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House of Dolls
In a little house from another time, with lace curtains in every window and paintings hung in gold doily frames, Wildflower, Rockstar, and Miss Selene live a warm and cozy life. They wear fancy dresses, bake play-dough cakes, and spend their days enjoying one another's company.
For the three dolls, life is small but good.
But life is not good for Madison Blackberry, the owner of the dollhouse. Her grandmother pays more attention to the dolls than to her. The dolls have one another, but she is lonely in her big, empty apartment.
Then one day, as things always doeven for dollseverything changes.
This beautiful story from the acclaimed team of Francesca Lia Block, author of such novels as Weetzie Bat, and Barbara McClintock, author and illustrator of many picture books, including AdÈle & Simon, brings to life the power of love, family, and friendship.
80 pages, ebook
First published July 14, 2009
1 person is currently reading
647 people want to read
About the author
Francesca Lia Block
99 books3,390 followersFrancesca Lia Block is the author of more than twenty-five books of fiction, non-fiction, short stories and poetry. She received the Spectrum Award, the Phoenix Award, the ALA Rainbow Award and the 2005 Margaret A. Edwards Lifetime Achievement Award, as well as other citations from the American Library Association and from the New York Times Book Review, School Library Journal and Publisher’s Weekly. She was named Writer-in-Residence at Pasadena City College in 2014. Her work has been translated into Italian, French, German Japanese, Danish, Norwegian, Swedish, Finnish and Portuguese. Francesca has also published stories, poems, essays and interviews in The Los Angeles Times, The L.A. Review of Books, Spin, Nylon, Black Clock and Rattle among others. In addition to writing, she teaches creative writing at University of Redlands, UCLA Extension, Antioch University, and privately in Los Angeles where she was born, raised and currently still lives.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 104 reviews
April 26, 2017
This was a pretty good short story about a Grandmother who loved a bunch of special dolls who show her how to bring love to her family. The illustrations were awesome in this too. Look for this book at your local library and wherever books are sold.
April 10, 2019
Francesca Lia Block is known for a certain kind of edgy young-adult fare - her books don't draw back from depicting tough or disturbing issues that affect young people's lives - and she brings her unique sensibility with her, when exploring other genres (see
The Rose and the Beast
for some of her fractured fairy-tales). Her style and themes have won her a remarkably loyal fan-base (I've a friend who is simply besotted with her work), so when I learned that she had penned a "doll story," in the form of a chapter-book, I was intrigued. When I discovered that said story had been illustrated by the marvelously talented Barbara McClintock, I was even more excited. Now, having finally read House of Dolls, I am pleased to be able to confirm, at least for myself, that Block has triumphed again, taking a genre that might, at first glance, seem ill-suited to her particular style of story-telling, and making it her own.
This is the tale of a groups of dolls, heterogeneous in their construction, appearance and antiquity - you have Wildflower, a celluloid doll made with real hair, who had belonged to her current owner's grandmother; Rockstar (ironically named), a plastic doll with a mousy appearance, who had been a Hanukkah gift; Miss Selene, a delicate fairy-doll, with wings, green skin, and a secret sorrow; B. Friend, a "devastatingly handsome" stuffed bear, who only had eyes for Rockstar; and Guy, an army-fatigued African-American action-figure, who, despite their many differences, was the one true love of Wildflower's long life - and it is the story of a real live little girl, Madison Blackberry, who was a little too tall, had a sour face, and was desperately unhappy. The interplay between the dolls and the girl unfold in four brief chapters, as Madison enacts her feelings - about her distant, socialite mother, her frequently absent father, the grandmother who seems not to care - through the dolls, making them bear the brunt of her anger and her grief. Making them the scapegoat of her sorrow, and all those dark parts of herself that she cannot express to those around her, or even to herself.
An incredibly astute depiction of young girl psychology, A House of Dolls is rather dark in places (because, contrary to certain mythologies, we weren't all "sugar and spice" at that age), but it is not unrelievedly so, and has both happy moments and a happy ending. Despite this last, it treats it subjects and their experiences, whether girl or doll, with the respect they deserve. As my friend Kathryn, who recommended this one to me, (thanks, Kathryn!) notes in her review, playing with dolls is a far more complex activity than it is often given credit for being, by many grown-ups, and it is good to see a doll story taking that into account. After all, there's a reason therapists often use dolls to get children to communicate their difficult-to-express feelings and experiences: it is an activity that they already use, in that capacity. Madison Blackberry's resentment of her dolls might seem silly at first glance, but the truth behind it, the deeper feelings that her ostensibly petty acts reveal - feelings of abandonment, of being unloved by those whose responsibility it is to protect and care for her - are anything but.
I was struck, in my reading, not just by this nuanced depiction of the role of dolls, in a child's emotional life, but also by the idea that cruelty, especially in children, is so often the result of deep unhappiness. I can imagine many children enacting their frustrations in this way (or even by being cruel to animals, I'm sorry to say), so I think it's instructive that Block avoids condemnation, and focuses her readers' attention on the root causes of the problem. This is a fascinating little book, of course, but I don't want to focus solely on the psychological implications, as it is also just an engaging story, with delightful artwork by McClintock. She really is a master at depicting dolls (see Dahlia , for another of her doll stories), and her black and white drawings perfectly capture the emotional register of each scene.
All in all, this an outstanding little book! Despite its brevity and (ostensible) subject, I would recommend this one primarily to young adults, or to more mature middle-grade readers.
This is the tale of a groups of dolls, heterogeneous in their construction, appearance and antiquity - you have Wildflower, a celluloid doll made with real hair, who had belonged to her current owner's grandmother; Rockstar (ironically named), a plastic doll with a mousy appearance, who had been a Hanukkah gift; Miss Selene, a delicate fairy-doll, with wings, green skin, and a secret sorrow; B. Friend, a "devastatingly handsome" stuffed bear, who only had eyes for Rockstar; and Guy, an army-fatigued African-American action-figure, who, despite their many differences, was the one true love of Wildflower's long life - and it is the story of a real live little girl, Madison Blackberry, who was a little too tall, had a sour face, and was desperately unhappy. The interplay between the dolls and the girl unfold in four brief chapters, as Madison enacts her feelings - about her distant, socialite mother, her frequently absent father, the grandmother who seems not to care - through the dolls, making them bear the brunt of her anger and her grief. Making them the scapegoat of her sorrow, and all those dark parts of herself that she cannot express to those around her, or even to herself.
An incredibly astute depiction of young girl psychology, A House of Dolls is rather dark in places (because, contrary to certain mythologies, we weren't all "sugar and spice" at that age), but it is not unrelievedly so, and has both happy moments and a happy ending. Despite this last, it treats it subjects and their experiences, whether girl or doll, with the respect they deserve. As my friend Kathryn, who recommended this one to me, (thanks, Kathryn!) notes in her review, playing with dolls is a far more complex activity than it is often given credit for being, by many grown-ups, and it is good to see a doll story taking that into account. After all, there's a reason therapists often use dolls to get children to communicate their difficult-to-express feelings and experiences: it is an activity that they already use, in that capacity. Madison Blackberry's resentment of her dolls might seem silly at first glance, but the truth behind it, the deeper feelings that her ostensibly petty acts reveal - feelings of abandonment, of being unloved by those whose responsibility it is to protect and care for her - are anything but.
I was struck, in my reading, not just by this nuanced depiction of the role of dolls, in a child's emotional life, but also by the idea that cruelty, especially in children, is so often the result of deep unhappiness. I can imagine many children enacting their frustrations in this way (or even by being cruel to animals, I'm sorry to say), so I think it's instructive that Block avoids condemnation, and focuses her readers' attention on the root causes of the problem. This is a fascinating little book, of course, but I don't want to focus solely on the psychological implications, as it is also just an engaging story, with delightful artwork by McClintock. She really is a master at depicting dolls (see Dahlia , for another of her doll stories), and her black and white drawings perfectly capture the emotional register of each scene.
All in all, this an outstanding little book! Despite its brevity and (ostensible) subject, I would recommend this one primarily to young adults, or to more mature middle-grade readers.
February 23, 2011
"[Block and McClintock have] made a book that is more than pretty and sweet, though it's both of these things. HOUSE OF DOLLS is tragic and hopeful and strange and lovely." So says Emily Jenkins (author of Toys Go Out: Being the Adventures of a Knowledgeable Stingray, a Toughy Little Buffalo, and Someone Called Plastic) and I couldn't agree more.
This is the story of three dolls, beautiful and beloved Wildflower; thoughtful and mockingly named Rockstar; and Miss Selene, the fairy who is missing something very special. It is also the story of the little girl, Madison Blackberry, "a tall-for-her-age, sour-faced girl who secretly wished, more than almost anything, that she could live in the dollhouse with the dolls" because the dolls seem so loving and friendly and close. And Madison Blackberry's family isn't so much.
The dolls live in a beautiful house with all the clothes they could wish for (created and supplied by Madison Blackberry's grandmother), a bonsai tree and gazing pool in the yard, and all the play-dough cakes they could wish for. But Madison Blackberry doesn't have everything she wants and soon she decides the dolls shouldn't get everything, either.
I thought this would be a sweet, cozy, fanciful story. And, in many ways it is. But it is also very real, by turns sad and frustrating and not at all a fairytale though there is a happy ending. I wasn't sure, at first, how I felt about dolls feeling tingles at the touch of a boyfriend. Or addressing deep questions about the nature of grown-up, scary things like war: "War is being blinded and locked in a box, unable to see, hear or touch you my wildflower. War is being reminded that you are completely at the mercy of death at every moment, without the illusion that you are not. Without the distractions that make life worth living." Gosh! I thought I signed up for a book about dolls wearing pretty clothes and eating play-dough cakes. But, you know what, my own dolls never existed solely to be fashion models or audiences for my latest inedible culinary creation. They played out my own dreams and fears and helped me come to terms with my developing awareness of the world outside the dollhouse. And I think it's pretty cool that this book honors the complexities that surround what is so often ignored or denigrated as mere "child's play."
ETA: Apparently some reviewers have listed this as YA rather than a children's book. Please note my comments below regarding the appropriate age range and parental guidance on this book.
This is the story of three dolls, beautiful and beloved Wildflower; thoughtful and mockingly named Rockstar; and Miss Selene, the fairy who is missing something very special. It is also the story of the little girl, Madison Blackberry, "a tall-for-her-age, sour-faced girl who secretly wished, more than almost anything, that she could live in the dollhouse with the dolls" because the dolls seem so loving and friendly and close. And Madison Blackberry's family isn't so much.
The dolls live in a beautiful house with all the clothes they could wish for (created and supplied by Madison Blackberry's grandmother), a bonsai tree and gazing pool in the yard, and all the play-dough cakes they could wish for. But Madison Blackberry doesn't have everything she wants and soon she decides the dolls shouldn't get everything, either.
I thought this would be a sweet, cozy, fanciful story. And, in many ways it is. But it is also very real, by turns sad and frustrating and not at all a fairytale though there is a happy ending. I wasn't sure, at first, how I felt about dolls feeling tingles at the touch of a boyfriend. Or addressing deep questions about the nature of grown-up, scary things like war: "War is being blinded and locked in a box, unable to see, hear or touch you my wildflower. War is being reminded that you are completely at the mercy of death at every moment, without the illusion that you are not. Without the distractions that make life worth living." Gosh! I thought I signed up for a book about dolls wearing pretty clothes and eating play-dough cakes. But, you know what, my own dolls never existed solely to be fashion models or audiences for my latest inedible culinary creation. They played out my own dreams and fears and helped me come to terms with my developing awareness of the world outside the dollhouse. And I think it's pretty cool that this book honors the complexities that surround what is so often ignored or denigrated as mere "child's play."
ETA: Apparently some reviewers have listed this as YA rather than a children's book. Please note my comments below regarding the appropriate age range and parental guidance on this book.
May 13, 2011
Ugh. The illustrations were nice, but the book lacks an audience. Teens, even fans of Block, are likely to pass over it because it looks too childish and young girls are unlikely to stick with the flowery descriptions because of the paper-thin plot. Probably best for adult fans of Block? Not sure where to put this in my library.
August 21, 2012
So, FLB is kinda kooky. Generally good, but kooky. We know this. And for all her Weetzie Bat street cred, she's also written a fairy/satyr-based dating guide, so let's not start handing out free passes just yet.
House of Dolls, an offering for younger readers, is a wispy (about 60 pages of scant text) middle-reader-level story centered on the social and romantic life of several dolls in a rich girl's dollhouse. That girl, Madison Blackberry, acts as a malevolent, capricious god toward the dolls. She never displays any awareness or belief as to their sentience, thus bringing chaos and fear into the dollhouse. It's kinda like the Velveteen Rabbit on Opposite Day.
The dolls, gifted with names like Wildflower, Rockstar, and Miss Selene, mostly endure Blackberry's cruelty and neglect by dressing up, having tea parties, and pursuing genteel courtships with a boy doll called Guy, as well as a stuffed bear. But their lives are disrupted severely when Blackberry plays her draft card, and sends the men off to "war" (which in real life means she shoves them into a shoebox and stuffs it in a closet, Texas-funeral style). The girl dolls must then endure a lonely life on the homefront while confronting some of their darker dreams.
The story also shows some of Blackberry's life in a hard-edged Manhattan penthouse. Various family members display a range of poor relationship skills (mirroring the world of the dollhouse), and it isn't until Blackberry's grandmother, the original owner of the dolls, sets her and her family straight that young Blackberry can stop taking her emo rage out on the dolls, and improves their living conditions like a good god should.
The whole story reads like a fairy tale, complete with fairy tale princess tropes and the frequent use of "explanation by fiat." This should surprise no one, because the emo fairy tale is FLB's signature move. In style, it's actually too similar to Weetzie Bat. Because House of Dolls is intended for younger readers, the story is slightly less dark and definitely less sexualized than most of her work. But the bare-bones style (in keeping with classic FLB writing) doesn't allow for a lot of plot or character development, and this is unfortunate because the subjects FLB addresses will be best understood by a slightly older crowd who might appreciate a bit more meat in their plot (say 6th to 8th graders, or even early high schoolers), but the text seems geared toward younger readers. I just can't picture a reader knocking down something by Gail Carson Levine (also a fairy tale writer for this age group), and then really enjoying House of Dolls. It's like expecting to be satisfied with a few Skittles for dinner when you're used to a solid portion of mac'n'cheese.
It's too bad, because House of Dolls isn't a terrible story. It just feels like it was shoehorned into a format and marketing niche that it wasn't originally intended for. The original hardcover list price was something around $16 (which yes, I realize almost nobody pays). But for that kind of price, I'd want a full collection of stories, not just one. The book does feature illustrations by Barbara McClintock, which may distract from the sparseness of the plot.
House of Dolls, an offering for younger readers, is a wispy (about 60 pages of scant text) middle-reader-level story centered on the social and romantic life of several dolls in a rich girl's dollhouse. That girl, Madison Blackberry, acts as a malevolent, capricious god toward the dolls. She never displays any awareness or belief as to their sentience, thus bringing chaos and fear into the dollhouse. It's kinda like the Velveteen Rabbit on Opposite Day.
The dolls, gifted with names like Wildflower, Rockstar, and Miss Selene, mostly endure Blackberry's cruelty and neglect by dressing up, having tea parties, and pursuing genteel courtships with a boy doll called Guy, as well as a stuffed bear. But their lives are disrupted severely when Blackberry plays her draft card, and sends the men off to "war" (which in real life means she shoves them into a shoebox and stuffs it in a closet, Texas-funeral style). The girl dolls must then endure a lonely life on the homefront while confronting some of their darker dreams.
The story also shows some of Blackberry's life in a hard-edged Manhattan penthouse. Various family members display a range of poor relationship skills (mirroring the world of the dollhouse), and it isn't until Blackberry's grandmother, the original owner of the dolls, sets her and her family straight that young Blackberry can stop taking her emo rage out on the dolls, and improves their living conditions like a good god should.
The whole story reads like a fairy tale, complete with fairy tale princess tropes and the frequent use of "explanation by fiat." This should surprise no one, because the emo fairy tale is FLB's signature move. In style, it's actually too similar to Weetzie Bat. Because House of Dolls is intended for younger readers, the story is slightly less dark and definitely less sexualized than most of her work. But the bare-bones style (in keeping with classic FLB writing) doesn't allow for a lot of plot or character development, and this is unfortunate because the subjects FLB addresses will be best understood by a slightly older crowd who might appreciate a bit more meat in their plot (say 6th to 8th graders, or even early high schoolers), but the text seems geared toward younger readers. I just can't picture a reader knocking down something by Gail Carson Levine (also a fairy tale writer for this age group), and then really enjoying House of Dolls. It's like expecting to be satisfied with a few Skittles for dinner when you're used to a solid portion of mac'n'cheese.
It's too bad, because House of Dolls isn't a terrible story. It just feels like it was shoehorned into a format and marketing niche that it wasn't originally intended for. The original hardcover list price was something around $16 (which yes, I realize almost nobody pays). But for that kind of price, I'd want a full collection of stories, not just one. The book does feature illustrations by Barbara McClintock, which may distract from the sparseness of the plot.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 18, 2012
I was disappointed in this book. I thought it could have been so good. B. McClintock is one of my favorite illustrators, and the illustrations were great, but the story was not good. It was just such a sad little story with no depth to the characters at all. Who was this intended for? Because I really don't think kids would get this at all. Guy says that war is the absence of the distactions that makes life liveable. Oh ya, that's upbeat. Ya, this was a big disappointment, sauf the illustrations.
June 18, 2010
Not nearly as great as the 'starred booklist review'.
The book tells the story of a dollhouse, and the dolls that live inside. On the plus side, at 60 pages, I read the whole thing in about a half-hour. I did enjoy Barbara McClintock's illustrations.
The book tells the story of a dollhouse, and the dolls that live inside. On the plus side, at 60 pages, I read the whole thing in about a half-hour. I did enjoy Barbara McClintock's illustrations.
June 10, 2024
I’m on a Francesca Lia Block binge now and I’ve been going through every FLB book available in the public library! This had her signature gorgeous imagery-dominated writing. It was also cute and sweet. A little world I wanted to inhabit.
December 25, 2019
[9/10]
June 24, 2010
We have this book in the children's department of the library. It is a good story, but I can't think of any children that would enjoy this book. It was a very quick read (30 minutes). Some parts of it would be difficult for children to understand the actual meaning. It might be a good one for parents to read with children to explain what is really going on.
May 7, 2010
One Sentence Review: Though I can see how the sheer strangeness of the title might put people off, after more than a year this book remains crisp and clear in my mind, just as it will for the kids who chose to read it.
July 26, 2010
I can't figure out the ideal audience for this one. The vocabulary is laborious and yet the book is small. Eventhough the pages are tiny, the text block inside the book is even tinier. The subject matter is dolls, but the lexile level is at least middle school, if not higher.
April 14, 2019
Known for being poetic and surreal while featuring elements from the real world, Francesca Lia Block’s latest, House of Dolls, is lovingly illustrated and difficult to sell. Its charming trim size and brightly-colored cover make it appeal to a picture book audience, but the length of the text will make it hard for most children under the age of 8 to sit through.
This reads as an ambitious project, tackling many tough subjects, filtered through the lens of three female dolls, two boyfriend doll-counterparts, and one human girl. The subtle themes of love and loss, family relations, and the larger context of wartime struggles may require some explaining to a younger reader. It is difficult to see quite how the human characters arrive at the ending they do, when the connecting piece is so clearly missing. Part of the story deals with the human girl’s jealousy over the gorgeous doll clothes sewn by her grandmother. At a pivotal point in the book, one doll designs three dresses for herself and her doll friends – this would have been the perfect moment to draw a fourth dress for the little girl, giving the grandmother a clue that she wants to be involved. While the grandmother does eventually make a dress for her granddaughter, it’s a stretch of the imagination to see how she comes to this conclusion. Perhaps the author, in signature style, felt that obvious a plot point did not fit with her writing, but as a reader, it would have helped.
The delightful, delicate, and intricately detailed illustrations are classic McClintock, and lend an air of charm to an otherwise heavily-burdened book that tries to do too much at once.
This reads as an ambitious project, tackling many tough subjects, filtered through the lens of three female dolls, two boyfriend doll-counterparts, and one human girl. The subtle themes of love and loss, family relations, and the larger context of wartime struggles may require some explaining to a younger reader. It is difficult to see quite how the human characters arrive at the ending they do, when the connecting piece is so clearly missing. Part of the story deals with the human girl’s jealousy over the gorgeous doll clothes sewn by her grandmother. At a pivotal point in the book, one doll designs three dresses for herself and her doll friends – this would have been the perfect moment to draw a fourth dress for the little girl, giving the grandmother a clue that she wants to be involved. While the grandmother does eventually make a dress for her granddaughter, it’s a stretch of the imagination to see how she comes to this conclusion. Perhaps the author, in signature style, felt that obvious a plot point did not fit with her writing, but as a reader, it would have helped.
The delightful, delicate, and intricately detailed illustrations are classic McClintock, and lend an air of charm to an otherwise heavily-burdened book that tries to do too much at once.
January 15, 2024
Wildflower, Rockstar, and Miss Selene lived in a house from another time, a white house with a red roof and red shutters and a red front door.
This could have been an absolute banger. There's three sentient dolls with closets full of elaborate ensembles and a parallel plot where the girl who's playing with them needs love and attention. Y'know, like Barbie (2023). EXCEPT THERE'S NO PAYOFF. We learn about Wildflower, Rockstar, Miss Selene, Madison Blackberry and her grandmother who is the maker of all the dolls' beautiful dresses. The main point is that the dolls, after having their boyfriends taken away from them and then their clothes, leave notes for Madison's grandmother to make HER a dress so she'll stop being so cruel to them. After losing their boyfriends there's some talk of Wildflower and Rockstar wanting to change the world and themselves but WHERE IS IT THEN? Rockstar eventually picks up books since she's supposedly intelligent but how does this play into the grand scheme of things, exactly? I would like to see it! There's a way to leave things unresolved in a way that makes a story memorable, but there's also a way to leave things so unresolved, so messily strewn around with just the tiniest of implications that just leave one frustrated.
Anyway, the USPs of this book are easily its beautiful illustrations and the magical realism. Although the latter becomes increasingly disjointed like a stuffed bear with a missing limb. I liked the way the story was set up, though, and I definitely wanna read more of Block's work!
This could have been an absolute banger. There's three sentient dolls with closets full of elaborate ensembles and a parallel plot where the girl who's playing with them needs love and attention. Y'know, like Barbie (2023). EXCEPT THERE'S NO PAYOFF. We learn about Wildflower, Rockstar, Miss Selene, Madison Blackberry and her grandmother who is the maker of all the dolls' beautiful dresses. The main point is that the dolls, after having their boyfriends taken away from them and then their clothes, leave notes for Madison's grandmother to make HER a dress so she'll stop being so cruel to them. After losing their boyfriends there's some talk of Wildflower and Rockstar wanting to change the world and themselves but WHERE IS IT THEN? Rockstar eventually picks up books since she's supposedly intelligent but how does this play into the grand scheme of things, exactly? I would like to see it! There's a way to leave things unresolved in a way that makes a story memorable, but there's also a way to leave things so unresolved, so messily strewn around with just the tiniest of implications that just leave one frustrated.
Anyway, the USPs of this book are easily its beautiful illustrations and the magical realism. Although the latter becomes increasingly disjointed like a stuffed bear with a missing limb. I liked the way the story was set up, though, and I definitely wanna read more of Block's work!
June 29, 2019
This book looks like a young adult story, but it has very adult themes and I would actually classify it as an adult book.
It’s about how a young girl lashes out on her dolls because she’s not feeling loved or given attention to by her parents and family. The minute she is shown kindness by her family, she is nicer to the dolls.
The other secret in the book is that the dolls are almost alive-like in that they lead lives and have love interests and even have families.
A lot of really gut wrenching and heavy themes in such a short number of pages. I would call this sad, but with a happy ending.
Also, it has some beautiful pictures/drawings in the book, so I recommend reading and not listening to it.
It’s about how a young girl lashes out on her dolls because she’s not feeling loved or given attention to by her parents and family. The minute she is shown kindness by her family, she is nicer to the dolls.
The other secret in the book is that the dolls are almost alive-like in that they lead lives and have love interests and even have families.
A lot of really gut wrenching and heavy themes in such a short number of pages. I would call this sad, but with a happy ending.
Also, it has some beautiful pictures/drawings in the book, so I recommend reading and not listening to it.
May 26, 2023
A gorgeous and evocative tale of stylish love and the wars we fight within ourselves and our families as well as out in the world. Using a doll house for the setting and dolls as actors, Block explores ideas of belonging, love, home, and family. Written for older children I found this book was just as rich a read as an adult - particularly one who loves clothes, magic, and who believes that the quiet moments we spend fully with each other can be transformative.
The black line illustrations are also just gorgeous and render the story from page to picture in a beautiful ornate way!
The black line illustrations are also just gorgeous and render the story from page to picture in a beautiful ornate way!
September 12, 2017
What a lovely little story. Madison Blackberry is a girl with a beautiful mother and an important father. She lives in a tasteful apartment high above the city. But Madison Blackberry is so lonely that she's jealous of her dolls, who have lives and friends. She gradually takes everything away from these dolls, out of pure spite. The way the dolls react to this treatment and the way they fight back is truly touching.
July 25, 2021
A cute little short story,
house of dolls is a story about a grandmother that once owned a magical doll house that she gave to her granddaughter. The granddaughter, Madison BlackBerry is jealous of the dolls because the get more attention from her grandmother then she does. The dolls have a wonderful life in the doll house until one day everything changes.
This is a short 60 paged book but still has a wonderful fairytale feel.
house of dolls is a story about a grandmother that once owned a magical doll house that she gave to her granddaughter. The granddaughter, Madison BlackBerry is jealous of the dolls because the get more attention from her grandmother then she does. The dolls have a wonderful life in the doll house until one day everything changes.
This is a short 60 paged book but still has a wonderful fairytale feel.
August 8, 2024
It's both whimsical and kinda really stupid. Love the little book style, the drawings, the descriptions of the dolls and their little stylish lifestyle.
And then by part three we find out one of the dolls mentally blocked the memory of her missing baby? ?? wtf did that come from???
Anyways, cute book.
And then by part three we find out one of the dolls mentally blocked the memory of her missing baby? ?? wtf did that come from???
Anyways, cute book.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 7, 2017
I'm a big fan of FLB, but not this book.
August 11, 2017
Sweet and melancholy. Great for an adult reading with an older elementary student (3rd/4th grade) or independently grades 5-8.
June 24, 2018
A beautiful (and chic!) modern fairy tale.
August 1, 2020
It was cute. If you have a little kid, get this for them.
December 4, 2021
I loved FLB in my younger days but I wasn't overly impressed with house of dolls
December 2, 2025
Childhood favorite, re-reading it with my little sister
September 5, 2022
This book is made for children age 8-12, but I believe adults and children alike will enjoy reading this. I really enjoyed this story and it had my attention to the very last page. I think Francesca Lia Block beautifully portrayed the story of a young girl Maddison Blackberry longing for love and attention from the people around her . I believe that the meaning of this story would be better understood by a age group a little older, I think that maybe 10 and older would be a better suited age group for this book. The book is illustrated by Barbara McClintock. The illustrations in this book are beautiful and full of detail, I enjoyed looking at them and they related to the story very well.
I loved this book and I would recommend it to my future students and my friends.
I loved this book and I would recommend it to my future students and my friends.
September 10, 2010
Remember back when you were a little girl? Remember that doll house you had that was your mother's? ANd before that was your grandmother's?
Or perhaps you remember a special doll that you weren't allowed to touch but you longed to. REmember it sat in your mother's room on the high shelf... just out of reach of little fingers. SHe told you that was your great-grandmother's doll and was not meant to be played with. But it looked as though it had been played with. It looked as though it had been played with a lot.
The House of Dolls is Francesca Lia Block's version of a children's fairytale. Not the kind of tale she gives us with her Weetzie books but a real picture book that you could sit and read with your little ones. I no longer have any little ones that would be willing to curl up on the couch with me (my 13 year old boy wouldn't dig this) so, I don't think I was able to experience this book the way it was meant to. But I sure did find the story very interesting and the illustrations were magnificent.
I think any girl would be able to relate to this story. We've all had a doll or two in our life. Even if we were a stuffed animal kinda girl (which I was but I still had some Barbies), you will still be able to relate to this.
It's brilliant in the way that the little girl who owns the dolls is jealous of them in their own little way. I know that might seem odd but I tend to remember shying away from pretty things in my youth. Perhaps I thought they would out-shine me.
I love the grandmother in this story. She reminded me of my own. I too had a grandmother who would make clothes for my little friends. THat kind of grandma is nearly extinct. It makes me want to learn how to sew.
The ending of the story will take your breath away. I don't want to be a spoiler bunny but I thought it was very very well done.
And of course... since it was a fairytale :) WE did get a Happily Ever After.... and being the wicked witch that I am.... it still made me smile :)
TOtally loved it!!
Read it with your little one then tell me what they said :)
Or perhaps you remember a special doll that you weren't allowed to touch but you longed to. REmember it sat in your mother's room on the high shelf... just out of reach of little fingers. SHe told you that was your great-grandmother's doll and was not meant to be played with. But it looked as though it had been played with. It looked as though it had been played with a lot.
The House of Dolls is Francesca Lia Block's version of a children's fairytale. Not the kind of tale she gives us with her Weetzie books but a real picture book that you could sit and read with your little ones. I no longer have any little ones that would be willing to curl up on the couch with me (my 13 year old boy wouldn't dig this) so, I don't think I was able to experience this book the way it was meant to. But I sure did find the story very interesting and the illustrations were magnificent.
I think any girl would be able to relate to this story. We've all had a doll or two in our life. Even if we were a stuffed animal kinda girl (which I was but I still had some Barbies), you will still be able to relate to this.
It's brilliant in the way that the little girl who owns the dolls is jealous of them in their own little way. I know that might seem odd but I tend to remember shying away from pretty things in my youth. Perhaps I thought they would out-shine me.
I love the grandmother in this story. She reminded me of my own. I too had a grandmother who would make clothes for my little friends. THat kind of grandma is nearly extinct. It makes me want to learn how to sew.
The ending of the story will take your breath away. I don't want to be a spoiler bunny but I thought it was very very well done.
And of course... since it was a fairytale :) WE did get a Happily Ever After.... and being the wicked witch that I am.... it still made me smile :)
TOtally loved it!!
Read it with your little one then tell me what they said :)
March 14, 2015
There were three doll who all lived in a beautiful house. They were once treated grandly with new gowns and love from Madison Blackberry's grandmother. Madison does not really like the dolls having all the fun though, so she breaks them up in hopes that it will make her feel better.
This is a hard book to set and age range for. The brevity and illustrations lend an air of juvenile fiction to it, but the subject matter is complex and subtle which makes me want to stick it in with older kids. On the surface this book is a beautifully illustrated story about a girl who has some magical dolls, but doesn't like they she is ignored and so takes it out on the dolls. You will definitely find Francesca Lia Block's flowing writing within the pages and they are magical. This is the story of a young girl who wants attention and can't figure out how to get it. I liked how most of the story took place from the doll's perspective. They were witnessing the changes around them and weren't sure of Madison's intention. Madison makes some of the characters go off to "war" as revenge for being so beautiful and happy together. This was a very quick read, it took me all of 10 minutes. The illustrations were lovely and the story was quite good, but $16.00 seems a bit steep. As I said in the beginning too, I'm not sure the intended age range of this novel either. It was a good read though, and if you are a Francesca Lia Block fan, make sure you check this one out.
First Line:
"Wildflower, Rockstar, and Miss Selene lived in a house from another time, a white house with a red roof and red shutters and a red door."
Favorite Line:
"The combination of boredom and jealousy is a dangerous thing."
Read more: http://www.areadingnook.com/#ixzz1pgy...
This is a hard book to set and age range for. The brevity and illustrations lend an air of juvenile fiction to it, but the subject matter is complex and subtle which makes me want to stick it in with older kids. On the surface this book is a beautifully illustrated story about a girl who has some magical dolls, but doesn't like they she is ignored and so takes it out on the dolls. You will definitely find Francesca Lia Block's flowing writing within the pages and they are magical. This is the story of a young girl who wants attention and can't figure out how to get it. I liked how most of the story took place from the doll's perspective. They were witnessing the changes around them and weren't sure of Madison's intention. Madison makes some of the characters go off to "war" as revenge for being so beautiful and happy together. This was a very quick read, it took me all of 10 minutes. The illustrations were lovely and the story was quite good, but $16.00 seems a bit steep. As I said in the beginning too, I'm not sure the intended age range of this novel either. It was a good read though, and if you are a Francesca Lia Block fan, make sure you check this one out.
First Line:
"Wildflower, Rockstar, and Miss Selene lived in a house from another time, a white house with a red roof and red shutters and a red door."
Favorite Line:
"The combination of boredom and jealousy is a dangerous thing."
Read more: http://www.areadingnook.com/#ixzz1pgy...
August 6, 2010
Francesca Lia Block is one of my favorite writers. She brings her magical realism storytelling to a younger audience with House of Dolls. Three dolls, Wildflower, Rockstar and Miss Selene, live a beautiful doll house. They have beautiful clothes and lives their serene lives with two male toys, a G.I. Joe type doll named Guy and a teddy bear named B. Friend. Madison Blackberry is the owner of the doll house. But she has no love for the dolls. This house belonged to her grandmother and both her grandmother and mother ignore her. She is an angry child and piece by piece she destroys the doll’s lives. First taking away their friends. She sends Guy and B. Friend off to war. Then Madison hides their gorgeous clothes, then takes away the one thing that is too painful for Miss Selene to remember. That’s the part that really gets me. Madison must find the thing she craves most in order to restore the dolls lives. Block’s beautiful, metaphorical writing describes the longing and pain of a child who wants to be loved and the anger she takes out on her toys. My favorite bit of writing is when Guy explains to Wildflower what being “at war” felt like to him.
“War is being blinded and locked in a box, unable to see, hear, or touch you, my wildflower. War is being reminded that you are completely at the mercy of death at every moment, without the illusion that you are not. Without the distractions that make life worth living.”
At the same time, Madison overhears her parents discuss their country at war. Block weaves these story lines together beautifully.
“War is being blinded and locked in a box, unable to see, hear, or touch you, my wildflower. War is being reminded that you are completely at the mercy of death at every moment, without the illusion that you are not. Without the distractions that make life worth living.”
At the same time, Madison overhears her parents discuss their country at war. Block weaves these story lines together beautifully.
March 5, 2012
This short fairy-tale-esque book introduces us to a family of mismatched dolls and illustrates how their lives are affected and reflected by the little girl who owns them. Living in a dollhouse that has been in the Blackberry family for three generations, the dolls have a close relationship even though they are very different from each other. The story isn't exactly clear on the "reality" of the dolls, but their owner, Madison, does various things to them mostly to express how she's feeling, and they appear to have various dismayed reactions. I've always been a bit creeped out by stories about inanimate objects not really being inanimate and being at the mercy of children, but in this case it was a good way of showing that this child didn't feel loved and wanted to strip love away from the dolls to assuage her jealousy and express her own emptiness. Madison's grandmother reads the signs and knits the family back together while also returning the dolls and their house to their former glory, but even though it's supposed to be a fairy tale, I thought it was a bit simplistic even for that. And true to form, Block threw in a ton of descriptions of outfits and accessories . . . for some reason when she does it it doesn't feel like adjective overload, because she's creating a feeling and painting a picture more than she's telling a story, I think.
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