Doll Baby [Hardcover]

Eve Bunting (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: August 21, 2000

When Ellie was a little girl, she had a doll named Daisy. She loved to dress her and give her a bottle. Now Ellie is fifteen, and she has a real baby to love. But a baby is not a doll. Taking care of Angelica isn’t anything like taking care of Daisy. In fact, it’s harder than Ellie ever could have imagined. In Doll Baby, Eve Bunting warmly but honestly portrays the truth about teenage pregnancy and motherhood, addressing all the joy and anguish, love and loss that accompany it.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

When she was a child, Ellie pushed her doll Daisy in a toy carriage. Now a single mother at 15, she pushes her infant daughter, Angelica, in a stroller. This brief, copiously illustrated tale strikes an awkward pose between beginning reader and chapter book, given the target age range. Ellie announces to her mother and stepfather that she is pregnant. Prodded by their questions, she recollects her visit to the free clinic and her confrontation with the child's father ("How do you know it's mine?" he counters). The volume then charts Ellie's observations of her changing body, the birth of her daughter (not recounted in detail) and her exhausting life as a high school mother. She wistfully observes her former teammates playing softball and her ex-boyfriend in line to buy movie tickets with another girl. Bunting relates the sequence of events without judgment, but concludes on a cautionary note; as Ellie prepares to go to bed, with Angelica's bassinet on one side of her bed and her childhood doll on the opposite pillow, she admits, "Sometimes in the night I cry and cry . I hug Daisy Doll and I wonder if I was right to want Angelica, to keep her. That kind of thinking makes me feel worse and I cry some more." Still, Ellie remains somewhat at a distance. Presenting inconsistent renderings of the protagonist, Stock's sketchy and stiff watercolor-and-pencil pictures do little to enhance readers' involvement in the story. Ages 11-up. (Aug.)

Copyright 2000 Cahners Business Information, Inc.

From School Library Journal

Gr 2-4-Teen pregnancy is the subject of this beginning chapter book. Readers are first introduced to Ellie as a young child who loves to take care of her doll. They next meet the girl as a pregnant 15-year-old who is understandably terrified to face her parents. After she chooses to keep the infant, her mother baby-sits during the day and gets a night job, while her father also takes on added responsibilities. The teen is portrayed throughout the book as not yet mature enough to take full responsibility for her child. Bunting does not delve into any moral issues and she doesn't paint a pretty picture of single teen motherhood. The book is somewhat enhanced by many full-page watercolor-and-pencil illustrations. However, in some of the pictures, Ellie looks younger than 15. While this title is well written, one must question the intended audience. Beginning readers are unlikely to be interested in the subject matter and the childlike art and format will not attract older reluctant readers.-Christine McGinty, Albany Public Library, NY

Copyright 2000 Cahners Business Information, Inc.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 12 and up
  
• Hardcover: 48 pages
• Publisher: Clarion Books (August 21, 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0395930944
• ISBN-13: 978-0395930946
• Product Dimensions: 8.3 x 5.8 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8.8 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,225,455 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Eve Bunting has written more than 200 books for children, many of which can be found in libraries around the world. Her other Clarion titles for very young readers include My Big Boy Bed, which was also illustrated by Maggie Smith, and Little Bear's Little Boat, illustrated by Nancy Carpenter. She lives in Pasadena, California.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Doll Baby, November 5, 2000

By 

Lisa Kilmer (Potwin, Ks) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Doll Baby (Hardcover)

Eve Bunting realistically tells the tale of 15 year old Ellie and her unplanned pregnancy. This book is written at a 2nd-4th grade level and it would be a great resource for families dealing with teenage pregnancy, especially if there are younger children in the family. In my opinion, Bunting covers a delicate topic with tact, and emphasizes that having a baby is hard work, and requires a great deal of sacrfice.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A good book for young adolescent girls., March 31, 2006

By 

Darrel the Librarian "DID" (Oklahoma) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Doll Baby (Hardcover)

This is a beautiful little book about a 15-year old mother, her dreams and problems now that she has a child. Nicely illustrated, the girl has to deal with gossip, the father who doesn't take responsibility, her parents and the things in her life that have become difficult or impossible because of her child. It would appropriate for girls 10 or over, especially those who are at risk of a pregnancy.

3.0 out of 5 stars Wrong Audience, November 4, 2010

By 

Kimberly Troxler - See all my reviews

This review is from: Doll Baby (Hardcover)

One thing that I love about my 8 yr old daughter is the fact that she still loves to play with doll babies. So when she saw this book in her school library, it seemed to be right up her alley. When I saw her reading the book, it seemed innocent enough at a glance. But when I actually looked at the cover illustration and then read the page she was reading, I was shocked. This is not a book that I believe is appropriate for an 8 year old or any other kid in elementary school. Maybe it's a good story and maybe it's well written but the targeted audience is all wrong. I'd like to preserve the innocence of my child for as long as possible. I believe this book's audience should be those who are at least 13 years or older. Of course there are scenarios in life when it may be warranted to have this conversation with a younger child. I don't deny that. But that should at least be at the parents discretion. That's my 2 cents. I hope this is helpful.