The Meanest Doll in the World [Paperback]

Ann M. Martin (Author), Laura Godwin (Author), Brian Selznick (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: May 3, 2005 | Age Level: 8 and up | Grade Level: 3 and up

Annabelle Doll and Tiffany Funcraft are two dolls who have been best friends since they met in Kate Palmer's house at 26 Wetherby Lane. In this sequel to The Doll People, they hitch a ride in Kate's backpack and find themselves in the biggest adventure of their lives, a day at school! But when an attempt to return home lands them in the wrong house, they're in far deeper trouble than they imagined. Along with a host of new doll friends, they also encounter Mean Mimi, the wickedest doll of all. Mean Mimi is mean-really mean-and she's determined to rule all of Dollkind or else destroy it. Will the world ever be safe for dolls again? In this masterfully plotted sequel, Ann M. Martin and Laura Godwin, with the help of Brian Selznick's ingenious black-and-white illustrations, take the reader on another nonstop adventure from a doll's eye view!

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Grade 3-6-In this sequel to The Doll People (Hyperion, 2000), Annabelle Doll and her best friend, Tiffany Funcraft, take an inadvertent ride to a human school in a backpack and end up in a house where most of the dolls live in terror of Mimi, a princess doll of small stature but with a diabolical nature. They help the dolls but earn the enmity of Mean Mimi, who manages to sneak back to their house with them. After she sows seeds of discord among the Doll and Funcraft families, her destructive streak leads to her own downfall. Intriguing new characters, plenty of adventure, a rift in the friendship between Annabelle and Tiffany, and a truly evil nemesis will keep the pages turning, whether readers have read the first book or not. The pen-and-ink illustrations, which start at the endpapers and appear on almost every page, are nothing short of brilliant. They complement and extend the story, following it faithfully but adding deliciously to the humor and drama. This fantasy is destined to be a favorite for years to come.
Eva Mitnick, Los Angeles Public Library
Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From Booklist

Gr. 5-8. It was exciting when the 100-year-old, dollhouse-dwelling Doll Family met the modern, "real pink plastic" Funcrafts in The Doll People (2000), a thoroughly charming exploration of the fantasy that dolls are secretly alive. In this action-packed sequel, things heat up even further after Annabelle Doll and her best friend Tiffany Funcraft dive into the human girl's backpack and get hauled off to school. They end up in the wrong kid's backpack and in the home of the meanest doll in the world! Will they bravely take on Mean Mimi, who is determined to expose the sacred secret of dollkind? And, how will they get home? Selznick's pencil drawings are winningly expressive, and the clever title-page progression, spelling out "The Meanest Doll in the World" in several pages, is not to be missed. There are inspiring moments of fortitude here as the dolls show readers how to live with integrity and without fear. Though the authors provide background info, readers will want to start with the first novel. Karin Snelson
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 8 and up
  
• Paperback: 304 pages
• Publisher: Hyperion Book CH (May 3, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0786852976
• ISBN-13: 978-0786852970
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 6.1 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (52 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #13,418 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #27 in Books > 4-for-3 Books > Children's Books > Sports & Activities > Activities & Toys
  • #53 in Books > Children's Books > Sports & Games > Activities & Toys
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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Meanest Doll in the World, September 7, 2003

A Kid's Review

This review is from: The Meanest Doll in the World (Hardcover)

This is a colorful book! It is great for parents to read to their kids. And for kids to read themselves. I am halfway through the book and I think it is just as good as 'The Doll People'.
Ann M. Martin has also written excellent books for 10-14 years olds, such as A Corner of the Universe and Belle Teal! Read them as soon as possible!

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Meanest Doll In The World, November 21, 2004

A Kid's Review

This review is from: The Meanest Doll in the World (Hardcover)

Once upon a time there were two dolls. Their names were Annabelle and Tiffany. Annabelle was a doll that was made of fine china. Tiffany was a Funcrafts doll. She had snap on clothes and could be dipped in water while Annabelle couldn't. They lived in the same house ,but had different owners. Annabelle's owner was Kate Palmer, and Tiffany's owner was Nora Palmer. Kate was 9 years old and in the 4th Grade. Her sister, Nora was 5 years old and in Kindergarten. The two dolls had many adventures together.
Annabelle and Tiffany were the two main characters in this story. Annabelle was a doll that thought about things and asked many questions. Tiffany, on the other hand, was one that liked to take chances and do things quickly. They were best friends!
A conflict in this story was when the main characters got lost in Kate and Nora's school. Another conflict was when Annabelle and Tiffany went into the wrong book bag at the school and ended up in the wrong house meeting a very mean doll named Princess Mimi. The last conflict was that people couldn't see the dolls moving or they would get Doll State (a temporary or permanent state when they can no longer move).
The way they resolved these conflicts was by defeating Princess (Mean) Mimi. She got PDS (Permanent Doll State) when Nora saw her jumping from the bookcase. The way they got out of the school was by climbing back into Kate's book bag. The way they could move without being seen was by moving during the night and when no one was home.
My opinion of the book is that it is very detailed and creative. It was very cool how the dolls had adventures and stuff. It's like they were real people. I would recommend this book to others.

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Highly reccomended, January 20, 2004

By A Customer

This review is from: The Meanest Doll in the World (Hardcover)

We really enjoyed this book in my household! I thought it was a terrific children's book that even I, the adult, thoroughly enjoyed. I had tried to read it to the kids one chapter a night, but was always begged to continue after a chapter had ended. Too often I caved in and read another, because I wanted to know how what happened next too. I thought the illustrations were excellent, and I know the kids sure loved looking at the pictures!

If you haven't read the first book, don't worry. We certainly didn't, and had no trouble understanding or enjoying this wonderful book!