Karen's Doll

Baby-Sitters Little Sister #23

by Ann M. Martin

When Karen's friend Nancy is hospitalized, Karen lends her the expensive English baby doll Karen's grandparents brought back from London, and Nancy mistakenly thinks Karen has given her the doll for keeps

Genres: Childrens, Middle Grade, Juvenile, Young Adult, Fiction

112 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1991

About the author

Ann Matthews Martin was born on August 12, 1955. She grew up in Princeton, New Jersey, with her parents and her younger sister, Jane. After graduating from Smith College, Ann became a teacher and then an editor of children's books. She's now a full-time writer.

Ann gets the ideas for her books from many different places. Some are based on personal experiences, while others are based on childhood memories and feelings. Many are written about contemporary problems or events. All of Ann's characters, even the members of the Baby-sitters Club, are made up. But many of her characters are based on real people. Sometimes Ann names her characters after people she knows, and other times she simply chooses names that she likes.

Ann has always enjoyed writing. Even before she was old enough to write, she would dictate stories to her mother to write down for her. Some of her favorite authors at that time were Lewis Carroll, P. L. Travers, Hugh Lofting, Astrid Lindgren, and Roald Dahl. They inspired her to become a writer herself.

Since ending the BSC series in 2000, Ann’s writing has concentrated on single novels, many of which are set in the 1960s.

After living in New York City for many years, Ann moved to the Hudson Valley in upstate New York where she now lives with her dog, Sadie, and her cats, Gussie, Willy and Woody. Her hobbies are reading, sewing, and needlework. Her favorite thing to do is to make clothes for children.

http://us.macmillan.com/author/annmma...

Reviews

[Jaclyn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Poor Karen tries to do a kind gesture and it blows up in her face. When her best friend Nancy gets sick and has to stay in the hospital for a few days, Karen lends Nancy her brand new English baby doll Hyacynthia to keep her company. Except she's not clear with Kristy (who's the go-between coz Karen's too young to visit Nancy in the hospital) that the doll is a loan, and both Kristy and Nancy mistakenly think the doll is Nancy's for keeps.

Karen's whole dilemma is sweet and well-intentioned. I love how she doesn't want to hurt Nancy's feelings by taking the doll back, and also how she doesn't want to hurt her mom's and grandma's feelings by admitting she gave the doll away. In the end, she does come clean to Nancy and after a brief fight, Nancy gives the doll back. But then Karen offers to let Nancy keep Hyacynthia half the time, kinda like joint custody of the doll, like how Karen has to move between the big house and little house. I found this final gesture the most generous of all, coz Karen didn't have to do that. So good on her, and I'm glad Hyacynthia will get all the love from both her moms.

[TheSuperKim · Rating 3 out of 5]

"The author gratefully acknowledges Stephanie Calmenson for her help with this book"

Translation: Ann M. Martin made the outline of the story and Stephanie Calmenson wrote it.

I mean, she was writing so many books then, I'm not surprised.

Anyway, what a change from the usual whiny! Karen stories. This one made actual sense.
And the resolution of the conflict was just, superb!

[Elise · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book introduced us to Karen's baby doll Hyacinthiya all the way from England. She let her to her friend Nancy when she wasn't feeling well, but didn't tell the little house family when her mom asked where the doll was, and much of the book is anxiety around that, since Nancy thought she was given the doll for keeps.

[Library_Dweller89 · Rating 2 out of 5]

Here’s the thing, Karen is kind of a brat.

[Christine · Rating 2 out of 5]

I dislike miscommunication as a trope. It was nice of Karen to share her new doll with Nancy.

[Ashley · Rating 5 out of 5]

I always kind of hated the name Hyacynthia, so I appreciated Andrew's repeated butchering of her name. (However I don't believe that a four year old could be that clever.)

[Alex · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very cute.

[Sayo -bibliotequeish- · Rating 3 out of 5]

When you were too old for childrens books, but too young for The Baby Sitters Club.
Ann M. Martin really is a genius to piggy back on the success of The Baby Sitters Club.

After reading the little sisters series I remember feeling like a real adult opening up that first BSC book.

[Natalieee :D]

I DID NOT READ THIS BOOK...
I DONT KNOW WHY IT IS POSTED
IN MY PROFILE...

[Kate · Rating 3 out of 5]

In which Karen loans out her doll to her sick friend, who doesn't want to give it back.

[Mellanie C]

I registered a book at BookCrossing.com!
http://www.BookCrossing.com/journal/13118438

[Joy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Karen is actually thoughtful, generous and kind in this one.