The Doll People by Ann M. Martin

My younger, reluctant reader took over this book after I'd only read half of it aloud and read it for herself. This is a sign for parents of reluctant girl readers. I think that with the artistic pictures scattered throughout the book, she made a good call. It is a book to be both read and examined (like the Ottoline series: a girl-friendly, visually-saturated book).

Anyway, while I didn't find it a riveting read; she did. Meet Annabelle Doll and her family. They live in a dollhouse in a girl's bedroom where they come alive and move, but are careful about not being caught since that could potentially put them in "Permanent Doll State." That is where they freeze and never come back to alert state. Annabelle, a rather active doll, has experienced temporary doll state.

Still, experience of temporary doll state does not stop her from trying to solve the mystery of Aunt Sarah's disappearance. Aunt Sarah Doll has been gone for awhile, but the discovery of her journal by Annabelle starts a quest for her to find her. The arrival of the Funcraft family of dolls helps her in this endeavor.

You can imagine how it all ends; the important thing being that your child may want to read to find out....

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