The Meanest Doll in the World (The Doll People, 2)

My first grader loved The Doll People and devoured the entire book (about 240 pages long) in less than a week. She was so riveted by the storyline that she brought the book everywhere, reading it at home, in the car, and even at the restaurant. I was happy to be able to find a chapter book series with a plot that would keep her engaged and interested.The Meanest Doll in the World is the second book in the series and a follow-up to The Doll People. The two main characters in the series are Annabelle Doll, a china doll that is more than a hundred years old, and Tiffany, a Funcraft doll who is more recent and made of plastic. Annabelle lives with the Doll family (Mama, Papa, Uncle, Auntie Sarah, Nanny, and Baby Betsy) in an antique dollhouse that has been in the Palmer family for generations. The Doll family are living dolls, i.e. they can talk and move, but they are very careful about not being seen doing this by humans or risk going into Permanent Doll State, where they will be back to regular, lifeless dolls. Life for the Doll family becomes more exciting with the arrival of the Funcraft dolls, and the two families eventually form a close friendship (more on this in the first book).In this book, both Annabelle and Tiffany have become best friends and like going exploring together. One day, they find themselves being transported in Kate's (the older girl in the Palmer family who has inherited the Doll family) backpack to Kate's school. Though the dolls have a fun time, they miss home and try to make their way back but accidentally get into another child's backpack and end up in a different home. This is where they encounter Mimi, the meanest and most cruel doll. What is to become of Annabelle and Tiffany, and will they ever find their way back to the Palmer's?I've been listening to my daughter read this book out loud to me the past couple of nights, and it is a well-written, imaginative story that keeps the reader interested in what is going to happen next. There is an appropriate level of suspense and thrills, and the pencil drawings by Brian Selznick (who wrote the remarkable The Invention of Hugo Cabret) enhance the story. I highly recommend this series to children who are ready to read chapter books with a more challenging vocabulary - recommended for independent readers ages 6-10.

My 6 year old loves these. She moved onto this series after finishing the magic treehouse and then the magic fairies series. These books are probably 3x longer than those. The story is deeper and richer than those others.We find it difficult to find books at her reading level that are not too mature themed. These are perfect. Nothing too scary, but the plots keep her entertained. She gets super excited to read them. And does over and over again.

The meanest doll in the world is one of my favorite books! I felt bad for Annabelle when Mean Mimi told lies. She said Annabelle's best friend Tiffany and Annebelle's aunt- auntie Sarah- planed a big exploration without her and Tiffany was tired of being friends with Annabelle. Also there is more lies. She said Annabelle always broke things,Tiffany was tired of playing with her, Annebelle was no fun to play with, Annabelle's afraid of everything and Annabelle caused everybody's problems. Oh and I'm 8 years old and I finished the book in exactly two hours. I would highly recommend this book to you. Once you start reading, you can't stop until you're done. It is a really fun book. I'm really looking forward to reading the next one. I also hope that Ann M. Martin will write a fifth book or I will write one by myself. I will make it really fun.

Great book

We enjoyed this story to follow the first book. My daughter has always believed the dolls come alive st night. Mean Mimi is a bit scary but not so bad.

I read this series to my children: girl age 6 and boy age 4. They loved it very much, and we could hardly put the books down at night. The characters are engaging, and the plot is pretty exciting.I had to order another copy of this book, as my now 7 year old has been re-reading these books. She has re-read the entire series twice in the last 3 months.I wish Ann Martin would write some more stories about these dolls! We have been swept into another world by this series. Thanks for an awesome experience!! Books like these create a love of reading that will last a lifetime.

I loved "The Doll People" so much that I went right onto Amazon and ordered up "The Meanest Doll In The World." The friendship between the two little girl dolls that I loved so much in the first book was right there and continuing to grow in the second! And that made me very, very happy.The philosophy of the story, the way "big words" are incorporated and explained and the FABULOUS ILLUSTRATIONS are far and above what you see in most books for children OR adults!I am over 50 and this is a great set of books for any age at all.

My granddaughter, whom I purchased these for, really enjoyed these books! She's in first grade, but is an advanced reader. Her teacher had never heard of these books and was very impressed with them

Charming story with lovely pictures! My 8 year old loved it!

Even if this second book in the Doll People series is the weakest, I like it so much! Really good series!

One of the best books for children - series of three, thoroughly enjoyed reading them all to our 6 year old & our 9 year old has loved reading them herself too! Now family favourites along with the Faraway tree!

Item was exactly as described