What do your dolls do at night when you are sleeping? Bet you’d be surprised to know they come alive…just like in Toy Story! The Doll family is made up of Mama and Papa, Uncle Doll, Annabelle, Bobby, Baby Betsy, and Nanny, who takes care of the kids. Auntie Sarah used to live with the Dolls, but she mysteriously disappeared 45 years ago. These porcelain dolls are over 100 years old, and live in Kate’s room. Very rarely do the members of the Doll family leave the dollhouse, afraid to break the Doll Code of Honor which states that the dolls must protect their secret lives from humans or risk becoming an “ordinary doll.” Afraid that Kate will see them moving, the family stays in the house and only talks and moves around at night when Kate is sleeping. But things get a little exciting when Kate’s little sister Nora gets a new pink plastic dollhouse. The Funmarts are a more modern family of plastic people who don’t seem afraid of getting caught breaking the Doll Code of Honor. Annabelle befriends the new doll Tiffany, and they convince Annabelle’s parents to allow them to go out at night and try to look for Auntie Sarah. They look for clues in a journal Auntie Sarah left behind and try to find where she might be, trying not to awaken the family and also avoiding Captain, the family cat.
The relationship between the two families is amusing–the Funmarts can’t believe the Doll family does not have a microwave or a computer (or even know what they are!). And Annabelle is a little jealous that her new friend Tiffany does not worry about getting broken (plastic dolls do not need to be nearly as careful as porcelain ones). A great adventure and mystery story with captivating pencil illustrations by Caldecott award winner Brian Selznick. Recommended for Grades 3-5.
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