I just finished reading this aloud to my 5yr old daughter. It's the longest chapter book she's had the patience to listen to with a only one black and white illustration per chapter. She loved learning about the dolls, how they were repaired and also the relationships of the three sisters in the book. I think it was the description of their simple lifestyle that was attractive to her.

The author's note at the end of the book about certain elements of the story was a pleasant and unexpected surprise. I had no idea she got the idea for the story from a real person. ( )

I liked this book because it was a good story and it gave you the ability to believe. The main character is Anna. She is 9 and she really connects to her dolls. Her older sister Sophie is smart and pretty. Sometimes Anna is jealous of Sophie. The book tells about how because of the war they don’t get the parts to fix the dolls. This results in losing money. It also tells about some of the struggles during the war.

I would recommend this book to my friends because it is a good story and had different ages. It also talks about some of the stuff that Jews do. - Vivian, age 10

This was a really sweet book based in some part on the Madame Alexander doll company. The plot was wholesome without being boring (enjoyable for both my daughter and me). Would be fun to read before a trip to NYC. ( )

I would use this book to teach students about historical fiction and to help them understand.

This is the story of Anna, the middle of three daughters, who loves dolls but doesn’t have one of her own. However she does have imagination and comes up with the idea that saves her parent’s doll shop when it is threatened with closure due to the effects of World War I.
This book is based on a true story and captures the flavour of a different era and culture very well. It would appeal to both doll lovers and those who enjoy historical fiction and is suitable for ages 8 and up as a read-alone. Younger girls would enjoy it as a read-aloud. ( )