The Grandmother Doll

Margaret Bunel Edwards writes novels for young adults. She is the author
of Little Stitch and The Ocean Between.

Katy has the chicken pox and both she and her mother are tired of them.
When her mother tells her to turn off the TV, Katy goes to her room and
closes the door, hard. To Katy’s surprise, her grandmother doll begins
to talk to her and regrets that she doesn’t have a TV. So Katy goes to
her junk box and finds a small box, scissors, and crayons. She makes her
doll a TV, the doll makes an exciting program appear, and they watch it
together. During the day, Katy constructs a stove and a bed for the
grandmother doll. The doll, in turn, bakes cookies and takes a nap. When
Katy’s mother comes to say goodnight, Katy is asleep and her mother
whispers to the doll, “at it again?”

This is a delightful story for young children ages 4 to 7. They will
relate to being indoors because of illness. They will also be able to
follow the simple directions to construct from cardboard boxes a TV, a
stove, and a bed for their own dolls. Most important, they will enjoy
Katy’s make-believe and have their imaginations stimulated.

The lovely color illustrations, while full of interesting detail, are
simple and direct. The soft watercolors complement the imaginative
aspect of the story.

This book will be a favorite with young children who like to hear a
story many, many times, and who go over and over a picture, pointing out
new discoveries. Highly recommended.