From the Bookshelf of Mock Newbery 2026…
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What if our childhood games and fantasies were real? When is childhood over? Three children--on the edge of adolescence--set off on one last adventure in answer to a dead girl's wishes. Beautifully written. I particularly enjoyed the friendships between Poppy, Zach, and Alice. Scary, but not too scary. I plan to read Doll Bones to my 5th graders this year.
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Really more like 3.5 stars. This book is getting a lot of Newbery buzz, so my critique is a bit harsher than it would be otherwise. I thought the story was unique and interesting, and scary without being terrifying. One of those where the scariness is all in your head and not in your face. The adventure the three friends had was a lot of fun, even if it wasn't believable.
Here's where I had a problem: I don't know of any 12 year old boy who plays with dolls, especially not with 12 year old girls. ...more
Here's where I had a problem: I don't know of any 12 year old boy who plays with dolls, especially not with 12 year old girls. ...more
This is a brave little story, featuring middle school kids that play out imagined adventures with dolls. They've been creating these adventures for many years, resulting in a vividly described world with a history compiled by the three. When the boy, Zachary, is no longer able to play, Poppy (the youngest) comes up with an elaborate real-life adventure, hoping to keep Zachary and their third friend, Alice, from growing up and leaving her behind.
I thought the story succeeded on this level, the ...more
I thought the story succeeded on this level, the ...more
Poppy, Zach and Alice are friends who have vivid imaginations and play a lot with dolls. However, as Zach gets older, his father doesn't think it is for boys and throws all of Zach's dolls away. Zach tells Poppy and Alice that he doesn't want to play with dolls anymore and tries to avoid them as much as he can. However when Poppy brings out the "Great Queen" Doll that is in her mother's china cabinet, everything in the lives of these 3 children play. I wanted to read this book because it is a 20
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This is a very fun and creepy book that isn't too creepy. Just the right amount of creepy went into this one.
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Wow! When students ask for a scary story, this will fit the bill! And I can't wait to read it aloud. Unfortunately the cover and the title may make guys shy away, but it's definitely of interest to guys and girls. I'm going to put a YA (4th 5th graders only) sticker on it. I could hardly put it down, it was so suspenseful! One reviewer said she couldn't come to care for the characters, but I didn't feel that way. I'm glad Zach, Poppy, and Alice made it through their quest and remained friends. M
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A great creepy book for kids that love to be scared. The book was well written and had good pacing. The ending left a lot for the reader to decide, and there were a lot of unknowns that I would have preferred answered.
This was a wonderful genre mash up as it is part Gaimanesque fantasy and part quest story, but at it's heart, a coming of age story.
I thought Black did an excellent job with all three characters. They were spot on: preteens with believable back stories. Their interactions and fights were all accurate depictions which helped sell the ghost story part for me. I really enjoyed it and expect it to be a Newbery Honor at least. ...more
I thought Black did an excellent job with all three characters. They were spot on: preteens with believable back stories. Their interactions and fights were all accurate depictions which helped sell the ghost story part for me. I really enjoyed it and expect it to be a Newbery Honor at least. ...more
I gave it 3.7 stars, rounded up. Good adventure story even though it was weird and crazy in places. Kinda creepy too. Nice messages about friendship, family, stories, and growing up.
I really enjoyed this book. It has a nice creepyness to it. I really liked how Holly Black approached the coming of age topic in this one. It felt very honest to me.
Jul 28, 2013
Ernie Cox
added it
Dec 11, 2013
Shawn
marked it as to-read
