This is a book I loved in my childhood and is still as well-observed and captivating - I felt an enormour wrench half way through when I suddenly remembered what was going to happen!

A very lovely children's book about a family of dolls and their quest to find a home. Though the story is slightly bittersweet, it is also kind and teaches children about appreciating the simple things in life like friendship, support, understanding, and patience. I loved the beautiful illustrations by Tasha Tudor and I adore my vintage hardcover edition. This is the very first time I've read the book and I know I will be re-reading this book each year. Perhaps around Christmas time. Highly recommended for any child (or adult) who loves dolls, dollhouses, and using their imagination to make positive changes in their lives.

Not a creepy doll book in the least but it does pull a couple of heart strings and have some charm. Most of its appeal is in the age and the timeless living dolls with feelings tropes.

Such a lovely book. I like how it's unclear who is really doing the wishing, the children or the dolls. The intertwinement of them both is darling. I was also taken aback by the ending - what a twist!

My daughters and I all love books about dolls, and I was hoping this would be as magical / eerie as books like The Runaway Dolls, The Dollhouse Murders, etc. But we all found this story disturbing--especially Emily's cruelty to the doll family and Birdie's fate--and hard to engage with. A difficult, and unsuccessful, read aloud.

Amazing book! So we'll written and the story is wonderful. Godden gives the dolls a voice and a life.

I loved the beginning because it was exciting but at the end when Apple and Birdie caught on fire, it was sad. I loved the very ending when Marchpane went to the museum and stayed there! It had a very happy ending. I am 7 years old.

Dark ending.

“Somewhat sinister” says Sadie Stein in the NYT. Indeed, and I’m not sure I would have liked this book when I was younger, certainly not as much as Holly and Ivy.

Rumer Godden perfectly captured elements of real little girl play time in a way that acknowledged its developmental and emotional importance without being saccharine. I loved the imaginative notions involved. It so reminded me of when I played pretend as a younger child. Delightful.

A little children's book about the lives of the occupants of a doll's house. Exactly what a little girl would like to read (at least I did).

A children's book with more depth than I expected. I'm not sure every child would like it because of the ending, but as an adult, I enjoyed how thought-provoking it was. The dolls have real personalities, cleverly matched with the way they're crafted, E.G. Tottie (made from a tree) is the one who nurtures everyone. The story made me think not only of dolls, but of people who can't speak up for themselves.