Customer Reviews

Babushka's Doll

5 star:		(18)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

"Children's Books > Literature > Fairy Tales, Folk Tales & Myths > Multicultural"

This book's archetypal story elements (e.g., magic, a moral, intergenerational conflict) are indeed part fairy tale and myth. A young girl, overly demanding of her grandmother ("Babushka"), learns what it's like on the receiving end when her grandmother's doll comes to life and makes demands on the girl. This is not, however, typical Polacco because there's a subtle punitive quality to the doll's incessant demands and misbehavior: "'You didn't do it right," said the doll... Natasha began to cry. "I'm just a little girl," she said between sobs. I wish you were just a doll."'

However, I think that Palocco's evocation of a fairy tale (which often contain gruesome scenes, unlike the mild consequences here), and her warm, very colorful illustrations soften the doll's "vengeance." This is not "Chuckie." And in the end, her grandmother slyly tells her that she must have been dreaming (although we are led to believe that the doll really did come to life), and we are reassured that `Natasha turned out quite nice after all.'

Palocco's large, loopy illustrations are always a treasure, and here, the pencil, pen, and acrylic bring some enchantment and a sense of fun to Natasha's "lesson."

It is a book that is full of surprises. The biggest, most interesting surprise is when Natasha uses her grandmother's doll. It came to life and the doll was mean to Natasha. I loved the drawings. This story could be a lesson for us not to be mean to our mothers...

I like the book because it's not real but it seems like it could have happened in real life. It taught a lesson to Tasha. The lesson was you should realize what you're doing before you do it. Tasha didn't understand why she always had to wait for everything.

I'm a third grade teacher and wouldn't be without this book in my classroom library. I have almost all of Polacco's books, but my students particularly enjoy this one. My most recent purchase of Babushka's Doll was for a 4 year old friend of my family... I read it to her and we had such fun laughing about that naughty little doll. Even at the tender age of four, Patricia Polacco's timeless message of learning to be patient and considerate came through loud and clear. This book is an absolute delight!

Babushka's Doll is a very entertaining book because it let's us see how giving and demanding orders makes you feel, aswell as how being at the receiving end of all of these demands can really affect you. My daughters and I enjoyed it very much.

Polacco's illustrations are vibrant and energetic, a wonderful combination of the organic with the geometric.

It's gorgeous to look at, but really, you must read this story if you have a four year old daughter. You hear a lot about the terrible twos, but nobody tells you about the f***ing fours, when kids often get demanding and try on selfishness for size. Not that I'm speaking from experience or anything.

Sit down with that girl and read Babushka's Doll. Her eyes will be opened.

My children love this story, and I enjoy reading it. I particularly like the illustrations. Very accurate portrayal of rural Russia--the windows, the well... I have ordered more of her books, we enjoy this one so much.

My students and I loved this book so much we wanted to write a review for you:

Babushka's Doll was a great book, we loved it! The story was funny, surprising, and it even taught us a lesson. The illustrations in the book are fantastic, very detailed, and colorful. So don't waste anymore time, click to add to your shopping cart now! We hope you enjoy Babushka's Doll as much as we did!

~Class 2-305

Babushka (Grandma) is having a hard time getting her work done AND entertaining her grandaughter, who wants all the attention all day long.
Babushka's doll comes to life when left alone with the grandaughter.....
the doll is even more demanding and when Grandma comes home....the grandaughter has learned a valuable lesson and she is happy to put the "magic" doll back on the shelf. ( cute, funny, and very appropriate for a child who is use to being the CENTER of attention!

This was such a really good book! As a mom of a 5 year old, I can say that we enjoy reading this story over and over again. This story has a very important lesson..... 'Do unto others as you would have others done unto you'. :)