanno vissuto e rispettando una gerarchia familiare imposta dal loro aspetto fisico.
Una bellissima storia che riserverà qualche colpo di scena persino per i grandi, anche se magari i più piccini non apprezzeranno le parti più angoscianti o tristi, di cui abbonda il libro. Un apprezzabile spaccato familiare e un superbo tratteggiare di caratteri, che "fingono" e insieme incarnano le emozioni umane.
Se il libro vale 2 stellette e mezza, ne conquista un'altra metà per l'indimenticabile personaggio di Soobie, l'unica bambola blu della famiglia, il cui meditabondo e sincero animo gli hanno fatto superare quasi indenne le nebbie dei miei ricordi d'infanzia.
Nota dolentissima; il libro in realtà è il primo capitolo di una saga familiare, che è rimasta inedita in Italia nelle sue successive vicissitudini.

[Kathleen · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a great story about a family of "human-size sentient rag dolls" who live in an old house together. Unlike so many books for this age range (probably late elementary/early middle school), there's nothing "edgy" about this book, but, at the same time, the characters aren't milquetoast and the story is surprisingly sophisticated. I read it aloud to my 9-year-old son, and it was quite a hit.

[Carrie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've always loved this book, and still do. I love the world created by Waugh, which is so realistic I never once don't believe the dolls are alive. She doesn't over analyse or try to scientifically or magically explain how they became sentient, which I appreciate (willful suspension of disbelief and all that...) Highly recommend.

[Omaira · Rating 5 out of 5]

Cuando lo compré no tenía ninguna expectativa, pero Sylvia Waugh supo desarrollar su historia de una manera magistral. Qué magia y cuánto amor transmite el libro, señor. Esa magia que ya no se ve en los libros juveniles.

La historia narra el día a día de una familia de muñecos de trapo que no envejecen y que deben llevar la vida más humana que les es posible con los medios que tienen; ¡los Mennym fueron los pioneros del "teletrabajo"! La familia entera vive en la casa donde cuarenta años atrás murió su creadora, la tía Kate. Tras la muerte de Kate los Mennyms cobraron vida y decidieron alquilar la casa a los familiares australianos de tía Kate, los legítimos herederos de la propiedad. Éstos aceptaron sin saber que sus inquilinos eran en realidad, bueno, muñecos de trapo.

Waugh dotó a cada Mennym de una marcada personalidad: el patriarca cascarrabias, la abuela-sargento, la mamá tierna y muy maternal, el papá metódico, el hijo melancólico, la hija repelente, los gemelos traviesos, el bebé para-comérselo-enterito...y una señora solterona que vive dentro del armario del recibidor y los visita todos los jueves. Es muy difícil no encariñarse con ellos. Además tía Kate les hizo unos diseños muy tiernos.

Es un libro muy lindo, ideal para chavales entre 8 y 10 años. Me gusta el costumbrismo y los pequeños altercados domésticos que se suceden y la atmósfera de paz y sosiego que crea la autora en esta narración cuando Appleby no la está liando. Realmente no sucede nada extraordinario en el libro, a parte del asombroso hecho que unos muñecos de trapo del tamaño de un adulto medio estén "vivos" y tengan pensamientos individuales y creen sus fantasías para ser "más reales". En cierta manera, esos muñecos me recordaron a mi en una etapa de mi vida.

Sin darme cuenta, La extraña familia Mennym se convirtió en un libro especial. Representa el fin de una etapa a la que le tengo mucho cariño. Pero hay que seguir y disfrutar de experiencias distintas.

No sé si leeré el resto de entregas, pero el primer volumen me acompañará el resto de mi existencia.

P.D: Pilbeam ♥

[Vera Viselli · Rating 5 out of 5]

"La famiglia che abitava al numero 5 non era molto conosciuta. Certo non erano invisibili, ma preferivano non essere notati, e difatti quasi nessuno li notava. Il signore e la signora Jarman, che abitavano da venticinque anni al numero 4, erano molto amici degli England, che adesso occupavano il numero 6. Vi si erano trasferiti soltanto da quattro anni, ma avevano fatto subito amicizia con l'altra coppia. Certa gente è così. I Mennym, no. Nessuno degli abitanti della strada aveva mai passato un pomeriggio con gli inquilini del numero 5. I Mennym, bisogna dirlo, avevano buone ragioni per tenersi a distanza. Non è che si sentissero superiori per il fatto di abitare lì da più tempo degli altri. A eccezione di miss Quigley, difficilmente avrebbero saputo che cosa significasse sentirsi superiori o inferiori. Semplicemente, non osavano mischiarsi con gli estranei. Perché vedete, i Mennym non erano esseri umani, o almeno non nel senso normale della parola. Non erano fatti di carne e di sangue. Erano tutta una famiglia di bellissime bambole di pezza a grandezza naturale. Vivevano e camminavano e parlavano e respiravano, ma erano fatti di panno e di kapok. Ciascuno aveva dentro una scatoletta della voce, come quelle che si mettono negli orsacchiotti di peluche per fargli fare il verso come gli orsi veri".

Ecco a voi la famiglia Mennym del numero 5. Bambole di pezza viventi, che sono "nate" alla morte della loro creatrice, come se solo alla morte di lei potessero prendere vita. Sono abituati a vivere nell'ombra da 40 anni, ma all'improvviso succedono alcuni avvenimenti che li costringono ad abbandonare le loro consuetudini e la loro esistenza quasi umana...

[Rosie · Rating 5 out of 5]

All about what it means to be human. Made me consider and question all kinds of things about family, relationships, trust, identity, belonging. Thank you, Frida, for introducing me to the Mennyms. Now I know why you love it.

[Tabea Vanessa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Such a precious read!! All the memories.... big love!!

[Bethany · Rating 4 out of 5]

Past-me, I wish you could come read this book!

[Jamie · Rating 5 out of 5]

i don’t know where this book came from, my mom didn’t remember the name so it must’ve been one of my sisters. i liked it. can one of you order the second one from the library for me plsplspls

[Soobie is expired · Rating 5 out of 5]

2021.09.25

And Soobie decided to read The Mennyms again. Probably for the 13th times. This was one of those books I had to re-read regularly. I stopped in 2003, when I finally could get my hands on an English edition. It took me years to get all the books of the series in English and I've realized I've never read all of them together.

How does it feel to read this book after so many years? Well, I asked myself more questions about the Mennyms' origins, that's for sure. I wondered how things work inside them, what Kate did to be able to make them alive. But at the same time, Soobie... Soobie is probably the best character ever created.

Soobie and his doubts. Soobie and his dislike for pretense. Soobie and his strenght. Soobie was what I wanted to be when I was younger.

I also love when the author described reals and pretenses. How important they were for some and how stupid they seem to someone else. Loved how the author described the gestures for each characters.

Need to read the next four books in the series, even if I'm a bit scared: will they be as good as this first book?

-----

2013.07.21

I've lost count of how many times I actually read this book, both in Italian and English. It's the first book I've bought second hand because I really wanted to know how it sounded in the original version. It's where I got my nick from.

This book was published in Italy in 1995. I was 11. And I fell head over heel in love with it and with Soobie of course. I love the idea of this life-size dolls who could talk and feel. But I wasn't that fond with the character of Appleby.

Anyway. Love it.

[Mishqueen · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm not sure where this book has been all my childhood, but I'm glad it's here now. ;)

The Mennyms are Real-not-Real by design, and live their lives under the belief that they are less than human. But I'm not sure I've ever seen a more clear depiction of pure humanity. Props to you, Madam Waugh! The story is an instant classic; an instant essential part of my childhood memories (the ones I was born with... *wink*).

For a story that rarely leaves one house, there are surprisingly many plot layers, many character layers, many emotions and many philosophical symbols to ponder every time I reread. Any good book leaves us looking at our own self; trying to figure Me out.

Now the only question remaining is; why isn't this book out there (and common) like The Borrowers or other magical secret families? I'll have to buy the series because my library doesn't even have them. Poor me, cry me a river at having to buy another book. ;)

[Craig · Rating 5 out of 5]

I think this book explains postcolonial Britain pretty cogently. Forced to turn back to methods of domestic production, a family of dolls stands in as an allegory for the British who are concerned that their methods of enchantment will fail without their history of empire. Furthermore, the landlord, visiting from the former penal colony (now a post world-war melting pot) threatens to hold the old mother country economically responsible for debts incurred on its former colonies. Where's the line between stodgy old tea parties and brute colonial force? Does a child's imaginary, fertile and untainted, hold the key to stitching a new postcolonial patchwork?

[Danine · Rating 3 out of 5]

I love books about dolls. This was no exception. A young adult novel that is packed with characters and drama that only a house of life size dolls could live. I'm OK with button eyes. I'm still not sure how I feel about going through the motions of everyday tasks. I guess "pretends" creep me out more than actual living dolls.

[Mara Vetters · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was really amazing. I loved all of the depth and levels that are hidden within the story. On one level this is a cute little adventure about a family of living dolls, but at the same time it has a lot to say about being human. I highly recomend this book to anyone, but come prepared to think!