The Dolls' House

Fancy finding a discarded dolls’ house, out in the street! Mia’ s mum says they could take it home, and out on the porch gives it a fresh paint of bright yellow. Once dry, Mia investigates the rooms inside the house, and before long, the house has attracted a new friend. Boys and girls from the street flock to join in the fun, each bringing a doll, a mat, wallpaper and their imaginations soon build a living family of dolls inside the once abandoned house.  Mia loves playing with so many new friends, but notices they are being watched by a shy boy from across the road. The text and pictures show how it is possible to draw in shy folks to join in communal activities, and at the end of the book there is a fold out of the dolls’ house full of tiny details and this will be well-handled. The illustrations match each part of the whole book with empathy and enthusiasm, creating a warm sense of community, where adults play little part, the children driving the narrative. A happy book.