The Lonely Doll

Rating:
Summary: Sweet Memories.
Review: As a child, my mother remembers reading and very much loving this book. When I was born in 1984, she sought it out, and passed on the precious story. This is not a childrens book to pass up. It is filled with magic and emotion...not to mention, great pictures. I would give it 10 stars, if I could.

Rating:
Summary: A Fabulous Book!
Review: Cherished for decades, this story is a wonderful tale for children. Through extraordinary photographs, you will find yourself gently fallng into the sweet world that Edith [the Doll] shares with her bear friends as we learn about friendship and caring. I was 5 when my mother first read me this story; now in my thirties I will be reading it to my own two daughters and am sure they will treasure it too.

Rating:
Summary: A little girl finds a home in a book...
Review: I can remember toddling around my library as a very little girl and finding "The Lonely Doll" at the bottom of the stacks, with it's beautiful pink and white gingham cover. Of course pink was my favourite colour and I loved dolls so I had to learn how to read it. Even though I can't remember accurately, I think this is one of the very first books I read myself. It's such a beautiful book and the pictures... I would kill to own an Edith!

Rating:
Summary: A creepy book
Review: I did read this as a child, and though I could not have articulated the unpleasant feeling it gave me--I never liked it, that sad, vaguely arlarmed, looking doll, or the text. As an adult I find it very creepy. The doll who is so lonely and invites in a domineering father figure. THe bottom-up spanking is the illustration frequently complained about but they all invoke lonliness and passivity for me.

Rating:
Summary: A Fabulous Book!
Review: I had vaguely remembered these from childhood, when my little girl and I stumbled upon it at the library. To those of you who see this as absuive and sending a negative message--please consider: A) It was written when spanking children was considered perfectly acceptable (and no, I don't condone that, my daughter has NEVER been spanked) and B)my kid found the spanking thing quite amusing and smacked the picture of Mr. Bear to punish him back. In other words: It's a pretty book, with lovely photographs and THAT's what the children enjoy.

Oh, yeah, my daughter ADORES the books and her Edith doll that goes with.

Rating:
Summary: The Lonely Doll
Review: I received this book as a birthday present when I was six. It was my first real book, and I fell in love with it, and never forgot it! For years I tried to find a copy for my own collection, and then last year in a bookstore I spotted the memorable pink gingham cover of The Lonely Doll and bought it for my girls. I have a second grader who is a very reluctant reader. Yet this book with its wonderful photographs and simple story has enthralled her and has her begging me for the others. I think it's done the trick!

Rating:
Summary: A little disturbing
Review: My wife and I bought this book soon after my daughter was born (she's now 7), because of the admittedly beautiful photos and what on the surface appears to be a sweet story. After reading it a few times, we half-joked that after being spanked by the father bear, the Lonely Doll practically tells him, "Do anything you want, just don't leave me!" This bothered us enough that we put the book away and no longer read it to our daughter. As it turns out, after reading reviews of "The Secret Life of the Lonely Doll," we find we weren't too far off. "The Lonely Doll" provides a bit of insight into the life of Dare Wright, whose father and brother left at an early age, and who had an unhealthy relationship with her mother. Unfortunately, her disturbed psychology seems to be reflected in the "Lonely Doll" books.

So, unlike others, the spanking in the book doesn't bother us per se. But we didn't feel the "don't-leave-me-I'll-do-whatever-you-want" undertext was appropriate for a little girl in whom we're trying to engender independence and self-respect.

Maybe we're being overly analytical about what is ostensibly a children's book, and there are certainly other children's books with less-than-ideal messages. But we thought the message in this one was particularly undesirable for our daughter and thought other parents might feel the same.

Rating:
Summary: Children will treasure The Lonely Doll.
Review: One of the most charming and unusual children's picture books ever published, The Lonely Doll employs photographs rather than drawings to tell the story. Particularly appealing to young girls, Lonely Doll depicts the adventures of Edith the doll and her friend Little Bear and the stern yet loving Mr. Bear. The book has enchanted children since the 60's and is gaining even more appeal now that a doll based on the original Edith is being produced. Your child will read The Lonely Doll with pleasure now and remember it with fondness as an adult

Rating:
Summary: sweet and simple
Review: Sweet, simple and very appealing to 4-6 yr old girls. I loved this as a child and during a library trip my 4 yr old chose it for herself. We finally had to buy a copy of each of the Doll stories. The ridiculous battle over whether to spank or not has no connection to the fondness my child feels for this story. She simply loves the cute little doll and the adorable bears. Dare Wright is very creative.

Rating:
Summary: BEWARE
Review: This is not an appropriate book for children! As a child, I myself found it highly disturbing. Although the pictures are cute, I would never allow my child to read it.