The Surprise Doll [Hardcover]

Morrell Gipson (Author), Steffie Lerch (Illustrator)

Book Description

Publication Date: June 2005 | Age Level: 3 and up

For more than half a century children have been captivated with the story of Mary and her dolls. Mary’s father was a sea captain who took long trips across the ocean, bringing back a doll from each journey. Soon Mary had six dolls and wished for a seventh one to become her "Sunday" doll. But Mary’s father said six dolls were enough for any girl, so she set off to visit the Dollmaker and, oh, was she in for a surprise!

Now available in its original, full 46-page format.

Editorial Reviews

Review

Welcome Back! With vintage illustrations and a classic story line, The Surprise Doll (1949) by Morrell Gipson, illus. by Steffie Lerch, tells of young Mary, whose sea captain father has, over many journeys, given his daughter six dolls from all over the world. But Mary yearns for a seventh, so she'll have a doll for each day of the week. How she gets her 'Sunday doll' makes for gentle suspense. --Publishers Weekly, June 20, 2005

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 3 and up
  
• Hardcover: 46 pages
• Publisher: Purple House Press (June 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 193090018X
• ISBN-13: 978-1930900189
• Product Dimensions: 8.4 x 6.5 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (17 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,011,747 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

15 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A....B O O K...F O R...T H E...W H O L E...W O R L D...T O...R E A D..!, February 15, 2007

By 

Patricia "A Reader" (Queens, New York, and Denver, Co, USA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: The Surprise Doll (Hardcover)

I HAD THIS BOOK AS A CHILD, AND IT REMAINS MEMORABLE TO THIS DAY. It even seems an ESPECIALLY important book for right now -- at the beginning of the 21st century, and I think that everyone in the entire world should get to read it! I'll say why, after explaining the plot....

The story is sweet, simple to understand, and suspenseful, as well! In a nutshell, it tells the story of Mary, a little AMERICAN girl whose father, a sea-captain, brings her back dolls from all the countries he has been to. After a while, she has six dolls: French, Russian, Dutch, Chinese, Italian and Spanish. But Mary wants a Sunday doll too...after all, there are seven days in the week! Her father thinks that "Six dolls are enough for any little girl", so Mary has to get the doll herself. She brings all her dolls to the dollmaker, and tells him to make her a "surprise doll"....one for Sunday.

The suspense is in this section. What will the doll look like?

Finally, Mary has her doll, and.........( SPOILER__ALERT! )....the doll looks JUST LIKE MARY! And why does it look just like Mary? Well, that's the secret and wonder of this book!

In the real world, where, in most countries, everyone is related in some way to everyone else -- America, (and probably Canada, too), are....different. For, these North American countries, are, by and large, made up of the descendants of IMMIGRANTS. We have, of course, various COMMUNITIES made up of those of common descent, (areas called "Little Italy", "Chinatown", etc. can be found in many American cities)....but the COUNTRY, as a whole, comprises MANY ethnic groups.

Proud of our ancestry, we are still also proud to be citizens of the U.S. (or Canada). This is sometimes difficult for Europeans -- whose countries are comprised of far more homogeneous populations -- to understand. Perhaps the late comedian, Alan King, (who was Jewish), said it best: "Israel is my mother, America is my wife: I love them both!!!!"

It would be spoiling the ending of the book to state exactly what it is. But "The Surprise Doll" IS the story of America's "many populations into one", in a delightful microcosm. A reading of the various reviews of this book, here on Amazon....and a close examination of the picture of the cover of the book....should give strong hints as to what the ending of the book is! : )

Today, too many people, in too many countries, criticize the USA. True, the USA is far from perfect. (Neither is Canada). But these two countries have at least one ideal that other lands would, I feel, do well to copy: we respect the INDIVIDUAL. People in various ethnic groups are as different as, (for example): Al Capone and Mario Lanza, (Italian descent); and Meyer Lansky and Jonas Salk, (Jewish descent). There's good and bad in every group....but we are ALL AMERICANS, (and all Canadians!) The story of "The Surprise Doll" is the story of the North American "Melting Pot" in it's best, and simplist, sweetest telling. I hope everyone -- especially those who criticize the USA -- can somehow read "The Surprise Doll", to see that the little girl, Mary, continues to love every one of her 6 previous dolls....but that she has a special place in her heart for her special, Sunday doll. Why she feels as she feels for each of her dolls, is the REAL story of what America, (and Canada), strive to -- and often succeed in -- being!

A happy surprise for the 21st century to re-discover and learn from, indeed!

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars favorite childhood book, August 5, 2006

By 

M. Medberry "teacher, literary manager" (Los Angeles) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: The Surprise Doll (Hardcover)

This book was my favorite book my grandmother read to me years ago. I was thrilled to find it again! I just bought it for my grandaughter.

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars We (still) love The Surprise Doll!, March 3, 2006

By 

Jamie Keblish (Statesboro, GA USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Surprise Doll (Hardcover)

This book was one of my favorites when I was a little girl, and my six-year-old daughter loves it today. It is a very happy little tale about a little girl who has a special doll for every day of the week except Sunday. When she asks the doll-maker to make a Sunday doll, he has a very special type of doll in mind. The sweet, simple illustrations help to make the story. Any little girl from about ages three to seven will love the way that this charming story ends.