Customer Reviews

The Adventures of Holly Hobbie

5 star:		(4)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I loved this book as a kid but even though I was a big fan of the Holly Hobbie stuff (had the doll, tea set etc) and originally picked up the book from the library for the title, I quickly realized it was a weird fit between the storyline and Holly HObbie. But it had elements of a story that I loved as a kid and which are still classic kid lit plots.

Liz Dutton is sure that her father, who disappeared in Central America while searching for the Maya ruins of the lost Jaguar City, is still alive, even though no one else believes it. While spending Thanksgiving with her grandparents, she finds a portrait of a beautiful teenage girl, painted in 1803--Holly Hobbie, complete with familiar patchwork dress and sunbonnet. As she stares at the picture, it seems to shimmer and come to life, and suddenly the girl from 1803 is standing in front of her.

Together LIz and Holly take off to try to solve the mystery of what happened to Liz's father, Holly taking in the 20th century with wide eyes all the while. They travel from New York to DC to New Orleans to Mexico, experiencing adventure and danger.

The time traveling heroine, the secret friend, and the child going in search of and rescuing the parent make this a classic kid lit story, enhanced by the sturdy hardcover binding, and beautiful painted illustrations and maps. Well worth discovering...or re-discovering!

I still have the copy my mother bought me when I wanted to be Laura Ingalls for Halloween, every year. Using the Holly Hobbie character as a departure, this book is actually a well-written and fast-paced YA mystery story. I like the independence and pluck shown by Liz and Holly, and the humor and realism of Liz's younger brother, Danny. Ahead of its time, the story also allows the parents a certain amount of fallibility. I'd recommend it to any reader who has an interest in mysteries, archaeology, or family history--it's a beautiful combination of all three!

I was 6 when I first read this book. I didn't know who Holly Hobbie was, nor seen any of her merchandise, so I wasn't tainted by any kiddy marketing. This book really is extraordinary, I would put it in the ranks of The Dark is Rising and The Chronicles of Narnia in its mysterious power and adventure. When you open the first page there is a haunting black and white photograph of Holly with her face half hidden by shadow, and a Thomas Carlyle inscription: "No truth or goodness known by man shall die, or ever can die." (or something like that). This haunted me as a child. I don't know who the author was, but he really did something amazing with what later turned out to be (I realized) a silly cartoon character on greeting cards. Please give it a read and pass it on to your daughter!

If you want an idea how much of an impact this book had on me, I can still remember not just the first time I read it, but the first time--and place--I *saw* it. The cover intrigued me at once: I'd had Holly Hobbie dolls and Colorforms for as long as I could remember, but the juxtaposition of that familiar figure with the ancient Maya pyramid and very modern helicopter captured my attention at once. In spite of this, it took me a while to finally decide I wanted to read it because the title just didn't seem to fit with the picture.

I have a feeling the reason this book is so rare now is because many people when it came out had that same initial reaction.

The bookstore where I found it, though, kept the book displayed prominently on top of one of its shelves and eventually I broke down and read the description on the inside dustjacket, then flipped through to look at the gorgeously detailed illustrations. I quickly figured out that this was not going to be a "typical" Holly Hobbie book, and decided to give it a try.

I'm so glad I did. I won't describe the plot because other reviewers have done a decent enough job of that, but I will say the story combines the best elements of an Indiana Jones movie (although it predates the IJ series by a year), a ghost story, a time travel adventure, a mystery, and the best kind of YA novel: one where the kids get to save the day. The characters were three dimensional and felt real, even the archaic fish-out-of-water Holly. The novel is also rich with detail about the Maya culture--both ancient and their modern descendents--and the difficulties and dangers that two teenage girls would face trying to cross two continents on their own. Especially when those two girls may carry the key to a treasure greedy men would kill for. That note of realism made me love Liz and Holly's adventures without ever wanting to experience them.

Sadly, I've never been able to find anything else written by the author. I can't help but think this book just didn't do well enough to get Richard Dubelman another contract, which is a pity considering how good of a writer he is.

The Adventures of Holly Hobbie drew me in and, in a way, never let go. I still own a copy and, every now and then, I still pull it out again and reread it. I would recommend it to anyone whose children love adventure and mystery with a dash of the mysterious (especially if those children are girls), or even any adults who aren't put off by young protagonists.