How Raggedy Ann Got Her Candy Heart My First Raggedy Ann [Hardcover]

Jan Palmer (Author), Johnny Gruelle (Author)

Book Description

Age Level: 3 and up | Series: My First Raggedy Ann

One-day Raggedy Ann takes a kite ride way up in the sky-only to land in a bucket of paint! A friendly painter offers to fix her up like new, and it looks as though Marcella will have to part with her doll for a short time. But when Raggedy Ann comes back to Marcella, shes better than ever because of the painters special gift. Raggedy Ann has been beloved by children for many decades.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

These first two installments in the My First Raggedy Ann series, abridged for younger readers from tales Gruelle originally wrote and illustrated for his housebound daughter Marcella, differ significantly from each other. In the first, a sweet but slow tale, Raggedy plays a largely passive role as Marcella's doll, who falls into a can of paint. The housepainter takes Raggedy Ann home to clean her up, and his wife sews on her famous red candy heart proclaiming "I love you." The second, livelier tale has a more fanciful spin, giving Raggedy Ann and Andy identities more akin to children than playthings. The title is a bit misleading, as the book's key action derives from a bespectacled wooden horse who leads Ann, Andy and a flannel camel on a mission to recapture Ann's doll pal, Babette, from a band of pirates. Mayhem erupts as the thieving band's tent collapses around them, and Ann seizes the chance to rescue Babette. This scenario brings on the books' funniest lines: when the horse promises to give each pirate a lollipop if they pledge to reform, two acquiesce immediately, announcing "I'll stop being a pirate and be a plumber" and "I'll stop and go into the garage business." Palmer alters the moods of her cheerful, if somewhat cutesy, artwork to match each story: she gives the first book a more realistic feel (though the constantly smiling human characters resemble actors in a 1950s sitcom), while creating a more whimsical aura in the second, effectively intensifying her palette to introduce the vivid pirate crew. The uninitiated will likely warm up to Raggedy Ann and her pals, yet these titles aren't likely to claim nearly the longevity of their predecessors. Ages 3-7.
Copyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc.

About the Author

Johnny Gruelle was a newspaperman. He wrote and illustrated many books about Raggedy Ann and her friends, whom he created for the enjoyment of his beloved daughter, Marcella. He died in 1938.

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 3 and up
  
• Hardcover: 32 pages
• Publisher: Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing (September 1, 1998)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0689811195
• ISBN-13: 978-0689811197
• Product Dimensions: 11.6 x 9.2 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #821,922 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

37 of 37 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A heartwarming story about the beginnings of Raggedy Ann., October 15, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: How Raggedy Ann Got Her Candy Heart My First Raggedy Ann (Hardcover)

I grew up with Raggedy Ann and the story books that had been given to my mother when she was a child. I still have these original books (copyright 1918) and shared them with my daughter when she was a small child. The Raggedy Ann stories are wonderfully warm, light hearted stories that entertain, but also make a point about kindness. Raggedy Ann is always an 'upbeat' doll who is an eternal optomist! The story of "How Raggedy Ann Got Her Candy Heart" gives the reader the back round of the 'I Love You' that is on the 'heart area' of a REAL Raggedy Ann. In this story, Raggedy Ann is tied to tail of a kite (to help steady it) and flies high in the sky. By accident, she is 'falls' into a bucket of paint. From this misfortune, she weaves a wonderful story about her adventure away from the nursery. One of the young painters rescued her from the paint and took her home to clean her up. She was washed and hung on the line to dry. While drying there, she was visited by a couple of robins with whom she shared a little of her yarn hair and some of her stuffing so that they could build a nest for their family. Before she is returned to Marcella (the little girl who owns her), the painter's wife re-stuffed Raggedy and gave her some new yarn hair. Just before the final stitches were sewn, the painter's wife went to her cabinet and got out some little candy hearts. She sorted through them until she found the perfect one. In bright blue letters, the words "I Love You" were printed on the heart that she chose to sew into Raggedy Ann. When she returned to the nursery with the other dolls, Raggedy Ann told all about her adventure . . . and her new 'heart'. This book is a must for the real Raggedy Ann lover. It took me back to my childhood and the time I spent with my Raggedy Ann and the quality time with my mother -- reading these wonderful stories together!

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars MY First Raggedy Ann Books!, February 12, 2002

By 

Gen Watson (Gouverneur, NY USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: How Raggedy Ann Got Her Candy Heart My First Raggedy Ann (Hardcover)

Here's another set of books I grew up with. I owned all of the Raggedy Ann books listed here except the Nice Policeman. All of them were my mother's books before me. They are truly wonderful books for little girls and boys to read, with lively illustrations in bright colors perfect for little eyes to enjoy. The stories are sweet and full of adventure, but still teach good lessons to young readers. These are among the timeless classics that children from any generation will love.

3.0 out of 5 stars Poor quality, December 20, 2011

By 

Sandy Obenberger (Whittier, CA, US) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: How Raggedy Ann Got Her Candy Heart My First Raggedy Ann (Hardcover)

I purchased this book with the intentions on giving it as a gift for Christmas. I received well ahead of time but unfortunatly the book jacket is worn as if it is used. Not very happy with the receiving this product in poor condition.