I did like this story about a forgotten event in our American history. I checked out the recommended website: http://www.bill-gordon.net/dolls/ and found even more information. ( )

Lexie desperately wants to be reunited with her fun-loving mom in San Francisco and get away from her strict grandparents in Portland. Her class has raised money for a doll to send as a call for peace to children in Japan. When she realizes the winner of her class writing contest gets to accompany the doll to San Francisco for its send off, Lexie knows that she has to win. Lexie knows that if she can just hold the doll that she will be able to write that winning letter, but this endeavor creates more problems and leaves Lexie telling more lies and having to decide what is right. ( )

In the 1920s children in American saved their pennies to send dolls to Japan. In all, over 12,000 dolls were sent to Japan in an act of friendship and as an attempt to prevent war between the two countries. Lexie, an 11-year-old, is excited about the doll her class is sending for that and another reason: Lexie is in Portland with her grandparents while her widowed mother is in San Francisco and Lexie wants to win the honor of accompanying the doll to its sendoff in San Francisco so she can also see her mother.
This has a strong story line with an interesting bit of forgotten history. ( )

In 1926, a teacher missionary organized an event for the American children to send more than 12,000 dolls to Japan in hopes of avoiding a future war. Clearly, the mission didn't work but Parenteau's novel based on this little-known event in history works from the get go. What kid wouldn't want to pick up a book that starts with "I dare you. I double-dare you" (Parenteau, p. 1). Lexie is immediately caught up in a moral dilemma that never lets up. She wants the chance to hold the doll, so she takes the dare -- something her strict grandparents with whom she is living would not approve of. But there's a little bit of her carefree mother in her, and her mom who is nurturing a new marriage and a singing career in California would definitely accept a dare. Getting caught trespassing (in her teacher's house no less ) just to hold the special doll that her class is sending to Japan starts a whole chain of events that makes Lexie think hard about what's right, about who to believe, and what makes her happiest. A fast-paced historical novel with lots of action, Ship of Dolls holds particular appeal for young girls. It deals with getting caught up in lies, jealousy, and competition as the girls are promised that whoever rights the best letter will accompany the doll to San Francisco. ( )

Pace was off, and the only consequence seemed to be that she would get yelled at. ( )