Serena and the Wild Doll

Anne Hutchings, a former elementary-school teacher-librarian with the
Durham Board of Education, is an educational consultant.

In a musty, dusty attic lives Serena, a doll long ago abandoned and
forgotten by the children who owned her. Each day Serena primps and
prepares herself for visitors, but no one ever comes.

Then one day, the door opens and a fragrance of “the woods after the
rain and sunshine” fills the attic. There stands another doll, grimy
and unkempt. The wild doll invites Serena to join her in the beautiful
world outside. At first Serena refuses, preferring to wait for the
children. But later that evening, a green star winks and seems to beckon
to Serena. Outside, Serena searches for the wild doll. When at last they
meet, marvelous adventures ensue.

At dawn, the wild doll bids Serena goodbye. Heartbroken, Serena cries,
“Where will I live? What will happen to me?” The wild doll advises
Serena to “go where the children go.” Serena goes to a playground
where she is adopted and taken to a happy, new home. But every once in a
while, the green star beckons and Serena goes out into the night to
play.

Illustrations reflecting Julia Gukova’s Russian background complement
the text perfectly. The soft, muted colors add to the dreamlike quality
of Philip Coristine’s story. Together, Coristine and Gukova have
created a stunning picture book. Highly recommended.