Pretty Dolls

Author: Kimberly Dana
Publisher: Tate Publishing
Genre: Children
ISBN: 978-1-61346-416-8
Pages: 24
Price: $8.99

Gracie is a doll who has been well-loved by a little girl named Tasha, but bears some of the “scars” of the process. She has purple eyes from a makeup experiment, a missing arm from when the dog grabbed her, and spiky hair from when Tasha decided to cut it. But every night, Gracie sleeps by Tasha’s side, secure in the knowledge that her appearance means nothing to Tasha.

The other dolls in Tasha’s room are jealous of Gracie, and make fun of her. Although they are far more beautiful, Gracie gets all the attention. But one day, the prettiest one of all has an accident that helps her, and the others, to see Gracie in a whole new light.

Pretty Dolls was a Children’s Picture Book Finalist in the 2011 Pacific Northwest Writers Association Literary Contest. In this book, children will see that it’s possible to be kind, even when it’s obvious that others don’t like them. But they’ll also learn that it’s not okay to be mean when they’re jealous. This is a nice story with a positive message.

Reviewer: Alice Berger